Austin’s Merry TubaChristmas back after a year off

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(ABC 6 NEWS ) – Once again tubas will be back in Austin for the Merry TubaChristmas concert on Saturday.

TubaChristmas happens all over the United States and this is the 12th annual concert in Austin.

Normally TubaChristmas is held at the Paramount Theatre, but this year it’s in Knowlton Auditorium at Austin High School to allow for more space to spread out.

Last year the concert was canceled due to COVID.

"It is a wonderful tradition that a lot of community members and area members love to come to. It is a different magical with having that sound from the tubas and the baritones and the sousaphones come through and so people are super excited that it is coming back," said Discover Austin’s Executive Director Nancy Schnable.

The event started many years ago thanks to one woman.

"Started about 12 years by the late Val Pitzen. She was on the board of directors for Discover Austin and she was also employed by the Austin Parks and Rec. She had a love of tuba like no one else and she actually helped bring it to Austin. And then there was a lot of other people who helped keep it going and directors and everything and there is a lot of history that goes with this event as well," said Schnable.

The free concert includes songs like deck the halls, silent night, and more.

While it is free to attend, the musicians pay a fee that goes to the Tuba Foundation, which helps keep the love of the tuba alive.

"They have come from as far as Ohio, they’ve come all over the midwest, they’ve come from all around the Austin community and so they range from all different ages we’ve had some as young as six and we’ve had some as old as 88," said Schnable.

If you want to join in on the festive event you can head to the Knowlton Auditorium on Saturday, Dec. 4 at 11 a.m.

If you are interested in playing, you can head to the auditorium at 9 a.m. Saturday to start rehearsal.