Christmas Saengerfest taking place in Over-the-Rhine | Events

OVER-THE-RHINE, OH (FOX19) - A traditional German Christmas festival is being held Friday and Saturday at Downtown Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine: St. Francis Seraph Roman Catholic Church, First Lutheran Church, Nast Trinity United Methodist Church, Memorial Hall, and The Christian Moerlein Brewery.

Cincinnati is known as the American home of Saengerfest, a German-American choir festival that started in Over-the-Rhine around 1849.  Saengerfest pre-dates Cincinnati’s treasured May Festival Chorus, but has not been hosted here since 1952.

“Reminiscent of those held in Germany, Saengerfestivals would take place in different cities throughout the United States.  We’ve merged what traditionally was a springtime festival with holiday caroling to create this new annual Christmas Saengerfest,” said Dave Kohake, co-owner of American Legacy Tours.

The inaugural Christmas Saengerfest will feature more than a dozen of the best choirs in the area, including the Cincinnati Men’s Chorus, Cincinnati Boychoir, MLK Chorale, MUSE Cincinnati Women’s Choir, Cincinnati Sound, and the Young Professionals’ Choral Collective.  Each choir will perform twice during the festival.

“In addition to hearing great Christmas music, people can take in the beauty of these historic churches and surrounding neighborhood of Over-the-Rhine, including the newly renovated Washington Park at Christmastime,” said tour developer Mac Cooley.

The Christmas Saengerfest is scheduled for Friday, December 14 from 6pm - 10pm and Saturday, December 15 from 5pm - 9pm. Tickets are $15 each per day advanced sales, available online at ChristmasSaengerFest.com; $20 per day on-site.