The Effingham Community Orchestra will host its 3rd annual holiday concert Dec. 6 at 3 p.m. in the Effingham Recreation Department Gym on Highway 119 in Springfield. The concert is free to the public and will feature the entire orchestra of some 43 instrumentalists.

The show is set to run about an hour and will feature 12 pieces of holiday music including: Selections from the Nutcracker Suite; Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus from the “Messiah”; a medley of Christmas standards; the Joy medley; selections from the soundtrack to “Polar Express”; and others.

The concert is followed by the orchestra’s annual Christmas cookie sale. Homemade cookies will be laid out for the public to choose and purchase.

The cost is $5 for a “baker’s dozen,” which can be customized from the cookies on hand. Orchestra leader Andrea Huff said this is their best fundraiser of the year and has become a community favorite.