April 1 – 8, Messiah Festival of the Arts
The Messiah Music and Arts Festival is host to the longest-running continual performance of Händel's Messiah in North America, now in its 131st year performed on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion is presented on Good Friday. For the first production in 1881, the Lindsborg Swedish immigrants who spoke little English, had to learn Messiah all in English in the span of about four months.

Schedule:
April 1-end of April:
*114th Annual Midwest Art Show, The Birger Sandzen Memorial Art Gallery, 1-5pm.
April 1-8:
*Messiah Festival Juried Student Art Exhibition, Mingenback Art Center, 9am-6pm.

April 1, Palm Sunday:
*114th Annual Midwest Art Show at the Birger Sandzén Memorial Art Gallery (ongoing through the end of April). Hours are 1-5pm, everyday including Monday; open 1-7pm on Good Friday.
*Lindsborg Swedish Folk Dancers Swedish Pancake Feed, 11am-2pm.
*Messiah Festival Juried Student Art Exhibition Reception, 1-3pm. Awards Ceremony, 1:30pm, Mingenback Art Center.
*Lindsborg Swedish Folk Dancers performance on the Labyrinth (north of the Messiah Lutheran Church), 2pm.
The Bethany Oratorio Society presents Handel’s Messiah, 3pm, Presser Hall. Ticket required.
April 2:
*Symphonic Band Concert, 7:30pm, Presser Hall.
April 3:
*Messiah Festival Soloists Recital, 7:30pm, Presser Hall.
April 4:
*Bach’s St. Matthew Passion Dress Rehearsal, 7pm, Presser Hall.
April 5, Maundy Thursday:
Student Honors Recital, 3:15pm, Presser Hall.
April 6, Good Friday:
The Bethany Oratorio Society presents Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, 7:30pm, Presser Hall. Ticket required.
April 7:
*Messiah Festival Theatre presents “Noah,” “The First Shepherds’ Play” and “The Second Shepherds’ Play” by The Wakefield Master, 7:30pm, Burnett Center.
April 8, Easter Sunday:
The Bethany Oratorio Society presents Handel’s Messiah, 3pm, Presser Hall. Ticket required.