Local Venues to Host Tabernacle Choir Watch Parties

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – The Tabernacle Choir is celebrating 100 years since its first performance at the Hollywood Bowl, and communities across the country are being invited to join the celebration through special screenings and watch parties.

In Pocatello, the Portneuf Health Amphitheatre will host a free watch party on Friday, June 26. The event will include food trucks, school donation opportunities benefiting districts in Pocatello and American Falls, and live entertainment before the concert broadcast.

The Lava Flow Fire Show, featuring lava dancers from Lava Hot Springs, will kick off the evening, followed by singer and comedian Emily Pack. Gates open at 5 p.m., and the pre-shows begin at 5:45 p.m.

The Tabernacle Choir's performance will feature several special guests, including music producer David Foster and his wife, Katharine McPhee. Fan favorite Donny Osmond will also perform, along with Broadway performers Sebastian Arcelus and Stephanie J. Block.

"It's the 100-year celebration of the first time they performed there, and they wanted everyone to be a part of that," said Ross Hughes, area coordinator for the Tabernacle Choir Watch Party. "So they're broadcasting it one time across the United States for others to come together to celebrate the culmination of their tour."

Hughes said the tour, titled "Songs of Hope and Love," comes at a time when people are looking for opportunities to gather as a community. He added that the choir was once known as "America's Choir," making the event open to everyone, regardless of background.

"It's free to the public, and there will be food trucks available to buy food from," he said. "You'll be able to come and have confidence this is going to be a wonderful event for a family to enjoy some great entertainment."

Hughes and his wife have helped organize the watch party in Pocatello. They have worked alongside volunteers to set up chairs and prepare the venue for the event.

The broadcast begins at 7 p.m. and will be shown on a high-definition screen with a concert-quality sound system. Free parking will be available at the Portneuf Wellness Complex.

The Mountain America Center in Idaho Falls will also host a screening on Saturday, June 27. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the broadcast begins at 6:30 p.m.