Maine Public Holiday Programming Schedule
Maine Public has curated a delightful schedule of new and traditional holiday programming across all of our platforms offering our listeners and viewers a wide array of programs to enjoy from Thanksgiving through the New Year.
Looking for music to accompany your holidays and gatherings? We have just the thing. The Maine Public Classical Holiday Stream is available online, 24 hours a day, for your listening pleasure!
Maine Public’s 2025 Holiday Programming is made possible through the generous support of Good Shepherd Food Bank, Maine State Music Theatre, Rising Tide Co-op, Richard Parks Furniture, OceanView at Falmouth, and Maine Public's viewers and listeners:
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MAINE PUBLIC TV
HOLIDAY PROGRAMS ON MAINE PUBLIC TELEVISION
| AIR DATE | TITLE | DESCRIPTION | |
| Nov. 28 @ 10:30 pm | Rick Steves' European Christmas | From manger scenes and mistletoe to wintry wonderlands celebrate the Christmas season throughout the European continent. Rick visits friends and families in England, France, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy to reveal their customs and practices of the holiday season. | |
| Nov. 30 @ 10:00 pm | All Creatures Great and Small: Christmas in the Dales | Celebrate the heartwarming MASTERPIECE series with clips and behind-the-scenes memories of its Christmas finales. Experience the kindness, empathy and love in the magical village of Darrowby and the stunning Yorkshire Dales during the holiday season. | |
| Dec. 1 @ 3:00 am | All Creatures Great and Small: Christmas in the Dales | Celebrate the heartwarming MASTERPIECE series with clips and behind-the-scenes memories of its Christmas finales. Experience the kindness, empathy and love in the magical village of Darrowby and the stunning Yorkshire Dales during the holiday season. | |
| Dec. 2 @ 5:30 am | Rick Steves Festive Europe | Experience the pleasures of Andalucia, venture into the reveler-filled Parisian streets on Bastille Day, take in the royal pageantry in London, wander through a Venetian palace, run with the bulls in Pamplona, dine at an exclusive men's club in Basque country, embrace high culture in Vienna, enjoy the lovable chaos of Naples, and walk the final stretch of the Camino di Santiago in Spain. | |
| Dec. 2 @ 9:30 pm | Rick Steves European Christmas | From manger scenes and mistletoe to wintry wonderlands celebrate the Christmas season throughout the European continent. Rick visits friends and families in England, France, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy to reveal their customs and practices of the holiday season. | |
| Dec. 4 @ 12:30 am | Rick Steves European Christmas | From manger scenes and mistletoe to wintry wonderlands celebrate the Christmas season throughout the European continent. Rick visits friends and families in England, France, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy to reveal their customs and practices of the holiday season. | |
| Dec. 4 @ 5:30 am | Rick Steves Festive Europe | Experience the pleasures of Andalucia, venture into the reveler-filled Parisian streets on Bastille Day, take in the royal pageantry in London, wander through a Venetian palace, run with the bulls in Pamplona, dine at an exclusive men's club in Basque country, embrace high culture in Vienna, enjoy the lovable chaos of Naples, and walk the final stretch of the Camino di Santiago in Spain. | |
| Dec. 4 @ 8:00 am | Lyla in the Loop: Happy New Year, Lyla! | When family and friends want their own fancy pin, Lyla and Everett must figure out how to make the pins for everyone in time for the New Year's Eve party. Also, Lyla and Everett clash as they make a fun unboxing video for Phan Hardware's Summer Sale. | |
| Dec. 5 @ 11:30 am | Arthur's Perfect Christmas | Arthur, D.W., and their family and friends prepare to make the best Christmas ever in Elwood City - but obstacles get in their way. | |
| Dec. 7 @ 11:00 am | Rick Steves European Christmas | From manger scenes and mistletoe to wintry wonderlands celebrate the Christmas season throughout the European continent. Rick visits friends and families in England, France, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy to reveal their customs and practices of the holiday season. | |
| Dec. 8 @ 12:30 am | All Creatures Great and Small: Christmas in the Dales | Celebrate the heartwarming MASTERPIECE series with clips and behind-the-scenes memories of its Christmas finales. Experience the kindness, empathy and love in the magical village of Darrowby and the stunning Yorkshire Dales during the holiday season. | |
| Dec. 9 @ 8:00 pm | Family Recipe: Jewish American Style | Enjoy a feast for the soul on a culinary journey through the diaspora in homes across America. More than bagels and blintzes, every delicious dish is a story of resilience and resistance with a side of laughter and a generous slice of life. | |
| Dec. 10 @ 5:30 am | Rick Steves Festive Europe | Experience the pleasures of Andalucia, venture into the reveler-filled Parisian streets on Bastille Day, take in the royal pageantry in London, wander through a Venetian palace, run with the bulls in Pamplona, dine at an exclusive men's club in Basque country, embrace high culture in Vienna, enjoy the lovable chaos of Naples, and walk the final stretch of the Camino di Santiago in Spain. | |
| Dec. 12 @ 4:30 am | Rick Steves European Christmas | From manger scenes and mistletoe to wintry wonderlands celebrate the Christmas season throughout the European continent. Rick visits friends and families in England, France, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy to reveal their customs and practices of the holiday season. | |
| Dec. 12 @ 7:00 am | Wild Kratts: A Creature Christmas | It's Christmas time and the Wild Kratts are taking a break from creature adventuring to celebrate. But when the Wild Kratts receive an alert that their favorite creatures are suddenly disappearing around the globe, their holiday party quickly turns into a rescue mission. Our heroes must race against time to thwart their greedy archrivals' most miserly scheme yet! Will they be able to travel to the ends of the earth and return their baby animal friends to their homes in time for the holidays? | |
| Dec. 14 @ 7:30 am | Rick Steves European Christmas | From manger scenes and mistletoe to wintry wonderlands celebrate the Christmas season throughout the European continent. Rick visits friends and families in England, France, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy to reveal their customs and practices of the holiday season. | |
| Dec. 14 @ 11:30 pm | Christmas Greetings From Aroostook | With its near guarantee of snow and an abundance of Christmas traditions &8212; some ethnic, some eccentric and some just for fun, Aroostook County is a special place to visit at Christmastime. This show features the unique sights and sounds of The County at yuletide from the Heavenly Harpers of Houlton to sleigh rides in Mapleton, from a Santa Lucia procession in New Sweden to making Tourtiere in The Valley. Narrated by Layne Longfellow. | |
| Dec. 15 @ 8:00 am | Lyla in the Loop: Happy New Year, Lyla! | When family and friends want their own fancy pin, Lyla and Everett must figure out how to make the pins for everyone in time for the New Year's Eve party. Also, Lyla and Everett clash as they make a fun unboxing video for Phan Hardware's Summer Sale. | |
| Dec. 15 @ 12:00 pm | Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About Christmas | The Cat in the Hat and his guests partied hard. When the party was over and the guests all departed, one poor baby reindeer was left broken-hearted. | |
| Dec. 15 @ 2:00 pm | A Celebration Of Hanukkah | Host Geoffrey Baer takes viewers on a fun exploration of the time-honored traditions of this joyous Jewish holiday, sharing how Hanukkah came to be, the significance of the season's cherished dishes, and the ways families continue to celebrate together across generations. | |
| Dec. 15 @ 9:00 pm | Hope of the Season – Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir | Tony Award®-winner Ruthie Ann Miles and iconic actor Dennis Haysbert inspire in this holiday show. | |
| Dec. 15 @ 10:30 pm | The St. Olaf Christmas Festival: Our Hope For Years To Come | St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota presents music for the Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany Season. | |
| Dec. 16 @ 1:30 am | Hope of the Season – Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir | Tony Award-winner Ruthie Ann Miles and iconic actor Dennis Haysbert inspire in this holiday show. | |
| Dec. 16 @ 9:00 pm | Great Performances: Nutcracker From English National Ballet | Experience the holiday classic in a new light, featuring over 100 dancers and musicians performing at the London Coliseum. Against an Edwardian London backdrop, this Nutcracker is reimagined to centralize Clara throughout the story. Set to Tchaikovsky's iconic score, the film features choreography by English National Ballet artistic director Aaron S. Watkin and Olivier Award winner Arielle Smith. | |
| Dec. 17 @ 2:00 am | A Celebration Of Hanukkah | Host Geoffrey Baer takes viewers on a fun exploration of the time-honored traditions of this joyous Jewish holiday, sharing how Hanukkah came to be, the significance of the season's cherished dishes, and the ways families continue to celebrate together across generations. | |
