Gwinnett Daily Post

Todd Cline

The city of Lawrenceville kicked off the holiday season Thanksgiving night with its annual tree lighting ceremony, and Snellville continued the celebration by lighting its own tree on Saturday. This week the chance to get into the spirit of the season continues, with Suwanee hosting an event Friday night along with events in Duluth, Buford, Lilburn and Sugar Hill on Saturday.

While Gwinnett's local cities are doing their part to celebrate the season, the Daily Post is as well. The paper has long had the tradition of hosting military bands for a concert during Memorial Day weekend, and this year we are adding another musical salute, this one with a festive holiday flair.

On Dec. 10, the Daily Post is hosting the Band of the U.S. Air Force Reserve at the Long Forum at Greater Atlanta Christian School in Norcross. The concert is part of the band's Holiday Tour, and the music will coincide with the season. It's on a Monday night, a nice time to get away from the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season and relax with some great music. And with free admission, the price is better than anything you were able to get on Black Friday or Cyber Monday.

"It's a great way for a community newspaper to give back to its community," Daily Post Publisher J.K. Murphy said. "Over the past several years we have hosted dozens of these concerts, but we've never hosted a holiday show. This will be different. It will be a lot of fun."

The concert, which starts at 7 p.m., is free but does require a ticket. Tickets can be obtained by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope to: P.O. Box 603, Lawrenceville, GA, 30046; or by stopping by the Daily Post during business hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. There is a limit of four tickets per request.

The Band of the U.S. Air Force Reserve is the oldest band, active or reserve, assigned to the Air Force. It's made up of about 45 professional, full-time musicians and has performed at many major events, including the Daytona 500 and the Rose Bowl Parade.

During the event, canned goods will be collected as part of the Holtkamp Heating and Air Can Challenge. The food will then be distributed to co-ops across Gwinnett County.

It's a great chance to hear some festive music, our gift to you, and to help out those less fortunate with your gift of a canned food donation. Just don't forget to secure your ticket to join us on Dec. 10.

Email Todd Cline at todd.cline@gwinnettdailypost.com. His column appears on Wednesdays.