Several traditions make the candlelight holiday concert at the Kennedy Middle School unique.

Some chorus members carry lit candles—no, not flame-lit—down the aisles of the Kennedy auditorium and up onto the stage.

“Ho, Ho, Ho” himself pays a visit to the auditorium.

And students sing with gusto a song with special meaning to the school’s chorus director, Beatriz Bloodsworth:  Feliz Navidad.

All those traditions continued this year.

The Kennedy Concert Band and Chorus performed Tuesday night.

Band members performed ensemble and solo pieces.

Chorus members sang together and in solos and duets, and a group danced to “All I Want for Christmas is You.” Students on hand bells and guitar accompanied the chorus on different pieces and one student gave an abridged reading of ”Twas the Night Before Christmas.”

The chorus has grown, Bloodsworth told the audience; it now has 91 members.  This is the second Kennedy chorus WinterFest that she’s directed. 

Some of the Kennedy singers also performed on Dec. 14 as a flash mob at the Woburn Mall. That same night, the Joyce Middle School held its WinterFest concert.

Tuesday’s concert ended with the chorus and school principal Carl Nelson; his daughter; Santa and Bloodsworth joining in to sing “Feliz Navidad.”

Watch the video clips to hear and see some of the performances.