Akron’s 43rd TubaChristmas, held Saturday, “sold out” and the stage seating wasn’t enough for all the musicians in one of the biggest turnouts in recent years. “We’re turning people away” from the free event, said Margo Ohlson, director of theatre operations at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall.

The venue seats 2,955 people and there were 582 registered tuba players, she said.

The original TubaChristmas concert was conceptualized in 1974 by Harvey Phillips and was intended as a tribute to Phillips’ teacher and mentor, William J. Bell. Paul Lavalle conducted the first-ever TubaChristmas concert on Sunday, Dec. 22, 1974, in New York City’s Rockefeller Plaza Ice Rink. 

“It’s just about celebrating holiday music and community and this semi-unusual instrument family,” said Christopher Blaha, guest conductor of TubaChristmas and associate professor of tuba and euphonium at the University of Akron. 

Musicians rehearse on stage during the 43rd TubaChristmas
Musicians rehearse on stage during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. There were 582 tuba players and the free event sold out. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Various tubas on stage.
The various tuba instruments shown by their respective players during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Crowd fills E.J. Thomas Hall seats.
Concertgoers filled E.J. Thomas Hall for the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Tuba players on stage at E.J. Thomas Hall.
Musicians rehearse on stage during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. There were 582 tuba players and the free event “sold out.” (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Tucker Jolly conducts TubaChristmas.
Tucker Jolly conducts the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Tucker Jolly and Chris Blaha trade off at conductor.
Tucker Jolly (left) fist-bumps Chris Blaha as they trade off conductor duties during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Decorated tubas.
Sousaphones decked out with wrapping paper, tinsel, bows and other decorations during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Tuba player performing.
A tuba player performs with more than 580 other musicians during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Tuba players in Santa hats performing.
Musicians rehearse on stage during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. There were 582 tuba players and the event sold out. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Audience members fill E.J. Thomas Hall.
E.J. Thomas Hall was filled to the brim and sold out for the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Audience members clapping and laughing.
Attendees smile and clap after singing a Christmas carol during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Tuba players rehearsing.
A tuba player rehearses with more than 500 other musicians during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Audience members fill the seats at E.J. Thomas Hall.
E.J. Thomas Hall was filled to the brim and “sold out” for the free 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Sousaphone players line the back wall of the stage .
Sousaphone players line the back wall of the stage during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Musicians rehearse on stage during the 43rd TubaChristmas.
Musicians rehearse on stage during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. There were 582 tuba players and the free event “sold out.” (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Tuba players pack the E.J. Thomas Hall stage.
Musicians rehearse on stage during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. There were 582 tuba players and the free event “sold out.” (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Pins from previous TubaChristmas concerts.
Pins from previous TubaChristmas events are draped over the back of a music stand during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Musicians rehearse on stage during the 43rd TubaChristmas.
Musicians rehearse on stage during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. There were 582 tuba players and the free event “sold out.” (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Tucker Jolly conducts the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Tuba players perform during the 43rd TubaChristmas.
Tuba players perform during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. There were 582 tuba players and the free event “sold out.” (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
The various tuba instruments shown by their respective players during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
The various tuba instruments shown by their respective players during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Chris Blaha highlights the various tuba family instruments during the performance of the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
The various tuba instruments shown by their respective players during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
The various tuba instruments shown by their respective players during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
The various tuba instruments shown by their respective players during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
A group of concertgoers, who have been attending the event for five years, sing along during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Tuba players perform Christmas carols during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
A tuba player performs with over 580 other musicians during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Christmas lights decorate a tuba as part of the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Christmas carol sheet music is seen on a music stand of a musician during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
A tuba player performs with over 580 other musicians during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
A tuba player performs with over 580 other musicians during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
A tuba player performs with over 580 other musicians during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Tucker Jolly talks to the audience as he conducts the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Tucker Jolly leads the audience in singing Christmas carols as he conducts the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Elf legs hang out of a tuba as decoration during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
A TubaChristmas scarf hangs over a music stand with “Joy to the World” sheet music during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
E.J. Thomas Hall was filled to the brim and sold out for the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Tucker Jolly conducts the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
A tuba player performs with over 580 other musicians during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Audience members listen as E.J. Thomas Hall was filled to the brim and sold out for the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Tuba players play Christmas carols during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Tucker Jolly conducts the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
A concertgoer rings their jingle bells as they sing along with the tubas during the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)
Concertgoers applaud at the conclusion of the 43rd TubaChristmas Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023, at E.J. Thomas Hall in Akron. (Kassi Filkins / Signal Akron)

Multimedia reporter/producer (she/her)
Kassi Filkins strives to be an active part of whatever community she finds herself in and joins Signal Akron in its mission to bring accessible and community-focused news to all Akronites.

Kassi was born and raised in Central Ohio and is a photojournalism graduate of Kent State University. She was a staff member at the Southeast Missourian and the Hartford Courant before working in non-profit communications.

Kassi lives in Highland Square and enjoys local coffee shops, walking along trails in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and hanging out with her dogs, cat and husband.