Contact: Lindsay McIntosh, Executive Director, Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus
Email: lindsay@sacgaymenschorus.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, November 7, 2025
Issued on behalf of the Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus.
Sacramento, CA—The Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus (SGMC) is proud to announce a new partnership with the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) and United Way California Capital Region (UWCCR), the official local partner for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Sacramento County. Together, they launched the program earlier this year, opening enrollment to nearly 100,000 children under age five across the county. Since its founding 30 years ago, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL) has gifted more than 300 million free books to children worldwide, inspiring a lifelong love of reading for millions of families. SGMC is thrilled to help support the local Imagination Library through its upcoming holiday concert and fundraiser.
The chorus will unwrap the season with Holiday Hits with a Splash of Sass: Candy Christmas, a festive concert filled with heart, humor, and holiday sparkle. With two performances on Saturday, November 29, 2025, at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center, audiences are invited to kick off the holiday season SGMC-style—joyful, inclusive, and unapologetically fabulous.
This year’s show takes inspiration from the timeless music and values of Dolly Parton. From the bittersweet beauty of Hard Candy Christmas to the heartfelt storytelling of Coat of Many Colors, the program blends beloved holiday classics with the heartfelt twang of country charm and SGMC’s signature flair. Sacramento’s own Shelita Taylor will guide audiences through the evening as “Dolly,” sprinkling a little sass and a lot of sparkle along the way.
“As Dolly has shown the world, literacy opens doors, builds hope, and strengthens community,” says Lindsay McIntosh, SGMC Executive Director. “Just like Dolly, SGMC stands for belonging, for love without limits, and for celebrating every color of your coat. We’re honored to join forces with SCOE and UWCCR in bringing Dolly’s Imagination Library to families in Sacramento County.”
“The Imagination Library is a simple idea with a powerful, transformative impact,” said David W. Gordon, Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools. “By mailing a free book each month to children from birth to age five, we’re giving Sacramento County families the essential tools to build strong reading habits from the very start. Our partners, like the Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus (SGMC), are helping us champion this vision of literacy and equity across our region. This program is vital to our Sacramento County READS literacy initiative, and reflects our deep commitment to every child’s success.”
To mark this partnership, every child attending the 3:00 p.m. matinee performance of Candy Christmas will receive a free copy of Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors. It’s a small but heartfelt way to extend Dolly’s legacy of music, storytelling, and care for children to SGMC’s holiday audience.
SGMC has been a beacon of inclusion and musical excellence in Sacramento since 1984, bringing people together through the transformative power of song. Candy Christmas promises a night where nostalgia meets camp, sacred meets sassy, and everyone finds a home for the holidays.
Tickets are available now at SacGayMensChorus.org. Don’t wait—holiday shows are SGMC’s most popular events and often sell out.
Audiences will enjoy a program full of holiday cheer and surprises, including:
- Dolly classics: “Hard Candy Christmas” and “Coat of Many Colors”
- Contemporary gems: “Winter Song” (Sara Bareilles), “A Million Dreams”
- Choral masterpieces: “O Magnum Mysterium” (Lauridsen)
- Global traditions: “Ocho Kandelikas” (Hanukkah celebration)
- Plus festive favorites like: “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” “We Need a Little Christmas,” and “Seasons of Love”
Event Details
- Saturday, November 29, 2025
- Matinee: 3 p.m.
- Evening Show: 7 p.m.
- SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center, Sacramento
- Tickets range from $35 to $65 dollars
Tickets always sell fast—don’t wait! Past holiday concerts have sold out before opening night.
About the Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus
Founded in 1984, the Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus (SGMC) has grown from a small group of singers into one of the region’s most vibrant performing arts organizations. For over 41 years, SGMC has been a beacon of community, advocacy, and music—using the power of song to entertain, educate, and inspire. A proud member of GALA Choruses, SGMC continues to uplift audiences through performances, outreach, and its SingOUT! education program, all while fostering pride and enhancing lives, one song at a time.
About United Way
United Way California Capital Region has been a driving force across the region for more than 100 years, listening, responding, and taking comprehensive action to meet local needs. From advancing youth opportunities and helping kids excel in school, to strengthening local communities and investing in families’ financial security and health, United Way mobilizes communities to build a future where everyone can reach their full potential and thrive. Working across Amador, El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo counties, the local United Way provides books and literacy tutoring, addresses housing and food security, leads the region’s largest tax preparation initiative, works with foster youth across school districts, launched the region’s first guaranteed income program, and leads the Community Schools initiative in West Sacramento. To make a donation: www.YourLocalUnitedWay.org.