| Dec. 17 @ 3:00 am | Hope of the Season – Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir | Tony Award®-winner Ruthie Ann Miles and iconic actor Dennis Haysbert inspire in this holiday show. | |
| Dec. 17 @ 8:00 pm | Nature: Santa's Wild Home | Get an intimate look at the wildlife of Lapland, a region in northern Finland, the fabled home of Santa Claus and actual home of reindeer, great gray owls, wolverines, eagles, wolves, musk oxen, brown bears and more. | |
| Dec. 18 @ 1:00 am | Christmas in New England | From the coast of Maine to the hills of the Berkshires, New England is a uniquely magical place to celebrate the holidays. Join host Lindsay Paris as she visits eight regional destinations to take a look at the tradition and events that make Christmas in New England so special. | |
| Dec. 18 @ 1:30 am | Great Performances: Nutcracker From English National Ballet | Experience the holiday classic in a new light, featuring over 100 dancers and musicians performing at the London Coliseum. Against an Edwardian London backdrop, this Nutcracker is reimagined to centralize Clara throughout the story. Set to Tchaikovsky's iconic score, the film features choreography by English National Ballet artistic director Aaron S. Watkin and Olivier Award winner Arielle Smith. | |
| Dec. 18 @ 4:00 am | Great Performances: Nutcracker From English National Ballet | Experience the holiday classic in a new light, featuring over 100 dancers and musicians performing at the London Coliseum. Against an Edwardian London backdrop, this Nutcracker is reimagined to centralize Clara throughout the story. Set to Tchaikovsky's iconic score, the film features choreography by English National Ballet artistic director Aaron S. Watkin and Olivier Award winner Arielle Smith. | |
| Dec. 18 @ 11:00 am | Peg+Cat+Holidays | This is a special holiday episode of Peg + Cat featuring "The Christmas Problem," "The Hanukkah Problem," and "The Penguin Problem. "This series is designed to engage preschool children and teach them how to solve math-based problems with Peg, a chatty and tenacious five year-old, her feline pal, Cat, and her smart, handsome, cool friend Ramone. | |
| Dec. 18 @ 8:30 pm | Christmas Greetings From Aroostook | With its near guarantee of snow and an abundance of Christmas traditions &8212; some ethnic, some eccentric and some just for fun, Aroostook County is a special place to visit at Christmastime. This show features the unique sights and sounds of The County at yuletide from the Heavenly Harpers of Houlton to sleigh rides in Mapleton, from a Santa Lucia procession in New Sweden to making Tourtiere in The Valley. Narrated by Layne Longfellow. | |
| Dec. 18 @ 10:00 pm | From Nevada: Journey of Our Nation's Christmas Tree | Our nation's Christmas Tree at the United States Capitol is a symbol of holiday unity and tradition. For the first time ever, it comes from Nevada. Discover how the tree was selected and journeyed from Northern Nevada to the nation's Capitol — and how Nevadans came together to create ornaments and tree skirts for our nation's tree. | |
| Dec. 19 @ 2:00 am | Christmas Greetings From Aroostook | With its near guarantee of snow and an abundance of Christmas traditions &8212; some ethnic, some eccentric and some just for fun, Aroostook County is a special place to visit at Christmastime. This show features the unique sights and sounds of The County at yuletide from the Heavenly Harpers of Houlton to sleigh rides in Mapleton, from a Santa Lucia procession in New Sweden to making Tourtiere in The Valley. Narrated by Layne Longfellow. | |
| Dec. 19 @ 3:00 am | Nature: Santa's Wild Home | Get an intimate look at the wildlife of Lapland, a region in northern Finland, the fabled home of Santa Claus and actual home of reindeer, great gray owls, wolverines, eagles, wolves, musk oxen, brown bears and more. | |
| Dec. 19 @ 11:30 am | Pinkalicious & Peterrific | Follows the adventures of Pinkalicious and her brother Peter as they imagine how the world looks through her artful eye. | |
| Dec. 19 @ 2:30 pm | Christmas Greetings From Aroostook | With its near guarantee of snow and an abundance of Christmas traditions &8212; some ethnic, some eccentric and some just for fun, Aroostook County is a special place to visit at Christmastime. This show features the unique sights and sounds of The County at yuletide from the Heavenly Harpers of Houlton to sleigh rides in Mapleton, from a Santa Lucia procession in New Sweden to making Tourtiere in The Valley. Narrated by Layne Longfellow. | |
| Dec. 20 @ 8:00 am | Lyla in the Loop: Happy New Year, Lyla! | When family and friends want their own fancy pin, Lyla and Everett must figure out how to make the pins for everyone in time for the New Year's Eve party. Also, Lyla and Everett clash as they make a fun unboxing video for Phan Hardware's Summer Sale. | |
| Dec. 20 @ 4:00 pm | Christmas Greetings From Aroostook | With its near guarantee of snow and an abundance of Christmas traditions &8212; some ethnic, some eccentric and some just for fun, Aroostook County is a special place to visit at Christmastime. This show features the unique sights and sounds of The County at yuletide from the Heavenly Harpers of Houlton to sleigh rides in Mapleton, from a Santa Lucia procession in New Sweden to making Tourtiere in The Valley. Narrated by Layne Longfellow. | |
| Dec. 20 @ 4:30 pm | Christmas in New England | From the coast of Maine to the hills of the Berkshires, New England is a uniquely magical place to celebrate the holidays. Join host Lindsay Paris as she visits eight regional destinations to take a look at the tradition and events that make Christmas in New England so special. | |
| Dec. 20 @ 5:00 pm | The United States Army Field Band: Sound The Bells | The U.S. Army Field Band — the "musical ambassadors of the Army" — showcase the musical talents of active-duty soldiers and celebrating the magic of the holidays. | |
| Dec. 21 @ 2:00 am | Nature: Santa's Wild Home | Get an intimate look at the wildlife of Lapland, a region in northern Finland, the fabled home of Santa Claus and actual home of reindeer, great gray owls, wolverines, eagles, wolves, musk oxen, brown bears and more. | |
| Dec. 21 @ 8:00 am | Nature: Santa's Wild Home | Get an intimate look at the wildlife of Lapland, a region in northern Finland, the fabled home of Santa Claus and actual home of reindeer, great gray owls, wolverines, eagles, wolves, musk oxen, brown bears and more. | |
| Dec. 21 @ 2:00 pm | The St. Olaf Christmas Festival: Our Hope For Years To Come | With its near guarantee of snow and an abundance of Christmas traditions &8212; some ethnic, some eccentric and some just for fun, Aroostook County is a special place to visit at Christmastime. This show features the unique sights and sounds of The County at yuletide from the Heavenly Harpers of Houlton to sleigh rides in Mapleton, from a Santa Lucia procession in New Sweden to making Tourtiere in The Valley. Narrated by Layne Longfellow. | |
| Dec. 21 @ 3:00 pm | Come and See! A Concordia Christmas | Concordia University Irvine's fifth annual made-for-TV Christmas special includes vocal and instrumental performances of contemporary and classic holiday songs, and features original works to celebrate the Christmas season. | |
| Dec. 21 @ 5:00 pm | Christmas Greetings From Aroostook | With its near guarantee of snow and an abundance of Christmas traditions &8212; some ethnic, some eccentric and some just for fun, Aroostook County is a special place to visit at Christmastime. This show features the unique sights and sounds of The County at yuletide from the Heavenly Harpers of Houlton to sleigh rides in Mapleton, from a Santa Lucia procession in New Sweden to making Tourtiere in The Valley. Narrated by Layne Longfellow. | |
| Dec. 21 @ 11:30 pm | Christmas in New England | From the coast of Maine to the hills of the Berkshires, New England is a uniquely magical place to celebrate the holidays. Join host Lindsay Paris as she visits eight regional destinations to take a look at the tradition and events that make Christmas in New England so special. | |
| Dec. 22 @ 3:00 am | Hope of the Season – Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir | Tony Award®-winner Ruthie Ann Miles and iconic actor Dennis Haysbert inspire in this holiday show. | |
| Dec. 22 @ 1:00 pm | Peg+Cat+Holidays | This is a special holiday episode of Peg + Cat featuring "The Christmas Problem," "The Hanukkah Problem," and "The Penguin Problem. "This series is designed to engage preschool children and teach them how to solve math-based problems with Peg, a chatty and tenacious five year-old, her feline pal, Cat, and her smart, handsome, cool friend Ramone. | |
| Dec. 23 @ 1:30 am | Christmas On The Danube | TTravel the majestic Danube river as it passes through the stunning European landscape wile learning about history and culture, which are particularly spectacular at Christmas. | |
| Dec. 23 @ 2:00 am | Mary Berry's Ultimate Christmas | Much-loved British home cook Mary Berry is joined by some famous friends for her ultimate Christmas feast, packed with tips to plan and get ahead for the big day. | |
