Maidstone Choral Union will be in full voice for its Christmas concert on Saturday, December 12 at 7.30 pm at All Saints’ Church in Maidstone.

The first half will be a tribute to composer and choirmaster David Willcocks, while music director Martin Hindmarsh has created new arrangements for the second half.

Tickets £12 on the door, email freda@me169lb.fsnet.co.uk or call 01622 726193. The following day, Kent County Junior Singers and Junior Choir will give their Christmas concert at 5.30pm.

Tickets cost £8 on the door. More details at www.kent-music.com.

One of All Saints’ most popular services of the year, Nine Lessons and Christmas Carols by Candlelight, is traditionally held on the Saturday before Christmas each year.

This year it features the church choir with Astley Brass and will be held on Saturday, December 19 at 4.30pm and members of the congregation are given a candle each.

The church also holds a Christingle service of carols for families at 4pm on Christmas Eve.

There will also be a carol service and celebration at Vinters Park Crematorium, Bearsted Road, on Saturday, December 12 at 3pm. Come together for some Christmas cheer while remembering loved ones. There will be mince pies, mulled wine and hot chocolate afterwards.

Other carol services across the county...

Join the Canterbury Choral Society for their family carol concert at Canterbury Cathedral at 7pm on Saturday, December 12. It takes place in the Nave, reached via the South West Door. Tickets cost £8. More details at www.canterburyticketshop.co.uk. At the cathedral, on Wednesday, December 23 there will be a Carols for Christmas service, with last admission at 3pm, followed by a Carol Service at 7.30pm with doors open at 6pm. On Christmas Eve at the catherdral, a crib service takes place at 11am, a carol service at 3pm – with doors open at 1.30pm – and a choral evensong at 5pm.

The Railway Swing Band will pay tribute to late vocalist Tony Martin with their annual charity concert at St George’s Church, Deal, at 7.30pm on Wednesday, December 16. Tony died from cancer this year and half the proceeds will be donated to the Viking Day Unit at QEQM Hospital. The rest will go to 2235 (Deal) Squadron RAF Air Cadets. Tickets cost £10 including a drink. Details at www.railwayswingband.co.uk

A traditional brass band will accompany carols at Hempstead Valley Shopping Centre in Gillingham on Sunday, December 13. The shops will close so shoppers have the chance to sing their favourite carols from 4.45pm, accompanied by the Medway Band. The band will also play outside the centre throughout the weekend and next weekend, Saturday, December 19 and Sunday, December 20. See www.hempsteadvalley.com

The Oyster Singers present an evening of Christmas carols and melodies at the United Church in Herne Bay, including pieces by organist Adrian Bawtree. The concert starts at 7.30pm on Saturday, December 12. Admission costs £6 on the door, to include light refreshments in the interval.

Midnight communion at Rochester Cathedral is ticketed because of building work, although all other services will not be. There will be lunchtime carols at 12.30pm on Saturday, December 12 and a Christingle service at 3.15pm on Sunday, December 13. There will be two services of A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, both at 7.30pm on Monday, December 21 and Tuesday, December 22; a crib service at 3pm and first evensong of Christmas at 4.15pm both on Christmas Eve and the Eucharist of Christmas Night, which is ticketed, at 11.30pm. Go to www.rochestercathedral.co.uk, visit the cathedral shop or call 01634 843366.

Funds will be raised for the NSPCC with a Christmas concert at Tonbridge School, sponsored by Fidelity International. The Fidelity Choir will be joined by guest baritone Jonathan Veira and a drinks reception and raffle will follow. The concert is at 6.30pm on Thursday, December 17. Tickets £8, £5 for children with under-fives free.
Go to www.boxoffice.tonbridge-school.co.uk

A brand new Kentish Christmas carol, the Hop That Grew in Winter, will be played for the first time at a concert of carols by Whitstable Choral Society on Saturday, December 12 at St Alphege Church in the High Street. The piece, by composer Jonathan Wikeley, marks choir director David Flood’s 20 years with the group. Tickets £7.50, call 01227 263337, 01227 373364 or get them on the door.

Peter Brice and his Christmas Choir will be staging the Heart of Kent Hospice’s 20th annual Christmas carol concert at St Mary’s Church, West Malling, on Wednesday, December 16 at 7pm. Entrance is free but donations for the hospice are welcomed. There will be refreshments in the interval. To book call 01622 790195, email fundraising@hokh.co.uk or book www.hokh.org