Christmas Concert in the Park Brings Community Out for Holiday Fun

Sandals Church worked with the Foundation of Grand Terrace this year to put on the first ever Christmas Concert in the Park on Dec. 13 in Rollins Park. The event was free and Sandals representative and head of Community Outreach for Grand Terrace, Jon Brown, hoped the event would bring the community together. “It’s just meant to be a lovely night for the community to come and enjoy,” said Brown, who was in charge of organizing the event. “Sandals, about a year ago, decided to really get involved in the community. We are in Riverside but we are right next door and have such a love for this community. Matt Brown, our pastor, really wanted to get involved and with that directive in mind, we put together this concert.” The concert included free coffee and hot chocolate as well as cookie decorating for the kids. Stephanie Garcia and her son, Maddox, were particularly excited for the decorating. “I left the area but recently came back when we realized what we were missing,” said Garcia. “We are really looking forward to the cookie decorating!” As the name would suggest, the main attraction was a concert featuring performers from Sandals Church. Acts included Andy Danger and Princess Jenkins, who sang upbeat songs complete with dance moves for the kids. Tori Dawn sang popular Christmas songs including “Last Christmas I Gave You My Heart,” and “O, Holy Night” and later joined Eddie Culin, Joe Genuino, Luke Doan, Will Macias, Josh Martin and Brittany Lotshaw to perform as the Sandals band. “We’re really excited to come out and do something outside the church walls,” said Culin. “It was such an honor to come out for the first concert in the park.” Santa came by between sets and threw candy out to the kids and the Grand Terrace Foundation held a toy drive to benefit Children’s Fund. Brown also took time between performances to announce the winners of the Grand Terrace Christmas Decorating contest. First place went to 23009 Orange Wood Court, with 22807 Vista Garden Way in second, and 22790 Kentfield Street taking third. Grand Royal Estates won the business section and Orange Wood Court took first place for the Neighborhood Block. “We don’t ask for anything in return,” said Brown. “All we ask for is love from the community.”