CHRISTMAS carols will ring out from Rugby’s football stadium this weekend, as church network Rugby Revive brings its carol concert back to the festive calendar.
Four years on from the last event, the celebration will once more be held at Rugby Town FC’s Butlin Road stadium.
The guest soloist will be Tasita D’Mour, an internationally-renowned singer-songwriter who has previously collaborated with Roy Ayers, Will Young and Madonna, while the Hillmorton Primary School choir and Rugby’s Salvation Army band will also be on stage.
The 2014 service centred on the occasion a hundred years previously when soldiers from both sides of the First World War lay down their arms to play football and sing carols together.
Event organiser Caroline Taylor from Rugby Revive says this year’s centennial anniversary of the conflict’s end meant it was the perfect time to revive the concert.
She said: “I’m sure everyone who attended the previous event will agree that the venue is ideal for such an occasion and the acoustics of the Butlin Road main stand really did the singing justice.
“We attracted more than 700 people in 2014 and we really hope that the people of Rugby can support it again this time round too.
“It’s a great opportunity for everybody from the town to join together and celebrate Christmas. We’ve put together a programme which is packed with lots of favourite carols.
“We’re hoping we can make this an annual part of the Rugby Christmas calendar, and we would like to thank all the local churches that have supported this event by cancelling their regular services that evening to help boost numbers.”
The service takes place from 4pm on Sunday (December 9). Entry is free.
