Experience an enchanting tale with music!
Bells of the Cascades invites you to join us for our annual holiday concerts! This year's theme, "Winter's Tale," will feature enchanting and powerful music telling the story of a youthful traveler. The music will transport you through a wintry world of adversity for our traveler, who then arrives ultimately in a place of love and self-discovery. You can read more about the theme in 2025 December Concert Theme. This concert is sure to leave you feeling inspired and uplifted!
We're excited to announce that we also have some major new activities planned for our two concerts this December!
We are offering a Marketplace at each of the shows that will feature handcrafted items from some of our own BOC members, as well as clear stemless wine glasses etched with our logo. The glasses are $15 each and the handicrafts are offered at various prices. Plan on spending some time browsing our items, all made with love for our community!
We are also holding a Raffle, with the main prize being a two-night stay at a mountain cabin in Government Camp, OR. There are two additional prizes, and only 100 raffle tickets are being sold, so your chances of winning are pretty good! Be on the lookout for BOC members selling raffle tickets, or plan to buy one or two at the door if they are available, $10 per ticket! The raffle drawing will be held at our Sunday concert in Forest Grove, but you need not be present to win!
In addition to these opportunities to acquire something for yourself, we are once again doing food drives for local charitable organizations. In Vancouver, we will be collecting donations for Esther's Pantry, as we did last year with rousing success. Esther's Pantry is a food bank where clients select food from well-stocked shelves that help support and maintain good health. Esther's provides supplemental food and personal care items to over 250 clients each month. This year, their Wish List features specific items that they are most looking for.
In Forest Grove, new this year, we will be collecting food on behalf of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. SVDP is a worldwide Catholic organization of laypersons, open to all. Generally on a person-to-person basis, members of the Society help those in need, regardless of race, ethnicity, creed, gender, orientation, handicap, or religion. This year, SVDP has a great need for specific items to be donated, primarily canned goods (especially chili and soups), and peanut butter. All donations of such items will be enthusiastically appreciated.
At both of our concerts, if you bring a food donation, you will receive a $5 discount on adult admission.
Bells of the Cascades encourages you to act on behalf of the many people this year who are struggling more than ever to survive in a world that is severely reducing benefits and support for those who need it most. We are asking our community of handbell music aficionados to reach out to the wider community around us in a spirit of love and compassion at this tender time of year. We are so grateful for your participation!
Something else that BOC is offering for your convenience is that you can now buy tickets online! We know some of our audience members have wanted this for a while, and we hope you’ll try this new option out. You can still pay by cash, check, or charge at the door if you wish.
So plan on being with us for the music, the marketplace, and the raffle, and be sure to bring your donations of food to one of these concerts:
- 4pm Saturday, December 20th, at Salmon Creek Methodist Church,
12217 NE Hwy 99, Vancouver, WA 98686 - 4pm Sunday, December 21st, at Forest Grove United Methodist Church,
1726 Cedar Street, Forest Grove, OR 97116
We can't wait to see you for these exciting afternoons of music, fun, and giving!