| Dec. 23 @ 8:00 am | Lyla in the Loop: Happy New Year, Lyla! | When family and friends want their own fancy pin, Lyla and Everett must figure out how to make the pins for everyone in time for the New Year's Eve party. Also, Lyla and Everett clash as they make a fun unboxing video for Phan Hardware's Summer Sale. | |
| Dec. 23 @ 8:00 pm | Great Performances: Nutcracker From English National Ballet | Experience the holiday classic in a new light, featuring over 100 dancers and musicians performing at the London Coliseum. Against an Edwardian London backdrop, this Nutcracker is reimagined to centralize Clara throughout the story. Set to Tchaikovsky's iconic score, the film features choreography by English National Ballet artistic director Aaron S. Watkin and Olivier Award winner Arielle Smith. | |
| Dec. 23 @ 10:30 pm | Come and See! A Concordia Christmas | Concordia University Irvine's fifth annual made-for-TV Christmas special includes vocal and instrumental performances of contemporary and classic holiday songs, and features original works to celebrate the Christmas season. | |
| Dec. 24 @ 3:00 am | Mary Berry's Highland Christmas | Dame Mary Berry travels to her mother's homeland, Scotland, for a magical winter break. Inspired by her own family holidays, she cooks up an array of sumptuous dishes. She's joined by friends Andy Murray, Iain Stirling and Emeli Sandé to cook indulgent Christmas dishes that can be enjoyed anytime over the holidays. | |
| Dec. 24 @ 4:00 am | Mary Berry's Ultimate Christmas | Much-loved British home cook Mary Berry is joined by some famous friends for her ultimate Christmas feast, packed with tips to plan and get ahead for the big day. | |
| Dec. 24 @ 12:00 pm | Arthur's Perfect Christmas | Arthur, D.W., and their family and friends prepare to make the best Christmas ever in Elwood City - but obstacles get in their way. | |
| Dec. 24 @ 1:00 pm | Wild Kratts: A Creature Christmas | It's Christmas time and the Wild Kratts are taking a break from creature adventuring to celebrate. But when the Wild Kratts receive an alert that their favorite creatures are suddenly disappearing around the globe, their holiday party quickly turns into a rescue mission. Our heroes must race against time to thwart their greedy archrivals' most miserly scheme yet! | |
| Dec. 24 @ 8:00 pm | Portland Symphony Orchestra's Magic of Christmas | A memorable celebration of joy, wonder, and the spirit of the season. Featuring exceptional musical performances from the Portland Symphony Orchestra, the Magic of Christmas Chorus, the PSO Children's Chorus, and special guests, it's no wonder this has been one of Maine's favorite holiday traditions for over 40 years. | |
| Dec. 24 @ 10:00 pm | Hope of the Season – Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir | Tony Award®-winner Ruthie Ann Miles and iconic actor Dennis Haysbert inspire in this holiday show. | |
| Dec. 25 @ 12:30 am | Maine Yule Log | Enjoy a film loop of a yule log burning in a fireplace, with a traditional soundtrack of classic Christmas music playing in the background. | |
| Dec. 25 @ 12:30 pm | Arthur's Perfect Christmas | Arthur, D.W., and their family and friends prepare to make the best Christmas ever in Elwood City - but obstacles get in their way. | |
| Dec. 25 @ 2:00 pm | Portland Symphony Orchestra's Magic of Christmas | A memorable celebration of joy, wonder, and the spirit of the season. Featuring exceptional musical performances from the Portland Symphony Orchestra, the Magic of Christmas Chorus, the PSO Children's Chorus, and special guests, it's no wonder this has been one of Maine's favorite holiday traditions for over 40 years. | |
| Dec. 25 @ 4:00 pm | Christmas in New England | From the coast of Maine to the hills of the Berkshires, New England is a uniquely magical place to celebrate the holidays. Join host Lindsay Paris as she visits eight regional destinations to take a look at the tradition and events that make Christmas in New England so special. | |
| Dec. 25 @ 4:30 pm | A St. Thomas Christmas: Love Divine | Now in its 39th year, the St. Thomas Christmas concert is a winter tradition featuring familiar traditional carols and innovative contemporary selections. The celebration features nearly 270 musicians from four choirs, the string orchestra and the Symphonic Wind Ensemble. | |
| Dec. 25 @ 5:30 pm | Christmas Greetings From Aroostook | With its near guarantee of snow and an abundance of Christmas traditions &8212; some ethnic, some eccentric and some just for fun, Aroostook County is a special place to visit at Christmastime. This show features the unique sights and sounds of The County at yuletide from the Heavenly Harpers of Houlton to sleigh rides in Mapleton, from a Santa Lucia procession in New Sweden to making Tourtiere in The Valley. Narrated by Layne Longfellow. | |
| Dec. 25 at 6:00 pm | Portland Symphony Orchestra's Magic of Christmas | A memorable celebration of joy, wonder, and the spirit of the season. Featuring exceptional musical performances from the Portland Symphony Orchestra, the Magic of Christmas Chorus, the PSO Children's Chorus, and special guests, it's no wonder this has been one of Maine's favorite holiday traditions for over 40 years. | |
| Dec. 25 @ 8:00 pm | Call The Midwife Holiday Special | When senior members of the Nonnatus House staff head to Hong Kong on a mercy mission, the younger midwives are left to cope alone. As Christmas action shifts between the sun-drenched Far East and a snowy East End, Sister Julienne suddenly finds herself excited about the Order's future. After years of battling change, she decides to embrace it, work with it, and see what love can do. | |
| Dec. 25 @ 10:00 pm | Maine Public Film Series: Liquid, Fragile, Perishable | Every Christmas for the past 17 years, our mom has baked over 26 dozen cookies. We wanted to explore why. | |
| Dec. 25 @ 11:00 pm | Call The Midwife Holiday Special | When senior members of the Nonnatus House staff head to Hong Kong on a mercy mission, the younger midwives are left to cope alone. As Christmas action shifts between the sun-drenched Far East and a snowy East End, Sister Julienne suddenly finds herself excited about the Order's future. After years of battling change, she decides to embrace it, work with it, and see what love can do. | |
| Dec. 26 @ 2:00 am | Maine Public Film Series: Liquid, Fragile, Perishable | Every Christmas for the past 17 years, our mom has baked over 26 dozen cookies. We wanted to explore why. | |
| Dec. 26 @ 3:00 am | Call The Midwife Holiday Special | The Call the Midwife Holiday Special 2025 will premiere over the 2025 holiday season. | When senior members of the Nonnatus House staff head to Hong Kong on a mercy mission, the younger midwives are left to cope alone. As Christmas action shifts between the sun-drenched Far East and a snowy East End, Sister Julienne suddenly finds herself excited about the Order's future. After years of battling change, she decides to embrace it, work with it, and see what love can do. |
| Dec. 26 @ 1:00 pm | Arthur's Perfect Christmas | Arthur, D.W., and their family and friends prepare to make the best Christmas ever in Elwood City - but obstacles get in their way. | |
| Dec. 26 @ 2:00 pm | Real Rail Adventures: Swiss Winter Magic | Train buff Jeff Wilson showcases the construction marvels and visual splendors of the Swiss rail system. | |
| Dec. 26 @ 10:00 pm | Great Performances: The Magic of Spirituals | Glimpse behind the curtain at opera legends Kathleen Battle and Jessye Norman's famed concert at Carnegie Hall on March 18, 1990, featuring performance clips and new interviews with opera star Angel Blue, Met Opera General Manager Peter Gelb and more. | |
| Dec. 27 @ 2:00 am | Great Performances: The Magic of Spirituals | Glimpse behind the curtain at opera legends Kathleen Battle and Jessye Norman's famed concert at Carnegie Hall on March 18, 1990, featuring performance clips and new interviews with opera star Angel Blue, Met Opera General Manager Peter Gelb and more. | |
| Dec. 27 @ 3:00 am | Hope of the Season – Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir | Tony Award®-winner Ruthie Ann Miles and iconic actor Dennis Haysbert inspire in this holiday show. | |
| Dec. 27 @ 2:00 pm | Maine Public Film Series: Liquid, Fragile, Perishable | Every Christmas for the past 17 years, our mom has baked over 26 dozen cookies. We wanted to explore why. | |
| Dec. 27 @ 4:00 pm | Portland Symphony Orchestra's Magic of Christmas | This beloved Maine holiday classic brings a delightful combination of nostalgic traditions and unexpected surprises. | |
| Dec. 28 @ 1:00 am | Great Performances: The Magic of Spirituals | Glimpse behind the curtain at opera legends Kathleen Battle and Jessye Norman's famed concert at Carnegie Hall on March 18, 1990, featuring performance clips and new interviews with opera star Angel Blue, Met Opera General Manager Peter Gelb and more. | |
| Dec. 28 @ 4:00 am | Call The Midwife Holiday Special | The Call the Midwife Holiday Special 2025 will premiere over the 2025 holiday season. | When senior members of the Nonnatus House staff head to Hong Kong on a mercy mission, the younger midwives are left to cope alone. As Christmas action shifts between the sun-drenched Far East and a snowy East End, Sister Julienne suddenly finds herself excited about the Order's future. After years of battling change, she decides to embrace it, work with it, and see what love can do. |
