Carols 2024: ‘The birth of Jesus is a party, and we’re all invited’
By Josh Low
For the eighth consecutive year, Carols on the Hill will be celebrating the birth of Christ and spreading the joy of Christmas.
Organised by the Archdiocese and supported by the City of Hobart, the free and family-friendly event will be held at the Guilford Young College Oval in Hobart on Saturday 7 December, from 7pm to 9pm.
This year Carols on the Hill will support CatholicCare’s Christmas Appeal to assist disadvantaged families experiencing financial hardship during the festive season.
Once again, the event will feature local musical artists performing well-known Christmas carols and songs.
This year’s lineup includes the Augusta Singers, St Mary’s Cathedral Choir, a combined group of the Derwent Symphony Orchestra and Southern Tasmania Community Orchestra, and many others.
One of the new acts at this year’s event is Salsita Carols, a group of passionate Latin families and musicians hailing from Colombia.
“This year will be our first time participating in Carols on the Hill,” Salsita Carols organiser Milena Suarez said.
She said the group were in fact invited to several Christmas events in Hobart on the same evening.
“We wanted to go with Carols on the Hill because they have a beautiful mission of helping families,” Milena explained.
She added that they hope to share the joy of Christmas with those present, along with some of the cultural traditions unique to them.
“The idea is that people not only hear another language, but in some way, can see our customs, with our joy, our way of singing and dancing.
“I hope that by participating in Carols on the Hill that people might also be able to experience what Christmas is like in Colombia,” she said.
One of the group’s aims is to revive their cultural traditions, like the Novena de Aguinaldos (Novena to the Baby Jesus) in the nine days leading up to Christmas, which traditionally involves gathering for food, prayer and song.
“For us and our families, it’s important that our children continue the traditions handed down from generation to generation, because it’s a part of our identity and we don’t want to lose it, and they are also beautiful memories for the family,” she said.
“For myself and for Colombians, Christmas is a time of rejoicing, of forgiveness, sharing and always bringing joy to all who need it. The birth of Jesus is a party, and we’re all invited.”
Those who attend Carols will be invited to place Christmas gifts under the CatholicCare Christmas Appeal Giving Tree in support of families in need.
Examples of donations include toys and games, bags, outdoor equipment, movie vouchers, gift cards, beach towels, non-perishable food items and toiletries.
At this year’s Carols there will also be food stalls and a sausage sizzle, as well as fun activities for the kids including free face painting, a petting zoo and Christmas craft.