The University of Redlands will present the Feast of Lights—one of its most anticipated and respected traditions of the holiday season, now in its 70th year—Dec. 1-4, 2017 in the historic Memorial Chapel on the University of Redlands campus.

The Feast of Lights is a nationally-acclaimed event and a traditionally integral part of launching the holiday season in the Redlands communities. As part of the annual tradition since 2009, the public is encouraged to bring donations of non-perishable food items to the Feast of Lights, which is collected by the Family Service Association of Redlands and distributed to low-income and homeless families in the community.

The Feast of Lights service of worship celebrates―in spoken word, tableaux, song and instrumental offering―the birth of Jesus. Although presentations have differed slightly from year to year, the basic theme has remained constant: the story of the birth of Christ and the symbolic message of the star of Bethlehem as it led the Wise Men to the stable. At the service’s conclusion, the traditional Ceremony of Candles symbolizes the spreading of the light of Christ’s message.

The Feast of Lights is directed by School of Music Choral Conductor Nicholle Andrews and includes the talents of students from the School of Music, Choral Conductor Joseph Modica, Chaplain John Walsh, Organist Frederick Swann, Orchestral Conductor Co Nguyen and Stage Director Marco Schindelmann.