| Dec. 28 @ 4:00 pm | Maine Public Film Series: Liquid, Fragile, Perishable | Every Christmas for the past 17 years, our mom has baked over 26 dozen cookies. We wanted to explore why. | |
| Dec. 28 @ 5:00 pm | London Parade – A Tribute to 40 years | Join London New Year's Day Parade founder and host Bob Bone and the entire team for an insider's look back at 40 years of creating the world-renowned street spectacular and turn-of-year tradition. Also look ahead to the 2026 London Parade, which will fill the streets of London with pomp, circumstance and non-stop entertainment. Against the backdrop of London's iconic landmarks, at least 20 U.S. marching bands and a thousand varsity cheerleaders are preparing to perform in the streets of the U.K. capital for their moment in the global spotlight. Viewers can expect a kaleidoscopic mix of culture, color and mesmerizing music, plus one or two 40th anniversary surprises. More than 8,000 performers from numerous nations are set to entertain London and the world on New Year's Day 2026. | |
| Dec. 28 @ 11:30 pm | London Parade – A Tribute to 40 years | Join London New Year's Day Parade founder and host Bob Bone and the entire team for an insider's look back at 40 years of creating the world-renowned street spectacular and turn-of-year tradition. Also look ahead to the 2026 London Parade, which will fill the streets of London with pomp, circumstance and non-stop entertainment. Against the backdrop of London's iconic landmarks, at least 20 U.S. marching bands and a thousand varsity cheerleaders are preparing to perform in the streets of the U.K. capital for their moment in the global spotlight. Viewers can expect a kaleidoscopic mix of culture, color and mesmerizing music, plus one or two 40th anniversary surprises. More than 8,000 performers from numerous nations are set to entertain London and the world on New Year's Day 2026. | |
| Dec. 29 @ 4:00 am | Great Performances: The Magic of Spirituals | Glimpse behind the curtain at opera legends Kathleen Battle and Jessye Norman's famed concert at Carnegie Hall on March 18, 1990, featuring performance clips and new interviews with opera star Angel Blue, Met Opera General Manager Peter Gelb and more. | |
| Dec. 29 @ 8:00 am | Lyla In The Loop: Happy New Year Lyla! | When family and friends want their own fancy pin, Lyla and Everett must figure out how to make the pins for everyone in time for the New Year’s Eve party. | |
| Dec. 31 a@t 1:30 am | London Parade – A Tribute to 40 years | Join London New Year's Day Parade founder and host Bob Bone and the entire team for an insider's look back at 40 years of creating the world-renowned street spectacular and turn-of-year tradition. Also look ahead to the 2026 London Parade, which will fill the streets of London with pomp, circumstance and non-stop entertainment. Against the backdrop of London's iconic landmarks, at least 20 U.S. marching bands and a thousand varsity cheerleaders are preparing to perform in the streets of the U.K. capital for their moment in the global spotlight. Viewers can expect a kaleidoscopic mix of culture, color and mesmerizing music, plus one or two 40th anniversary surprises. More than 8,000 performers from numerous nations are set to entertain London and the world on New Year's Day 2026. | |
| Dec. 31 @ 8:00 am | Lyla In The Loop: Happy New Year Lyla! | When family and friends want their own fancy pin, Lyla and Everett must figure out how to make the pins for everyone in time for the New Year’s Eve party. | |
| Dec. 31 @ 11:30 pm | London Parade – A Tribute to 40 years | Join London New Year's Day Parade founder and host Bob Bone and the entire team for an insider's look back at 40 years of creating the world-renowned street spectacular and turn-of-year tradition. Also look ahead to the 2026 London Parade, which will fill the streets of London with pomp, circumstance and non-stop entertainment. Against the backdrop of London's iconic landmarks, at least 20 U.S. marching bands and a thousand varsity cheerleaders are preparing to perform in the streets of the U.K. capital for their moment in the global spotlight. Viewers can expect a kaleidoscopic mix of culture, color and mesmerizing music, plus one or two 40th anniversary surprises. More than 8,000 performers from numerous nations are set to entertain London and the world on New Year's Day 2026. |
MAINE PUBLIC RADIO
HOLIDAY PROGRAMS ON MAINE PUBLIC CLASSICAL
| AIR DATE | TITLE | DESCRIPTION |
| Nov. 27 @ 10:00 am | Songs of Thanks | An innovative new production by Cantus, presented exclusively by Minnesota Public Radio. Through their signature narrative programming, the acclaimed octet will weave together stories and songs celebrating gratitude and community. Don't miss this special broadcast, designed to uplift the human spirit and honor the season. |
| Nov. 27 @ 11:00 am | Shadowglow: Thanksgiving with the American Sound | This Thanksgiving enjoy an hour of music celebrating the special radiance of autumn and the richness of the holiday—music inspired by the uncanny fire of starlight, the hopeful warmth of luminaria, the lamps of gratitude we light within ourselves, even the golden glow of beloved Thanksgiving treats fresh from the oven. Michael Torke's Appalachian-inspired "Spoonbread" is a scrumptious soundtrack for puttering in the kitchen, and Peter Boyer's "Radiance," the incandescent "Choose Something Like a Star" from Randall Thompson's Frostiana, Michael Whalen's nostalgic "Shadows of October," Kenji Bunch's contemplative "Luminaria" and Craig Hella Johnson's affirming "The Song That I Came to Sing" fill the holiday with shimmering nuances of gratitude and hope. |
| Nov. 27 @ 11:00 am | Every Good Thing | This Thanksgiving, host Andrea Blain and classical music fans from all around the country take time to give thanks and celebrate one of life's most meaningful gifts: music. It's Every Good Thing — an hour of stories and music to celebrate Thanksgiving. |
| Nov. 27 @ 1:00 pm | Horn of Plenty, a Feast of Music for Thanksgiving | Paul Winter and friends celebrate the family of life and our planet home in this NPR Music seasonal special. Winter's sax and Consort offer a song of gratitude for the land, the sea, and the air -- from Grand Canyon to Ukraine, with some works recorded on location. Audience favorites like "Sun Singer" and "Icarus" herald the grand musical embrace of "And the Earth Spins." John Schaefer of WNYC hosts, with senior producer Steve Rathe of MurrayStreet -- both from NPR's Winter Solstice broadcasts. |
| Nov. 28 @ 5:00 pm | Afterglow: Food Glorious Food | Enjoy these songs about food – and songs about food as a euphemism for something else. You'll be grateful to hear songs by Leonard Bernstein, Annie Ross, Harry Warren and more sung by Louis Jordan, Sarah Vaughan, June Christy, and more. |
| Dec. 14 @ 6:00 pm | Chanukkah in Story and Song | The acclaimed vocal sextet The Western Wind Chamber Choir and the renowned actor Leonard Nimoy present 25 eclectic selections. From the Ladino songs of the Spanish Jews and Yiddish melodies of Eastern Europe to modern Israeli tunes and their original version of "I Have a Little Dreydle." The singers sing a cappella and are also joined by instruments including violin, accordion, bass and guitar. The narration written by Rabbi Gerald Skolnik sheds light on the holiday customs and rituals. |
| Dec. 15 @ 6:00 pm | Candles Burning Brightly | A delightful hour for everyone to celebrate the Jewish Festival of Lights! Lots of music from Jewish communities around the world, plus a hilarious lesson on how to prepare a classic Chanukah dish, and a timeless and touching holiday story that brings light into every home. |
| Dec. 16 @ 6:00 pm | A Chanukah Celebration with Chicago a cappella | Join Jonathan Miller, artistic director of Chicago a cappella and longtime champion of Jewish choral music, for an inspiring and informative show featuring choral music set to Chanukah texts. Familiar tunes include “I Have a Little Dreidel” (both in its original Yiddish form and in a neo-funk Hebrew/English setting), a swing version of “S’vivon” by Steve Barnett, and a lively setting of the traditional melody for “Al-Hanissim (“For the Miracles”)” by Elliot Levine. Heartfelt original compositions by American and British composers provide added depth of expression to celebrating the holiday. |
| Dec. 17 @ 6:00 pm | Chanukah Memories and Melodies | In this special from WQXR, six prominent artists share memories of Chanukah, and the music the holiday brings to mind. From soothing to surprising, from reverent to rowdy, their musical choices will inspire and delight you. |
| Dec. 17 @ 8:00 pm | Maine Stage: Bach by Candlelight | With the Bach Virtuosi Festival |
| Dec. 18 @ 6:00 pm | Hanukkah Lights 2025 | This NPR favorite returns with new stories plus gems from the archive. Hosted by Murray Horwitz with a special tribute to the beloved Susan Stamberg. |
| Dec. 19 @ 5:00 pm | Afterglow: Jazz to the World – Swingin' the Season | Celebrate the holidays with music from the latter half of the 20th century with an emphasis on the 1960s when it seemed anyone who had a recording contract was obliged to release @ least one Christmas album. Also hear favorite American Songbook vocalists from Bing Crosby in the 1940s, to Ella Fitzgerald and Andy Williams in the 60s to Kurt Elling in the 90s, and many more. |
