REDWOOD NEWS: Tonight on Redwood Newsmakers, Michael McClimon, recognized music educator from the Eel River Valley, now retired, but, of course, now busier than ever. Hi, Michael.
MICHAEL McCLIMON Ross. Good to see you.
REDWOOD NEWS: So can you imagine a Christmas time without music?
MICHAEL McCLIMON: No. You know, I was just telling my wife the other day all these things we do at Christmas time over the last 50 years have kind of become a tradition. It’s become our tradition, our Christmas tradition.
REDWOOD NEWS: I mean, it’s really is an important part of the holiday. But lucky for us, Fortuna has a wonderful Christmas music festival coming up. Can you tell us about it?
MICHAEL McCLIMON: Yeah, this is our 47th year, the year I took over in Scotia in 1976. We talked about having one in the next year. We did it. So it’s been going since 1977. 47th here this year.
REDWOOD NEWS: What music? Musical ensembles are going to be performing?
MICHAEL McCLIMON: So we’re only doing four groups this year. And the groups are the Scotia band that opened the festival. And then they’re going to be followed by Tuba Christmas, which is Fred Tempas’ group of all the tuba players in the county. And then followed by the College of the Redwoods Jazz Band. And then at the very end of the festival, we the last group is the Partnership in Music Orchestra, which is a combination of Humboldt Symphony and the All Seasons orchestra. Right. And they they they’re going to do their set at the very end. And then that leads us into our our regular kind of festive finale, which is a really neat tradition. It’s gotten to be a tradition with our festival, and it goes back to the very beginning.
REDWOOD NEWS: Yeah, it’s a it’s a really, really nice day in the middle of the holidays. Yeah.
MICHAEL McCLIMON: And it’s it’s a free event.
REDWOOD NEWS: Yeah. So tell me again, when is the event? Where is it? What times?
MICHAEL McCLIMON: Yeah. Ross, The the Christmas music Festival in Fortuna is always on the second Sunday of December. This year it’s on December 10th and we’re going to start at 3:00. Probably go for two and a half hours. And it’s at the River Lodge Conference Center.
REDWOOD NEWS: Michael McClendon from Fortuna Christmas Music Festival. Thanks for bringing us the joy of music for the holidays.
MICHAEL McCLIMON: Welcome, Ross. Thanks for having us and thanks for helping us get the word out.
