A Dynamic December

The Pine State Pitches singing at the Portland Tree Lighting. Photo by Liv Ivy.

Hello and happy end of 2025! I’m writing this snuggled up next to Fred on my parents’ couch in upstate New York. Fred has a belly full of cheese and scrambled eggs thanks to his indulgent grandparents, and we’ve both enjoyed a very lazy week, watching Christmas movies and baking pumpkin pie.

November and December brought the Pitches our busiest few weeks of the year with three performances in three weeks. First up, L.L.Bean invited us to sing at their Northern Lights Opening Night and Tree Lighting on November 21st. Families gathered around the stage as children lined the front row, cheering us on through a set of festive tunes leading up to the grand finale - welcoming Santa to light the tree. We led the crowd counting down to the tree lighting, and ended by singing “Deck the Halls” to bring the holiday spirit to life. It was such a magical event, and the perfect way to kick off the season.

The following week, we sang at the Portland Tree Lighting in Monument Square. It was nice to be singing on home turf, and the square was absolutely packed with Mainers ready to ring in the holidays. Before we took the stage, we watched a delightful competition where some of Santa’s elves showed off their best elfish costumes, and the crowd cheered for their favorite one. We sang a few of our favorite songs, and although it was quite chilly, the crowd kept us warm with their cheers. As the tree lit up, I marveled about how lucky we are to live and sing in for such a wonderful community.

Portland Tree Lighting attendees watch the tree glow in Monument Square. Photo by Liv Ivy.

Our final holiday performance was at the Islands Community Church on Bailey Island. The community welcomed us so warmly, and we enjoyed an hour singing our favorite songs for them on a beautiful winter evening. It was the perfect way to wrap up our holiday season.

As the year winds down, I am still in awe of what an incredible year it’s been for the Pitches. Together, we have done 11 performances and spent over 100 hours rehearsing together, and spent many more hours practicing on our own to level up our shows for our audiences. We’ve celebrated milestones as our group members bought houses, performed in and directed theater productions, welcomed new family members, started new jobs, and so much more. Most importantly, we supported each other through it all. I cannot express how honored I am to sing with such wonderful, talented people every week.

I hope you are enjoying relaxing, quality time with loved ones as we prepare to welcome 2026. Wherever you are, The Pine State Pitches are sending you warm holiday wishes, and we cannot wait to bring you more harmonies in the new year!

The Pine State Pitches singing at the Islands Community Church on Bailey Island.