| Dec. 19 @ 6:00 pm | The Jazz Flower Holiday | Maine Public radio host Sufiyah Asia Yasmine spins holiday jazz tunes. |
| Dec. 19 @ 8:00 pm | Jazz Tonight Celebrates the Holidays | Long time Maine Public radio host Rich Tozier spins holiday jazz tunes. |
| Dec. 19 @ 10:00 pm | Jazz Piano Christmas 2025 | A very special "Best Of" program, featuring some favorite jazz-infused piano renditions of the season's most-loved music. Veteran host and jazz critic Felix Contreras will hand pick his favorite performances from the rich catalog of cherished Jazz Piano Christmas concerts. |
| Dec. 19 @ 11:00 pm | A Swinging Holiday Jazz Party with Wynton Marsalis | Wynton Marsalis hosts an hour of holiday jazz favorites by Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Gregory Porter, René Marie, and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. |
| Dec. 20 @ 11:00 am | Songbook - Nowell and Alleluya: Songs of Merriment and Festivity in Early Music | Songs for the Christmas season - from the days before we decorated trees, hung stockings, and baked cookies! Featuring a wide variety of vocal works mostly from the Renaissance and Mediaeval eras, you'll hear Gothic Voices, the Oxford Camerata, and others offering the sounds of the season. A Renaissance mass from the Flemish Low Countries, folk melodies from France, Ireland, and Spain, and a few familiar favorites are all a part of this special Songbook episode. Grab a mug of wassail, get cozy, and tune in. |
| Dec. 21 @ 6:00 pm | In Winter's Glow | A winter solstice program, with modern classical sounds for the longest night of the year, chosen especially to compliment the chilly, starry nights of the season. |
| Dec. 21 @ 7:00 pm | A Paul Winter Solstice | Celebrate the return of the sun with an encore performance recorded in the world's largest Gothic cathedral. Musicians include Noel Paul Stookey, also known as Paul from the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary. The Paul Winter Consort Winter Solstice Celebration (its official full title) also featured old friends like gospel singer Theresa Thomason and the Forces of Nature dance and drumming troupe from Harlem. WNYC's John Schaefer hosts. |
| Dec. 23 @ 6:00 am | Welcome Christmas | Aperennial Christmas favorite from VocalEssence, one of the world's premier choral ensembles, conducted by Philip Brunelle and G. Phillip Shoultz. Join host Bonnie North for an hour of traditional carols and new discoveries, including including the world premiere of three beloved Latvian carols by composer Ēriks Ešenvalds. |
| Dec. 23 @ 7:00 am | A Choral Christmas with Stile Antico | Celebrate Christmas with the sound of soaring voices. Stile Antico, the award-winning choir from London, pays a visit to St. Paul's Church on Harvard Square for a concert of radiant sacred music for the Christmas season by the most acclaimed composers of the renaissance. Hear the group's luminous blend of voices sing the intricately woven music of Thomas Tallis and William Byrd. Hosted by Cathy Fuller of WGBH. |
| Dec. 23 @ 8:00 am | The Film Score Music for the Winter Holidays | Renowned film critic Michael Phillips hosts celebration of holiday and wintertime movie music. In addition to beloved standards "White Christmas" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," Michael shares an eclectic mix of wintry film scores, ranging from "It Happened in Sun Valley" to Alexandre Desplat's folk-inspired score for The Grand Budapest Hotel to Bernard Herrmann's bracing sleigh ride accompaniment composed for the Orson Welles drama The Magnificent Ambersons. |
| Dec. 23 @ 9:00 am | A Chanticleer Christmas | The beloved, Grammy-winning men's chorus known as the "orchestra of voices" for its unparalleled range and abilities. This holiday season, the group brings its brand-new Christmas program including original arrangements of well-known tunes drawn from Classical, Jazz, and Popular traditions. They fluently weave between diverse musical styles to create an evening of wonder and joy. |
| Dec. 23 @ 10:00 am | Night Lights, a Maine Public Holiday Special | Join us for a very special wintertime listening experience as we reflect on darkness and light and explore the magic of the season. Listen to audio postcards taking you all across our state — in honor and celebration of the uniquely Maine traditions of this time of year. |
| Dec. 23 @ 1:00 pm | Apollo's Fire Presents Christmas on Sugarloaf Mountain | Listeners are transported from Christmas Eve in medieval Scotland to the folk carols and shape‐note hymns at a toe‐tapping Christmas gathering in Virginia in this spectacular special sharing the spirit and history of Appalachia's Irish and Scottish roots through music. Apollo’s Fire is a GRAMMY®‐award winning period‐instrument orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. Your hosts are Apollo's Fire Artistic Director, conductor and harpsichordist Jeannette Sorrell and WFMT’s Candice Agree. |
| Dec. 24 @ 6:00 am | Gaudete! Early Music for the Christmas Season | Sara Schneider, producer and host of Early Music Now, presents a mixture of joyful and contemplative sounds of the season. Hear a Byzantine chant by Kassiani, and selections from Missa Puer natus est nobis by Thomas Tallis, plus hymns and motets from Spain, Germany, and France. Performers include The Cardinall's Musick, Theatre of Voices, Cappella Romana, and Oltremontano. |
| Dec. 24 @ 7:00 am | Carols, Customs and Candlelight: A Celtic Christmas Celebration | Listen as host Andrea Blain explores music and customs that have roots in ancient winter celebrations and traditional Christmas festivals. The music features classical ensembles and soloists like Apollo's Fire and Bryn Terfel, as well as traditional instruments like harp, fiddle and mandolin. |
| Dec. 24 @ 8:00 am | Apollo's Fire Presents Christmas on Sugarloaf Mountain | Listeners are transported from Christmas Eve in medieval Scotland to the folk carols and shape‐note hymns at a toe‐tapping Christmas gathering in Virginia in this spectacular special sharing the spirit and history of Appalachia's Irish and Scottish roots through music. Apollo’s Fire is a GRAMMY®‐award winning period‐instrument orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. Your hosts are Apollo's Fire Artistic Director, conductor and harpsichordist Jeannette Sorrell and WFMT’s Candice Agree. |
| Dec. 24 @ 9:00 am | The Sound of Cinnamon | What does hygge mean to you? Maybe it means friendship, laughter, or more concrete things like warmth, light, seasonal food and drink. It might make you think of sitting by the fire on a cold winter night, wearing your favorite oversized sweater, reading a book, and sipping cinnamon tea. In this special Jake Armerding invites you to experience coziness and contentment with a hygge soundtrack perfect for finding your favorite pair of slippers and putting your feet up. |
| Dec. 24 @ 10:00 am | A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols | A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is an opportunity to share in a live, world-wide Christmas Eve broadcast of a service of Biblical readings, carols, and related seasonal Classical music. This special will be presented by one of the world's foremost choirs of men and boys and performed in an acoustically and architecturally renowned venue, the 500-year-old Chapel of King's College, Cambridge, England. |
| Dec. 24 @ 12:00 pm | St. Olaf Christmas Festival | A service in song and word that has become one of the nation's most cherished holiday celebrations. The festival includes hymns, carols, choral works, as well as orchestral selections celebrating the Nativity and featuring more than 500 student musicians in five choirs and the St. Olaf Orchestra. |
| Dec. 24 @ 2:00 pm | Welcome Christmas | A perennial Christmas favorite from VocalEssence, one of the world's premier choral ensembles, conducted by Philip Brunelle and G. Phillip Shoultz. Join host Bonnie North for an hour of traditional carols and new discoveries. |
| Dec. 24 @ 3:00 pm | A Handel and Haydn Society Christmas | Celebrate the season with Christmas choral music from America's oldest continuously performing ensemble, Boston's Handel & Haydn Society. |
| Dec. 24 @ 4:00 pm | A Chanticleer Christmas | The beloved, Grammy-winning men's chorus known as the "orchestra of voices" for its unparalleled range and abilities. This holiday season, the group brings its brand-new Christmas program including original arrangements of well-known tunes drawn from Classical, Jazz, and Popular traditions. They fluently weave between diverse musical styles to create an evening of wonder and joy. |
| Dec. 24 @ 5:00 pm | Night Lights, a Maine Public Holiday Special | Join us for a very special wintertime listening experience as we reflect on darkness and light and explore the magic of the season. Listen to audio postcards taking you all across our state — in honor and celebration of the uniquely Maine traditions of this time of year. |
| Dec. 24 @ 8:00 pm | Maine Stage: ChoralART Christmas at the Cathedral | With the Bach Virtuosi Festival |
