NEW HAVEN SYMPHONY’S HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA TOURS CONNECTICUT WITH THE HOLLY JOLLY SPIRIT DECEMBER 19-21

Thursday • November 20, 2025

The New Haven Symphony Orchestra’s (NHSO) festive Holiday Extravaganza returns in December with family-friendly performances around Connecticut. These holly jolly concerts will feature a program of wintry favorites, sing-along carols, and seasonal surprises for the whole family. 

NHSO’s Principal Pops Conductor Chelsea Tipton II, the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, and combined voices from West Haven, Shelton, and New Haven high schools will create a holiday atmosphere that sparks the merry spirit. There will be music from movie favorites like The Polar Express and Home Alone, as well as songs everyone knows and loves like “Jingle Bell Rock” and “Sleigh Ride.” Audience members will be encouraged to sing along and join the festivities before the arrival of a special guest from the North Pole. 

Principle Pops Conductor Chelsea Tipton II says, “We’re absolutely thrilled for our community to be swept up in the magic of the holidays at these concerts! Partnering with our local high schools to feature talented student carolers makes the season shine even brighter. And when the audience lifts their voices to sing along, that joyful blend of sound will feel like pure holiday spirit filling the hall.” 

The NHSO will present its Holiday Extravaganza at various locations throughout the state: 

  • Friday, December 19 at 7:00 p.m. at West Haven High School (West Haven, CT) 
  • Saturday, December 20 at 3:00 p.m. at Shelton High School (Shelton, CT) 
  • Sunday, December 21 at 3:00 p.m. at Woolsey Hall (New Haven, CT) 

Toys 4 Kids Toy Drive with TEAM, inc.
Those attending the concert at Shelton High School are encouraged to bring an unwrapped gift to support TEAM Inc.’s annual holiday toy drive. The NHSO is proud to partner again this season with TEAM, Inc., a private, not-for-profit human services agency whose mission is to ensure the causes & conditions of poverty are being addressed and the communities, families, and individuals they serve are empowered and strengthened through education, support, and opportunities. Each holiday season, TEAM Inc., gathers thousands of toys for families in the Naugatuck Valley in the Toys 4 Kids Annual Toy Drive. 

Tickets 

To purchase tickets to the December 20 & 21 performances, visit NewHavenSymphony.org or call (203) 693-1486. 

The December 19 performance will be a fundraiser for to benefit the music departments of Carrigan Intermediate and Bailey Middle schools. Tickets for the December 19 concert in West Haven are be sold through the City of West Haven. To purchase tickets, visit CityofWestHaven.com/305/Special-Events   

Santa Claus stands on stage in front of the orchestra and waves to the audience while holding a microphone. It is quite the holly jolly scene!

About the New Haven Symphony Orchestra 

The fourth-oldest orchestra in America, the New Haven Symphony Orchestra’s exceptional and accessible performances and education programs reach more than 27,000 audience members and 10,000 students each year. Innovative programming and a dedication to the commission of new works inspires deeper audience engagement and meaningful artistic and educational collaborations. Through the nationally-acclaimed Harmony Fellowship program, as well as numerous award-winning education and community engagement programs, the Symphony strives to be a leader for racial equity in the arts. To learn more about the NHSO, visit NewHavenSymphony.org. 

Holiday Extravaganza is sponsored by the City of West Haven, Town Fair Tire Foundation, Inc., the Valley Community Foundation, and Frontier.