Wembley Park’s open-air Sound Shell is set to host A Global Christmas: A Thousand Years of Festive Music Through Cultures and Time, a one-of-a-kind concert celebrating the festive season through global musical traditions.
Taking place on Saturday, 7th December 2024, from 1pm to 6pm, A Global Christmas will be a free, open-air musical journey where concertgoers can enjoy performances from Caribbean steel pan rhythms and soulful Motown classics to Tamil choirs and traditional English carols, all with the iconic Wembley Stadium arch as a backdrop.
Set in Brent – the UK’s second most diverse borough where over 150 languages interweave – Wembley Park’s residents and visitors alike are invited to join a festive journey across continents without leaving Olympic Way – and all for free.
The concert, a living celebration of Christmas music from around the world, brings together Caribbean steel pan orchestras transforming classic carols through calypso rhythms and the soulful echoes of Motown and Afro-American classics offering a nostalgic twist on Christmas traditions. Balkan bands will share sacred seasonal harmonies from Eastern Europe, while traditional British brass quintets perform beloved carols as they would have rung out in Victorian England.
Ancient instruments will meet modern rhythms with the hypnotic sounds of the hurdy-gurdy and hammered dulcimer playing along with Indian dhol drums, weaving together Arabic, Andalucian, Celtic, Medieval and South Asian festive music into something entirely new.
“Christmas music has always known no borders. Medieval European carols borrowed from Middle Eastern melodies, African American spirituals became gospel standards, and Latin rhythms pulse through today’s popular holiday hits. ‘A Global Christmas’ celebrates those connections, showing how Christmas music lives and breathes through cultural exchange.”
Claudio Giambrone, Head of Cultural Programming, Wembley Park
The programme also includes live readings of seasonal classics such as ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Match Girl, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, and The Snowman by Raymond Briggs, evoking the magic and nostalgia of the festive season.
Free to attend, A Global Christmas highlights Wembley Park’s tradition of celebrating different cultures through its annual events programme, featuring diverse artists and genres from around the world, and bringing communities together through shared cultural experiences.
Whilst no pre-registration is required, early arrival is recommended and subject to capacity. Seating options may be restricted, and concertgoers are invited to bring blankets for comfort. Food vendors offering seasonal treats and hot drinks will also be available throughout the event.