| Dec. 24 @ 10:00 pm | Christmas with the Morehouse and Spelman Glee Clubs | One of the great holiday traditions in America, the choirs of Morehouse and Spelman Colleges -- two of the most prestigious historically black institutions in the nation -- get together to present a spine-tingling concert program. This year's program features the best works of the last several years. It's a joyous celebration of the schools' tradition of singing excellence, with their trademark mixture of spirituals and carols. Korva Coleman hosts. |
| Dec. 24 @ 11:00 pm | An Afro Blue Christmas | A very special holiday concert with Howard University's premiere vocal ensemble Afro Blue, and special guest pianist Cyrus Chestnut. The a-cappela group performs a variety of holiday songs including African-American spirituals, jazz and pop tunes, and classical repertoire. The joyous celebration includes one of a kind arrangements on traditional holiday songs plus new compositions... music perfect for the holidays and the spirit of Christmas. Hosted by Michele Norris. |
| Dec. 25 @ 6:00 am | A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols | A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is an opportunity to share in a live, world-wide Christmas Eve broadcast of a service of Biblical readings, carols, and related seasonal Classical music. This special will be presented by one of the world's foremost choirs of men and boys and performed in an acoustically and architecturally renowned venue, the 500-year-old Chapel of King's College, Cambridge, England. |
| Dec. 25 @ 8:00 am | St. Olaf Christmas Festival | A service in song and word that has become one of the nation's most cherished holiday celebrations. The festival includes hymns, carols, choral works, as well as orchestral selections celebrating the Nativity and featuring more than 500 student musicians in five choirs and the St. Olaf Orchestra. |
| Dec. 25 @ 10:00 am | A Handel and Haydn Society Christmas | Celebrate the season with Christmas choral music from America's oldest continuously performing ensemble, Boston's Handel & Haydn Society. |
| Dec. 25 @ 11:00 am | A Choral Christmas with Stile Antico | Celebrate Christmas with the sound of soaring voices. Stile Antico, the award-winning choir from London, pays a visit to St. Paul's Church on Harvard Square for a concert of radiant sacred music for the Christmas season by the most acclaimed composers of the renaissance. Hear the group's luminous blend of voices sing the intricately woven music of Thomas Tallis and William Byrd. Hosted by Cathy Fuller of WGBH. |
| Dec. 25 @ 12:00 pm | Night Lights, a Maine Public Holiday Special | Join us for a very special wintertime listening experience as we reflect on darkness and light and explore the magic of the season. Listen to audio postcards taking you all across our state — in honor and celebration of the uniquely Maine traditions of this time of year. |
| Dec. 25 @ 3:00 pm | The Sound of Cinnamon | What does hygge mean to you? Maybe it means friendship, laughter, or more concrete things like warmth, light, seasonal food and drink. It might make you think of sitting by the fire on a cold winter night, wearing your favorite oversized sweater, reading a book, and sipping cinnamon tea. In this special Jake Armerding invites you to experience coziness and contentment with a hygge soundtrack perfect for finding your favorite pair of slippers and putting your feet up. |
| Dec. 25 @ 4:00 pm | An Afro Blue Christmas | A very special holiday concert with Howard University's premiere vocal ensemble Afro Blue, and special guest pianist Cyrus Chestnut. The a-cappela group performs a variety of holiday songs including African-American spirituals, jazz and pop tunes, and classical repertoire. The joyous celebration includes one of a kind arrangements on traditional holiday songs plus new compositions... music perfect for the holidays and the spirit of Christmas. Hosted by Michele Norris. |
| Dec. 25 @ 5:00 pm | Christmas with the Morehouse and Spelman Glee Clubs | One of the great holiday traditions in America, the choirs of Morehouse and Spelman Colleges -- two of the most prestigious historically black institutions in the nation -- get together to present a spine-tingling concert program. This year's program features the best works of the last several years. It's a joyous celebration of the schools' tradition of singing excellence, with their trademark mixture of spirituals and carols. Korva Coleman hosts. |
| Dec. 25 @ 6:00 pm | Carols, Customs and Candlelight: A Celtic Christmas Celebration | Listen as host Andrea Blain explores music and customs that have roots in ancient winter celebrations and traditional Christmas festivals. The music features classical ensembles and soloists like Apollo's Fire and Bryn Terfel, as well as traditional instruments like harp, fiddle and mandolin. |
| Dec. 25 @ 7:00 pm | A Chanticleer Christmas | The beloved, Grammy-winning men's chorus known as the "orchestra of voices" for its unparalleled range and abilities. This holiday season, the group brings its brand-new Christmas program including original arrangements of well-known tunes drawn from Classical, Jazz, and Popular traditions. They fluently weave between diverse musical styles to create an evening of wonder and joy. |
| Dec. 25 @ 8:00 pm | New York Philharmonic presents Handel's Messiah | Join us for a very special wintertime listening experience as we reflect on darkness and light and explore the magic of the season. Listen to audio postcards taking you all across our state — in honor and celebration of the uniquely Maine traditions of this time of year. |
| Dec. 27 @ 6:00 pm | The Sounds of Kwanzaa | During the aftermath of the Watts Uprisings in the 1960s, Dr. Maulana Karenga decided to create a special Dec. holiday designed for Black people to celebrate themselves, their culture, and their future liberation. Today, Kwanzaa is still celebrated by not only Afro-Americans, but Black people around the globe!
In this broadcast, Garrett McQueen offers a background on the history of Kwanzaa and its guiding principles, alongside musical selections that highlight the spirit of the celebration. The show features the compositions of Florence Price, Duke Ellington, Sean O'Loughlin, and special performances by Imani Winds. |
| Dec. 27 @ 7:00 pm | A Season's Griot 2023 | This is public radio's only nationally syndicated Kwanzaa program. Hosted by acclaimed storyteller Madafo Lloyd Wilson, this annual one-hour special captures the tales and traditions of African American and African peoples. The show's poet laureate, Beverly Fields Burnette, and others return with familiar and favorite elements of Griot. |
| January 1 @ 11:00 am | New Year's Day From Vienna | The Vienna Philharmonic and conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguim present its ever popular annual New Year's Day concert from the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna. Hosted by WBUR's Lisa Mullins. |
MAINE PUBLIC CLASSICAL
HOLIDAY PROGRAMS ON MAINE PUBLIC CLASSICAL
| AIR DATE | TITLE | DESCRIPTION |
| Nov. 27 @ 10:00 am | Songs of Thanks | An innovative new production by Cantus, presented exclusively by Minnesota Public Radio. Through their signature narrative programming, the acclaimed octet will weave together stories and songs celebrating gratitude and community. Don't miss this special broadcast, designed to uplift the human spirit and honor the season. |
| Nov. 27 @ 11:00 am | Shadowglow: Thanksgiving with the American Sound | This Thanksgiving enjoy an hour of music celebrating the special radiance of autumn and the richness of the holiday—music inspired by the uncanny fire of starlight, the hopeful warmth of luminaria, the lamps of gratitude we light within ourselves, even the golden glow of beloved Thanksgiving treats fresh from the oven. Michael Torke's Appalachian-inspired "Spoonbread" is a scrumptious soundtrack for puttering in the kitchen, and Peter Boyer's "Radiance," the incandescent "Choose Something Like a Star" from Randall Thompson's Frostiana, Michael Whalen's nostalgic "Shadows of October," Kenji Bunch's contemplative "Luminaria" and Craig Hella Johnson's affirming "The Song That I Came to Sing" fill the holiday with shimmering nuances of gratitude and hope. |
| Nov. 27 @ 11:00 am | Every Good Thing | This Thanksgiving, host Andrea Blain and classical music fans from all around the country take time to give thanks and celebrate one of life's most meaningful gifts: music. It's Every Good Thing — an hour of stories and music to celebrate Thanksgiving. |
| Nov. 27 @ 1:00 pm | Horn of Plenty, a Feast of Music for Thanksgiving | Paul Winter and friends celebrate the family of life and our planet home in this NPR Music seasonal special. Winter's sax and Consort offer a song of gratitude for the land, the sea, and the air -- from Grand Canyon to Ukraine, with some works recorded on location. Audience favorites like "Sun Singer" and "Icarus" herald the grand musical embrace of "And the Earth Spins." John Schaefer of WNYC hosts, with senior producer Steve Rathe of MurrayStreet -- both from NPR's Winter Solstice broadcasts. |
| Nov. 28 @ 5:00 pm | Afterglow: Food Glorious Food | Enjoy these songs about food – and songs about food as a euphemism for something else. You'll be grateful to hear songs by Leonard Bernstein, Annie Ross, Harry Warren and more sung by Louis Jordan, Sarah Vaughan, June Christy, and more. |
