Holiday music slated at Central Mall

TEXARKANA, Texas — Central Mall will provide “Sounds of the Season” on Saturdays and Sundays with a variety of local entertainment under the auspices of Texarkana Academy of Musical Arts, a music studio in the mall.

A special feature of each Saturday is a “Shoppers’ Sing-Along” at noon, according to information provided by music teacher Vicki Carr.

This Saturday, Bonnie Montgomery will lead the caroling session, accompanied by Susan Monroe, a staff accompanist at Ouachita Baptist University, immediately following Monroe’s piano concert at 11 a.m.

Other performers on Saturday are Craig Crawford on saxophone at 3 p.m. and Jan Smythe singing at 4 p.m., both accompanied by Carr. Then the Hendrix Trio will take the stage at 5 p.m. Tish and Allen Hicks, aka T and A Karaoke, will perform from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with stories, the Grinch, caroling and karaoke.

On Sunday afternoon, Randy Thompson will sing at 2 p.m., followed by Allen Fleming on guitar.

On Wednesday, Miriam Bennett will play the violin at 6 p.m., and the Arkansas Jazz band will fill the stage at 7 p.m.

The next “Shoppers’ SingAlong” will be at noon on Saturday, Dec. 19, led by Donnie Rankin, minister of music at Spring Lake Baptist Church. Following the caroling, Rankin will sing a Christmas performance of his own. That performance splits the day of recitals given by students from TAMA and other music studios in Texarkana.

Finally, on Sunday, Dec. 20, the stage will host Hailey Patillo Thompson and students beginning at 1 p.m. Then the lineup is as follows: Debbie Gilliam at 2 p.m.; CME Fellowship Choir at 3 p.m.; Madison and Hannah at 4 p.m.

A souvenir caroling booklet with coloring pages, the Christmas story, and some retail coupons are available for singing shoppers.