Thousands attend Saturday’s Caroling Contest finale

Published 10:39 am Tuesday, December 10, 2019

An estimated 3,000 people turned out at the Vicksburg Convention Center Saturday to watch individuals and groups display their vocal talents and win up to $1,000 at V105.5’s annual Christmas Caroling Contest.

“It (the convention center exhibition hall) was completely full Saturday night,” station owner Mark Jones said. “We gave out a total of $10,000 in prize money.”

Winners in the choir divisions each received $1,000 with the runners up getting $500. Individual winners in the children’s divisions received $300 each, while the winner in the adult division received $800.

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There was no high school division this year.

The winners in each division included:

• Age 14 and under: Anna Kate Humphries, “The Santa Claus Yodeling Song”

• 15 and up teens: Gavin Standish, “Joy, Joy.”

• Adult Division: The Jingle Belles, “Jingle Bells.”

• Lower Elementary: Redwood Holiday Choir, “Spirit of the Season.” The honor choir was a repeat winner, winning their division in 2018.

• Upper Elementary: Redwood Honor Choir, “In the Spirit.”

• Division 6, Junior Choir: Sumner Hill Mixed Ensemble from Clinton, “O Come, All Ye Faithful.”

Jones said the contest was broadcast live Saturday, and many of the winners from the competition will be on the radio station’s playback show.

“We’re playing previous years’ caroling contests now,” he said. “As soon as we get our music (from Saturday’s contest), we’re going to do our playback show, which will feature a lot of these from our show this year. That will start at 6 p.m. Dec. 23 and go through Christmas Day.”

People who want to listen to the performances can do so by tuning in 105.5 on their radios, through the V-105.5 Vicksburg app, or by going online at Vicksburg V105.com.

Finalists included: Division 1 — Genevieve Moore, Gavin Standish, Nathan Mosley, Snowden Trio and Radyn Horton; Division 2 — Alissa Bordelon, Audrey Holt, Ella Claire Gregory and Anna Kate Humphries; Division 3 — Envy and Jingle Belles; Division 4 — Redwood Holiday Choir, South Park Petite Pizazz, Sherman Avenue First Grade Choir and Sherman Avenue Second Grade Choir; Division 5 — Redwood Honor Choir, Vicksburg Intermediate Vocalizers, Warrenton Elementary, South Park Elementary Honor Choir and Agape Montessori Christian School; Division 6 — Academy of Innovation Southern Synergy, Sumner Hill Junior High Mixed Ensemble and Academy of Innovation Innovation Choir.

About John Surratt

John Surratt is a graduate of Louisiana State University with a degree in general studies. He has worked as an editor, reporter and photographer for newspapers in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. He has been a member of The Vicksburg Post staff since 2011 and covers city government. He and his wife attend St. Paul Catholic Church and he is a member of the Port City Kiwanis Club.

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