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Robin Hershey of Akron plays during the 45th annual TubaChristmas at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall. Hershey has played in every TubaChristmas show. (Michael Francis McElroy / Signal Akron)
There’s noel time like the present for the 45th annual TubaChristmas concert in Akron as the sounds of sousaphones, euphoniums, baritone horns and tubas filled E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall Saturday.
About 600 musicians spanned the stage for two (free) performances and oom-pah-pahed Christmas carols to a nearly full house each time.
This year, University of Akron emeritus professor Tucker Jolly, the founder of the original Akron TubaChristmas in 1980, was honored with a proclamation from Mayor Shammas Malik that declared Dec. 20, 2025, “Tucker Jolly Day.” The document thanked Jolly for “bringing the joy of the holidays” to Akron residents for 45 years.
The annual concert is now in the hands of Chris Blaha, a University of Akron music professor who shares conductor duties with Jolly.
Many of the musicians decked out their instruments with wrapping paper, Christmas lights and other decorations.
Hundreds of musicians from Ohio and other states showed up to perform at the 45th annual TubaChristmas at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall in Akron, Ohio, on Dec. 20, 2025. (Michael Francis McElroy / Signal Akron)Conductor Tucker Jolly (left), the founder of the TubaChristmas concerts in Akron, takes a bow after being presented with a proclamation from the City of Akron designating Dec. 20 Tucker Jolly Day. University of Akron music professor Christopher Blaha, who is the current organizer of TubaChristmas, presented the proclamation from the mayor to Jolly. (Michael. Francis McElroy / Signal Akron)David Williams plays his barritone horn during the 45th annual TubaChristmas at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall in Akron on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (Michael Francis McElroy / Signal Akron)Tuba players from Glen Oak High School in Canton, Ohio, performed at the 45th annual Tuba Christmas at E.J Thomas Hall in Akron. (Michael Francis McElroy / Signal Akron)The audience cheers for Conductor Tucker Jolly after he is presented with a proclamation from the City of Akron during the 45th annual TubaChristmas at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (Michael Francis McElroy / Signal Akron)Musicians perform during one of two concerts as part of the 45th annual TubaChristmas at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall in Akron on Dec. 20, 2025. (Michael Francis McElroy / Signal Akron)TubaChristmas founder (in Akron) Tucker Jolly conducts one of the two performances of the 45th annual TubaChristmas concert at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (Michael Francis McElroy / Signal Akron)B-flat tuba player Tyler Bailey has been performing at TubaChristmas shows since 2008 and wears his Ghost of Christmas Present costume every time. (Michael Francis McElroy / Signal Akron)Fourteen-year-old tuba player Samuel Adair plays during the 45th annual TubaChristmas concert decked out in his tux at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall in Akron. (Michael Francis McElroy / Signal Akron)Paul Hagan (center), of Ravenna, plays his 100-year-old baritone horn during the 45th annual TubaChristmas at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall in Akron. (Michael Francis McElroy / Signal Akron)Penn-Trafford High School (Harrison City, Pennsylvania) music teacher David Cornelius helps Glen Oak High School student Christian McAllister get his tuba back together before the start of the 45th annual TubaChristmas at E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall. (Michael Francis McElroy / Signal Akron)
Editor-in-Chief (she/her)
Zake has deep roots in Northeast Ohio journalism. She was the managing editor for multimedia and special projects at the Akron Beacon Journal, where she began work as a staff photographer in 1986. Over a 20-year career, Zake worked in a variety of roles across departments that all help inform her current role as Signal Akron's editor in chief. Most recently, she was a journalism professor and student media adviser at Kent State University, where she worked with the next generation of journalists to understand public policy, environmental reporting, data and solutions reporting. Among her accomplishments was the launch of the Kent State NewsLab, an experiential and collaborative news commons that connects student reporters with outside professional partners.
