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New West choirs set to face off in Yule Duel

Annual event in Gastown raises money for May's Place hospice in the Downtown Eastside

Two local choirs are putting their voices to good use for Vancouver’s annual Yule Duel fundraiser.

The annual event – which sees choirs of all kinds face off in a Christmastime carolling battle on the streets of Gastown – raises money for May’s Place, which delivers hospice care to vulnerable and marginalized people in the Downtown Eastside.

This year’s edition runs Thursday, Dec. 7 from 6 to 9 p.m. on Water Street.

Every registered choir can join in the street carolling competition and be eligible for the People’s Choice Award. Groups that raise at least $1,000 for May’s Place can compete on the main stage to be adjudicated by a panel of professional judges for Best Vocal Performance and Most Creative Performance.

Well on their way to the $1,000 mark is the New West-based ensemble Quayside Voices (www.quaysidevoices.com) – a five-voice a cappella group that’s taking on choirs many times their size.

Also in the competition this year is the local VanDeca Choir (www.vandecachoir.com).

Choir fundraising pages can be accessed through the Yule Duel website, www.yuleduel.com, under Choirs.