| Dec. 14 @ 6:00 pm | Chanukkah in Story and Song | The acclaimed vocal sextet The Western Wind Chamber Choir and the renowned actor Leonard Nimoy present 25 eclectic selections. From the Ladino songs of the Spanish Jews and Yiddish melodies of Eastern Europe to modern Israeli tunes and their original version of "I Have a Little Dreydle." The singers sing a cappella and are also joined by instruments including violin, accordion, bass and guitar. The narration written by Rabbi Gerald Skolnik sheds light on the holiday customs and rituals. |
| Dec. 15 @ 6:00 pm | Candles Burning Brightly | A delightful hour for everyone to celebrate the Jewish Festival of Lights! Lots of music from Jewish communities around the world, plus a hilarious lesson on how to prepare a classic Chanukah dish, and a timeless and touching holiday story that brings light into every home. |
| Dec. 16 @ 6:00 pm | A Chanukah Celebration with Chicago a cappella | Join Jonathan Miller, artistic director of Chicago a cappella and longtime champion of Jewish choral music, for an inspiring and informative show featuring choral music set to Chanukah texts. Familiar tunes include “I Have a Little Dreidel” (both in its original Yiddish form and in a neo-funk Hebrew/English setting), a swing version of “S’vivon” by Steve Barnett, and a lively setting of the traditional melody for “Al-Hanissim (“For the Miracles”)” by Elliot Levine. Heartfelt original compositions by American and British composers provide added depth of expression to celebrating the holiday. |
| Dec. 17 @ 6:00 pm | Chanukah Memories and Melodies | In this special from WQXR, six prominent artists share memories of Chanukah, and the music the holiday brings to mind. From soothing to surprising, from reverent to rowdy, their musical choices will inspire and delight you. |
| Dec. 17 @ 8:00 pm | Maine Stage: Bach by Candlelight | With the Bach Virtuosi Festival |
| Dec. 18 @ 6:00 pm | Hanukkah Lights 2025 | This NPR favorite returns with new stories plus gems from the archive. Hosted by Murray Horwitz with a special tribute to the beloved Susan Stamberg. |
| Dec. 19 @ 5:00 pm | Afterglow: Jazz to the World – Swingin' the Season | Celebrate the holidays with music from the latter half of the 20th century with an emphasis on the 1960s when it seemed anyone who had a recording contract was obliged to release @ least one Christmas album. Also hear favorite American Songbook vocalists from Bing Crosby in the 1940s, to Ella Fitzgerald and Andy Williams in the 60s to Kurt Elling in the 90s, and many more. |
| Dec. 19 @ 6:00 pm | The Jazz Flower Holiday | Maine Public radio host Sufiyah Asia Yasmine spins holiday jazz tunes. |
| Dec. 19 @ 8:00 pm | Jazz Tonight Celebrates the Holidays | Long time Maine Public radio host Rich Tozier spins holiday jazz tunes. |
| Dec. 19 @ 10:00 pm | Jazz Piano Christmas 2025 | A very special "Best Of" program, featuring some favorite jazz-infused piano renditions of the season's most-loved music. Veteran host and jazz critic Felix Contreras will hand pick his favorite performances from the rich catalog of cherished Jazz Piano Christmas concerts. |
| Dec. 19 @ 11:00 pm | A Swinging Holiday Jazz Party with Wynton Marsalis | Wynton Marsalis hosts an hour of holiday jazz favorites by Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Gregory Porter, René Marie, and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. |
| Dec. 20 @ 11:00 am | Songbook - Nowell and Alleluya: Songs of Merriment and Festivity in Early Music | Songs for the Christmas season - from the days before we decorated trees, hung stockings, and baked cookies! Featuring a wide variety of vocal works mostly from the Renaissance and Mediaeval eras, you'll hear Gothic Voices, the Oxford Camerata, and others offering the sounds of the season. A Renaissance mass from the Flemish Low Countries, folk melodies from France, Ireland, and Spain, and a few familiar favorites are all a part of this special Songbook episode. Grab a mug of wassail, get cozy, and tune in. |
| Dec. 21 @ 6:00 pm | In Winter's Glow | A winter solstice program, with modern classical sounds for the longest night of the year, chosen especially to compliment the chilly, starry nights of the season. |
| Dec. 21 @ 7:00 pm | A Paul Winter Solstice | Celebrate the return of the sun with an encore performance recorded in the world's largest Gothic cathedral. Musicians include Noel Paul Stookey, also known as Paul from the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary. The Paul Winter Consort Winter Solstice Celebration (its official full title) also featured old friends like gospel singer Theresa Thomason and the Forces of Nature dance and drumming troupe from Harlem. WNYC's John Schaefer hosts. |
| Dec. 23 @ 6:00 am | Welcome Christmas | Aperennial Christmas favorite from VocalEssence, one of the world's premier choral ensembles, conducted by Philip Brunelle and G. Phillip Shoultz. Join host Bonnie North for an hour of traditional carols and new discoveries, including including the world premiere of three beloved Latvian carols by composer Ēriks Ešenvalds. |
| Dec. 23 @ 7:00 am | A Choral Christmas with Stile Antico | Celebrate Christmas with the sound of soaring voices. Stile Antico, the award-winning choir from London, pays a visit to St. Paul's Church on Harvard Square for a concert of radiant sacred music for the Christmas season by the most acclaimed composers of the renaissance. Hear the group's luminous blend of voices sing the intricately woven music of Thomas Tallis and William Byrd. Hosted by Cathy Fuller of WGBH. |
| Dec. 23 @ 8:00 am | The Film Score Music for the Winter Holidays | Renowned film critic Michael Phillips hosts celebration of holiday and wintertime movie music. In addition to beloved standards "White Christmas" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," Michael shares an eclectic mix of wintry film scores, ranging from "It Happened in Sun Valley" to Alexandre Desplat's folk-inspired score for The Grand Budapest Hotel to Bernard Herrmann's bracing sleigh ride accompaniment composed for the Orson Welles drama The Magnificent Ambersons. |
| Dec. 23 @ 9:00 am | A Chanticleer Christmas | The beloved, Grammy-winning men's chorus known as the "orchestra of voices" for its unparalleled range and abilities. This holiday season, the group brings its brand-new Christmas program including original arrangements of well-known tunes drawn from Classical, Jazz, and Popular traditions. They fluently weave between diverse musical styles to create an evening of wonder and joy. |
| Dec. 23 @ 10:00 am | Night Lights, a Maine Public Holiday Special | Join us for a very special wintertime listening experience as we reflect on darkness and light and explore the magic of the season. Listen to audio postcards taking you all across our state — in honor and celebration of the uniquely Maine traditions of this time of year. |
| Dec. 23 @ 1:00 pm | Apollo's Fire Presents Christmas on Sugarloaf Mountain | Listeners are transported from Christmas Eve in medieval Scotland to the folk carols and shape‐note hymns at a toe‐tapping Christmas gathering in Virginia in this spectacular special sharing the spirit and history of Appalachia's Irish and Scottish roots through music. Apollo’s Fire is a GRAMMY®‐award winning period‐instrument orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. Your hosts are Apollo's Fire Artistic Director, conductor and harpsichordist Jeannette Sorrell and WFMT’s Candice Agree. |
| Dec. 24 @ 6:00 am | Gaudete! Early Music for the Christmas Season | Sara Schneider, producer and host of Early Music Now, presents a mixture of joyful and contemplative sounds of the season. Hear a Byzantine chant by Kassiani, and selections from Missa Puer natus est nobis by Thomas Tallis, plus hymns and motets from Spain, Germany, and France. Performers include The Cardinall's Musick, Theatre of Voices, Cappella Romana, and Oltremontano. |
| Dec. 24 @ 7:00 am | Carols, Customs and Candlelight: A Celtic Christmas Celebration | Listen as host Andrea Blain explores music and customs that have roots in ancient winter celebrations and traditional Christmas festivals. The music features classical ensembles and soloists like Apollo's Fire and Bryn Terfel, as well as traditional instruments like harp, fiddle and mandolin. |
| Dec. 24 @ 8:00 am | Apollo's Fire Presents Christmas on Sugarloaf Mountain | Listeners are transported from Christmas Eve in medieval Scotland to the folk carols and shape‐note hymns at a toe‐tapping Christmas gathering in Virginia in this spectacular special sharing the spirit and history of Appalachia's Irish and Scottish roots through music. Apollo’s Fire is a GRAMMY®‐award winning period‐instrument orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. Your hosts are Apollo's Fire Artistic Director, conductor and harpsichordist Jeannette Sorrell and WFMT’s Candice Agree. |
| Dec. 24 @ 9:00 am | The Sound of Cinnamon | What does hygge mean to you? Maybe it means friendship, laughter, or more concrete things like warmth, light, seasonal food and drink. It might make you think of sitting by the fire on a cold winter night, wearing your favorite oversized sweater, reading a book, and sipping cinnamon tea. In this special Jake Armerding invites you to experience coziness and contentment with a hygge soundtrack perfect for finding your favorite pair of slippers and putting your feet up. |
