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Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) will host a day of holiday activities making up its annual Christmas Festival on Thursday, December 2, culminating at 7 p.m. with a performance by the Knoxville Symphony Chamber Orchestra (KSCO) in Tex Turner Arena.

The Christmas Festival will get underway at 10 a.m. with a shopping event hosted by LMU Women of Service. Featuring vendors, food, and fun, booths will be set up throughout the Tex Turner Arena concourse offering handmade arts and crafts, jewelry, clothing, skin care items, and more. Barbecue, chili, baked potatoes, soup, chips, drinks, and desserts will be available beginning at 11 a.m. Dine-in or carry-out will be available. The shopping will continue until after the KSCO concert. Vendor fees and food proceeds will go toward Women of Service’s student scholarship fund.

The Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum will host a meet and greet and book signing to celebrate retired congressman John J. Duncan, Jr.’s new book From Batboy to Congressman: Thirty Years in the U.S. House (UT Press, $24.99) at 5 p.m. in the Arnold Auditorium. The book is a collection of stories from the long-serving public servant covering his early life, family, and time as a lawyer and judge.

LMU will host a countdown and program to celebrate the Campus Christmas Lighting at 6 p.m. Gathering in the Arena parking lot, the program will lead up to the first lighting of the University holiday decorations including the large light tree in Alumni Park.

Presented by the City of Harrogate and LMU, Maestro James Fellenbaum will lead the Knoxville Symphony Chamber Orchestra as it presents a special Christmas program at 7 p.m. The KSCO is a smaller ensemble of Knoxville Symphony musicians who perform in smaller venues. The mission of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra (KSO) is to develop and sustain a symphony orchestra of the highest artistic standards and to reach East Tennessee audiences of all ages by providing excellence in musical performance and education programs. The LMU concert will feature a variety of classical Christmas selections, including Mozart’s “Sleigh Ride,” selections from Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” and Corelli’s “Christmas Concerto”. Admission to the concert is free with a non-perishable food or hygiene item for LMU’s Lincoln Cupboard which operates several student food pantries at the main campus and off-campus learning sites.

For more information about the Christmas Festival or to become a vendor contact Regina Burns at 423.869.6255 or by email at Regina.Burns@LMUnet.edu.

Lincoln Memorial University is a values-based learning community dedicated to providing educational experiences in the liberal arts and professional studies. The main campus is in Harrogate, Tennessee.