The Steinbach Mennonite Church was full of Christmas music Tuesday evening as the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra presented their annual holiday tour.

A number of local performers joined the orchestra on stage including a youth choir from New Bothwell School called the Hanover Holiday Singers. MLA Kelvin Goertzen and his son Malachi also took the stage to narrate The Night Before Christmas.

Irene Schellenberg has been going to the annual holiday concerts here in Steinbach for many years.

"We come to this concert quite regularly and it does kick off the Christmas season for us. There is something satisfying about marrying the orchestra with choir voices and audience participation. It is always just a really nice community event and it is always sold out, it is always a popular event."

Schellenberg says this year the youth choir was a highlight as well as the interesting and new arrangements of classic Christmas songs that Conductor Julian Pellicano chose. She notes it is great to see the symphony here in Steinbach.

"It allows us to experience some of the culture that is so prevalent in the City of Winnipeg and that we ourselves in our community are preparing people to participate in that. Last year they had Erin Spears here as a soloist who was part of our singing community for a number of years so it is just a nice touch to bring communities together."

The Hanover Holiday Singers from New Bothwell School perform with the WSO