This annual holiday concert serves up the spirit of the season in a big way. Navy Band Northeast, a 35-musician ensemble based on board NAVSTA Newport and one of 11 official U.S. Navy bands worldwide, team with the NEC Symphonic Winds directed by Bill Drury and NEC Chamber Singers directed by Erica Washburn. The Brown Bag Concert Series, presented by Mechanics Hall and 90.5 FM WICN, has been a beloved tradition in Worcester since 1983. These hour-long concerts by acclaimed regional and national performers are held in the Great Hall on select Wednesdays from noon to 1pm. Bring your own “brown bag” lunch, and enjoy wonderful music while eating your lunch! Cabaret-style seating available on a first-come, first-served basis. All concerts are free, open to the public, and subject to change. The accessible entrance to Mechanics Hall is located on Waldo Street. Elevators are located in the ground-floor lobby and provide access to the second and third floors. Please note, there is no elevator access to the balcony. All concerts take place in the Great Hall on the third floor. If you need assistance, please contact the Mechanics Hall Ticket Office, Wednesday through Friday from 11:00am-5:00pm, by calling 508-752-0888. Whenever possible, Brown Bag Concerts are also broadcast live on WICN 90.5FM, and streamed live on WICN.org.

A Festive Show For Zipsters, Friends and Family

The Squirrel Nut Zippers bring their joyous, raucous Christmas Caravan Tour back again performing all of the hits from Holidays past. From heartwarming ballads to boisterous dance tunes, the band conjures an atmosphere nestled somewhere between the wondrous lights of Christmas and the backroom din of a speakeasy. This show is a must-see for any true music lover.

The Christmas Caravan show features holiday hits and classics, selections from the Squirrel Nut Zipper’s holiday album Christmas Caravan, and the finest new and old Squirrel Nut Zippers catalog music. Inspired by 1920s jazz, klezmer and old time music, SNZ’s endlessly curious and innovative leader Jimbo Mathus has concocted a show truly unique and original. This unique blend is on full display with the Christmas Caravan show, which has increasingly grown in popularity, selling out venues throughout the United States.

“There is of course jazz of various stripes (mainly pre-WWII varieties) on this deliciously wide ranging night of entertainment, but there’s so much more: sounds, identifiable and not, emanating from mysterious times and places, not the least of which is New Orleans, their home base, a land that, forever and still, has a mind of its own.” – Relix

Matt Heaton’s Holiday Hootenanny is a dance-filled, laugh-laced CD release party for the whole family. With his band the Outside Toys, Heaton performs hits from his shiny new album “Snow Day!” (Because nothing says holidays like retro hi fi guitar stylings, and a rock solid rhythm section.)

Warm up the cocoa. Break out the candy canes. Dust off the Rudolph-singing pipes. Matt Heaton and the Outside Toys are coming to town!

Holiday Pops

The Umbrella Stage Company in partnership with Firebird Pops Orchestra is thrilled to announce the return of our holiday pops concert!

The orchestra will sweep you away with magical scores from seasonal favorites like Sleigh Ride and The Eighth Candle, classics including The Christmas Song, the beloved sing-along--plus a new holiday favorite, Rocket Sleigh (by Boston-based composer Delvyn Case)!

Stay tuned for more information on this year's program and soloist information--it's sure to be a magical event!