This December, Washington Revels invites audiences to step into the parlor of one of the most remarkable figures in American history for Winter Revels 2026: An American Celebration, a vibrant musical and theatrical journey set in Washington, D.C., during Christmas Eve 1870.

Presented December 12–19, 2026, at the Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center in Silver Spring, Maryland, Washington Revels’ 44th annual winter production brings together music, dance, storytelling and beloved Revels traditions in a celebration honoring America’s past, celebrating its present and inspiring its future.

The year is 1870, and the setting is the Washington home of Hiram Rhodes Revels, the nation’s first African American U.S. Senator, and his wife, Phoebe. Friends and family are arriving for Christmas Eve, with guests drawn from worlds stretching from the streets of Capitol Hill to the opera houses of Europe.

The candles are lit. The table is set. The band is ready. But this will be no ordinary holiday gathering.

As guests come together under the Revels family roof, they meet strangers from a faraway isle, hear the contents of a mysterious letter and help search for a precious gift. Woven throughout the celebration are stories of long journeys and new beginnings, exploring the enduring power of love, family, friendship and freedom.

Marking the 250th anniversary of the United States, An American Celebration looks to a transformative chapter in the nation’s history while exploring the people, traditions and experiences that have shaped its evolving story.

At the heart of this year’s production is Washington Revels’ Jubilee Voices, the organization’s ensemble dedicated to preserving and sharing African American history and traditions through performance. Founded in 2010, Jubilee Voices weaves together a cappella music, drama, spoken word and dance to bring history to life.

Originally created as part of Washington Revels’ initiative commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, Jubilee Voices has since expanded its repertoire to encompass the post-Civil War and Reconstruction eras and the Civil Rights Movement, while tracing these musical traditions to the shouts, hollers, spirituals and chants of the antebellum period. That history gives the ensemble a particularly meaningful role in An American Celebration and its exploration of Washington, D.C., in 1870.

Jubilee Voices will be joined by members of the renowned Whiskey Before Breakfast Band, the beloved Washington Revels Brass, and Washington Revels’ 75-member multigenerational chorus. Together, they will bring the world of 1870 Washington to life through a vibrant musical mosaic of familiar carols, stirring spirituals, nostalgic parlor tunes, traditional folk songs, lively dances and rousing instrumentals.

And, in true Revels tradition, audiences will not simply watch the celebration unfold, they will become part of it through the communal singing and audience participation that have made Winter Revels a Washington-area holiday tradition for generations.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:

Saturday, December 12 — 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Sunday, December 13 — 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Thursday, December 17 — 7 p.m.
Friday, December 18 — 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 19 — 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.

All performances will take place at the Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center, located on the Takoma Park/Silver Spring campus at 7995 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD.