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Chicago Holiday Concert Preview

By Natalie Kuchik

Holiday concerts in Chicago range from radio-station events with popular musicians to local companies putting on small-scale shows. There are holiday events for adults, children and even concerts that any age can enjoy. Holidays can sometimes be stressful, but letting loose and belting out your favorite Christmas, Hanukkah or winter song can put your mind at ease, if even for one night. This Chicago holiday concert preview highlights the best shows featured this season.

Sufjan Stevens In Concert At The Wiltern
Sufjan Stevens (Credit: Karl Walter/Getty Images) Credit: Karl Walter/Getty Images

Sufjan Stevens
Metro
3730 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60613
(773) 549-4140
www.sufjan.com

Date: December 15, 2012
Price: $19 per ticket
Tickets are currently sold out... Good luck!

"The Surfjohn Stevens Christmas Sing-A-Long Seasonal Affective Disorder Yuletide Disaster Pageant On Ice" tour will be in Chicago on December 15 at the Metro. Singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens and a five-piece band will be performing holiday songs from both of his Christmas box sets. If you were hoping to hear him perform original songs from his studio album, then catch him next time because at this Chicago holiday concert, Stevens will only be performing Christmas songs. The doors will open at 7 p.m.

Welcome Yule
(Credit: www.cso.org)

Welcome Yule!
Symphony Center
220 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60604
(312) 294-3000
www.cso.org

Dates: December 14-23, 2012
Price: $35-$95 per ticket
Click here for tickets

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus will be performing eight holiday concerts this season at the Symphony Center. It will not be the same old boring concert because they will be performing traditional holiday carols in new arrangements. It is a great sing-along experience that is fun for the whole family to enjoy. The orchestra hall will be decorated in a festive manner specifically for the "Welcome Yule!" concerts. No infants will be admitted into this Chicago holiday concert due to the program's length and content.

Related: Best Holiday Lights In Chicago

B96 Pepsi Jingle Bash
(Credit: b96.cbslocal.com)

B96 Pepsi Jingle Bash
Allstate Arena
6920 Mannheim Road
Rosemont, IL 60018
(847) 635-6601
www.b96.cbslocal.com

Date: December 15, 2012
Price: $39.60-$135 per ticket
Click here for tickets

The biggest names being played on mainstream radio today perform at the B96 Pepsi Jingle Bash. In 2012, Justin Bieber, Calvin Harris, Pitbull, Carly Rae Jepsen, Afrojack, Austin Mahone, Cody Simpson and PSY will all be performing at the B96 Pepsi Jingle Bash. All of the artists will be on a holiday-decorated stage performing their radio hit songs. The best thing about the B96 Pepsi Jingle Bash is that a ticket can pass off as a Christmas or Hanukkah present to your loved one.

Chicago Botanic Garden
(credit: www.chicagobotanic.org)

Hanukkah Concert / Christmas Concert
Chicago Botanic Garden - Alsdorf Auditorium
1000 Lake Cook Road
Glencoe, IL 60022
(847) 835-5440
www.chicagobotanic.org

Dates: Hanukkah Concert on December 9, 2012; Christmas Concert on December 22
Price: $15-$20, Free for children two and under
Click here for tickets to the Hanukkah Concert
Click here for tickets to the Christmas Concert

Every holiday season, the Chicago Botanic Garden holds both an annual Hanukkah Concert and Christmas Concert at the Alsdorf Auditorium. These annual Chicago holiday concerts were created for the entire family to enjoy. During the Christmas Concert, families will hear a variety of holiday songs from brass instruments. Each concert is an hour long and will surely put you in the holiday spirit. A ticket grants access to the concert and to the Wonderland Express, which is the Chicago Botanic Garden's tribute to the holiday season. Come for the concert and stay for Wonderland Express' magnificent exhibits showcasing a gingerbread village and rows of local designer-decorated Christmas trees.

Tidings of Tap
(Credit: chicagotaptheatre.com)

Tidings of Tap!
University of Illinois Chicago Theater
1044 W. Harrison St.
Chicago, IL 60607
(800) 838-3006
www.chicagotaptheatre.com

Dates: December 14, 15 and 16, 2012
Price: $20-$35
Click here for tickets

A great family holiday concert in Chicago is "Tidings of Tap!," put on by the Chicago Tap Theatre. Performers will tap and sing their way into your heart by performing classic Christmas, Hanukkah and winter songs. The concert will feature dance interpretations of holiday songs that become interactive for children at the end of the show. During the last song, children will get the chance to go on stage and dance their hearts out in indoor snow. This unique and innovative Chicago holiday concert is sure to bring a smile to everyone's face.

Natalie Kuchik is a longtime freelance writer living in Chicago. She enjoys interviewing bands, reviewing concerts, and writing about all things entertainment related. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

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