Virginia Arts Festival celebrates the holiday season with
Seán Heely's Celtic Christmas December 13
and the internationally renowned
Vienna Boys Choir December 15-17

NORFOLK, VA – Virginia Arts Festival invites audiences to celebrate the spirit of the season with two extraordinary holiday programs in December 2026: Seán Heely's Celtic Christmas and the internationally renowned Vienna Boys Choir.  These festive December performances bring beloved holiday traditions and family-friendly experiences to Hampton Roads and Richmond.

Tickets go on sale Tuesday, September 8 and will be available at vafest.org, by phone at 757-282-2822, or in person at Virginia Arts Festival box office (440 Bank Street in Norfolk).

Seán Heely's Celtic Christmas takes place on Sunday, December 13, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. at Norfolk's Harrison Opera House. A lively and heartwarming celebration of Celtic holiday traditions led by US National Scottish Fiddle Champion Seán Heely, the production takes audiences on a musical winter journey through the Scottish Highlands and along Ireland's rugged coastlines.

Filled with the sounds of fiddle, highland pipes, harp, percussion, bouzouki, bass, guitar, piano, harmonium, and more, the production features a talented ensemble of eight performers, including seven multi-instrumentalists and an accomplished percussive dancer. Ancient Gaelic carols and seasonal songs are woven seamlessly with spirited Irish tunes and beloved Christmas favorites reimagined with a Celtic flair.

The holiday season continues with three performances by the legendary Vienna Boys Choir December 15-17, 2026: December 15 at Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, Virginia Beach, December 16 at St. Bede Catholic Church, Williamsburg, and December 17at River Road Church, Baptist, Richmond. All performances begin at 7:30 pm.  

For more than five centuries, the Vienna Boys Choir has captivated audiences around the world with remarkable artistry and vocal excellence. Comprised of gifted young singers ages 10 to 14, the ensemble continues an unbroken musical tradition dating back to the 15th century.

2026 Virginia Arts Festival Holiday Performances

Seán Heely's Celtic Christmas

December 13, 2026 - 7:30 PM

Harrison Opera House, Norfolk

Vienna Boys Choir

December 15, 2026 - 7:30 PM

Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, Virginia Beach

December 16, 2026 - 7:30 PM

St. Bede Catholic Church, Williamsburg

December 17, 2026 | 7:30 PM

River Road Church, Baptist, Richmond

About Virginia Arts Festival
Virginia Arts Festival celebrates their 30th anniversary season in 2027. VAF has transformed the cultural scene in Southeastern Virginia, presenting great performers from around the world to local audiences and making this historic, recreation-rich region a cultural destination for visitors from across the United States and around the world. The Festival has presented numerous U.S. and regional world premieres and regularly commissions new works of music, dance, and theater from some of today’s most influential composers, choreographers, and playwrights. The Festival’s arts education programs reach tens of thousands of area schoolchildren each year through student matinees, in-school performances, artist residencies, masterclasses and demonstrations.