| Dec. 24 @ 10:00 am | A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols | A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is an opportunity to share in a live, world-wide Christmas Eve broadcast of a service of Biblical readings, carols, and related seasonal Classical music. This special will be presented by one of the world's foremost choirs of men and boys and performed in an acoustically and architecturally renowned venue, the 500-year-old Chapel of King's College, Cambridge, England. |
| Dec. 24 @ 12:00 pm | St. Olaf Christmas Festival | A service in song and word that has become one of the nation's most cherished holiday celebrations. The festival includes hymns, carols, choral works, as well as orchestral selections celebrating the Nativity and featuring more than 500 student musicians in five choirs and the St. Olaf Orchestra. |
| Dec. 24 @ 2:00 pm | Welcome Christmas | A perennial Christmas favorite from VocalEssence, one of the world's premier choral ensembles, conducted by Philip Brunelle and G. Phillip Shoultz. Join host Bonnie North for an hour of traditional carols and new discoveries. |
| Dec. 24 @ 3:00 pm | A Handel and Haydn Society Christmas | Celebrate the season with Christmas choral music from America's oldest continuously performing ensemble, Boston's Handel & Haydn Society. |
| Dec. 24 @ 4:00 pm | A Chanticleer Christmas | The beloved, Grammy-winning men's chorus known as the "orchestra of voices" for its unparalleled range and abilities. This holiday season, the group brings its brand-new Christmas program including original arrangements of well-known tunes drawn from Classical, Jazz, and Popular traditions. They fluently weave between diverse musical styles to create an evening of wonder and joy. |
| Dec. 24 @ 5:00 pm | Night Lights, a Maine Public Holiday Special | Join us for a very special wintertime listening experience as we reflect on darkness and light and explore the magic of the season. Listen to audio postcards taking you all across our state — in honor and celebration of the uniquely Maine traditions of this time of year. |
| Dec. 24 @ 8:00 pm | Maine Stage: ChoralART Christmas at the Cathedral | With the Bach Virtuosi Festival |
| Dec. 24 @ 10:00 pm | Christmas with the Morehouse and Spelman Glee Clubs | One of the great holiday traditions in America, the choirs of Morehouse and Spelman Colleges -- two of the most prestigious historically black institutions in the nation -- get together to present a spine-tingling concert program. This year's program features the best works of the last several years. It's a joyous celebration of the schools' tradition of singing excellence, with their trademark mixture of spirituals and carols. Korva Coleman hosts. |
| Dec. 24 @ 11:00 pm | An Afro Blue Christmas | A very special holiday concert with Howard University's premiere vocal ensemble Afro Blue, and special guest pianist Cyrus Chestnut. The a-cappela group performs a variety of holiday songs including African-American spirituals, jazz and pop tunes, and classical repertoire. The joyous celebration includes one of a kind arrangements on traditional holiday songs plus new compositions... music perfect for the holidays and the spirit of Christmas. Hosted by Michele Norris. |
| Dec. 25 @ 6:00 am | A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols | A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is an opportunity to share in a live, world-wide Christmas Eve broadcast of a service of Biblical readings, carols, and related seasonal Classical music. This special will be presented by one of the world's foremost choirs of men and boys and performed in an acoustically and architecturally renowned venue, the 500-year-old Chapel of King's College, Cambridge, England. |
| Dec. 25 @ 8:00 am | St. Olaf Christmas Festival | A service in song and word that has become one of the nation's most cherished holiday celebrations. The festival includes hymns, carols, choral works, as well as orchestral selections celebrating the Nativity and featuring more than 500 student musicians in five choirs and the St. Olaf Orchestra. |
| Dec. 25 @ 10:00 am | A Handel and Haydn Society Christmas | Celebrate the season with Christmas choral music from America's oldest continuously performing ensemble, Boston's Handel & Haydn Society. |
| Dec. 25 @ 11:00 am | A Choral Christmas with Stile Antico | Celebrate Christmas with the sound of soaring voices. Stile Antico, the award-winning choir from London, pays a visit to St. Paul's Church on Harvard Square for a concert of radiant sacred music for the Christmas season by the most acclaimed composers of the renaissance. Hear the group's luminous blend of voices sing the intricately woven music of Thomas Tallis and William Byrd. Hosted by Cathy Fuller of WGBH. |
| Dec. 25 @ 12:00 pm | Night Lights, a Maine Public Holiday Special | Join us for a very special wintertime listening experience as we reflect on darkness and light and explore the magic of the season. Listen to audio postcards taking you all across our state — in honor and celebration of the uniquely Maine traditions of this time of year. |
| Dec. 25 @ 3:00 pm | The Sound of Cinnamon | What does hygge mean to you? Maybe it means friendship, laughter, or more concrete things like warmth, light, seasonal food and drink. It might make you think of sitting by the fire on a cold winter night, wearing your favorite oversized sweater, reading a book, and sipping cinnamon tea. In this special Jake Armerding invites you to experience coziness and contentment with a hygge soundtrack perfect for finding your favorite pair of slippers and putting your feet up. |
| Dec. 25 @ 4:00 pm | An Afro Blue Christmas | A very special holiday concert with Howard University's premiere vocal ensemble Afro Blue, and special guest pianist Cyrus Chestnut. The a-cappela group performs a variety of holiday songs including African-American spirituals, jazz and pop tunes, and classical repertoire. The joyous celebration includes one of a kind arrangements on traditional holiday songs plus new compositions... music perfect for the holidays and the spirit of Christmas. Hosted by Michele Norris. |
| Dec. 25 @ 5:00 pm | Christmas with the Morehouse and Spelman Glee Clubs | One of the great holiday traditions in America, the choirs of Morehouse and Spelman Colleges -- two of the most prestigious historically black institutions in the nation -- get together to present a spine-tingling concert program. This year's program features the best works of the last several years. It's a joyous celebration of the schools' tradition of singing excellence, with their trademark mixture of spirituals and carols. Korva Coleman hosts. |
| Dec. 25 @ 6:00 pm | Carols, Customs and Candlelight: A Celtic Christmas Celebration | Listen as host Andrea Blain explores music and customs that have roots in ancient winter celebrations and traditional Christmas festivals. The music features classical ensembles and soloists like Apollo's Fire and Bryn Terfel, as well as traditional instruments like harp, fiddle and mandolin. |
| Dec. 25 @ 7:00 pm | A Chanticleer Christmas | The beloved, Grammy-winning men's chorus known as the "orchestra of voices" for its unparalleled range and abilities. This holiday season, the group brings its brand-new Christmas program including original arrangements of well-known tunes drawn from Classical, Jazz, and Popular traditions. They fluently weave between diverse musical styles to create an evening of wonder and joy. |
| Dec. 25 @ 8:00 pm | New York Philharmonic presents Handel's Messiah | Join us for a very special wintertime listening experience as we reflect on darkness and light and explore the magic of the season. Listen to audio postcards taking you all across our state — in honor and celebration of the uniquely Maine traditions of this time of year. |
| Dec. 27 @ 6:00 pm | The Sounds of Kwanzaa | During the aftermath of the Watts Uprisings in the 1960s, Dr. Maulana Karenga decided to create a special Dec. holiday designed for Black people to celebrate themselves, their culture, and their future liberation. Today, Kwanzaa is still celebrated by not only Afro-Americans, but Black people around the globe!
In this broadcast, Garrett McQueen offers a background on the history of Kwanzaa and its guiding principles, alongside musical selections that highlight the spirit of the celebration. The show features the compositions of Florence Price, Duke Ellington, Sean O'Loughlin, and special performances by Imani Winds. |
| Dec. 27 @ 7:00 pm | A Season's Griot 2023 | This is public radio's only nationally syndicated Kwanzaa program. Hosted by acclaimed storyteller Madafo Lloyd Wilson, this annual one-hour special captures the tales and traditions of African American and African peoples. The show's poet laureate, Beverly Fields Burnette, and others return with familiar and favorite elements of Griot. |
| January 1 @ 11:00 am | New Year's Day From Vienna | The Vienna Philharmonic and conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguim present its ever popular annual New Year's Day concert from the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna. Hosted by WBUR's Lisa Mullins. |