With the Christmas season just around the corner, local Branson shows are transforming from regular season performances into something a bit more holly jolly. With colorful décor, stage effects & lighting, spectacular costumes and enough sing along carols to make even Ebenezer Scrooge smile, Branson Christmas shows are something truly special to behold.
No doubt one of the most legendary and stunning holiday shows around to date with a deep history in Branson showbiz is the one and only Haygoods Christmas Show! With fun new performances, surprises at every corner, jaw dropping effects and one talented and energetic family, the Haygoods are sure to create lasting impressions and special memories with every performance.
Timothy Haygood told us during an interview that there are multiple new songs in their Christmas show this year and quite a few new special effects but they “don’t want to spoil the surprise.” Timothy said their show never remains the same for more than 6 months, so there’s always something refreshing and contemporary to enjoy for new and returning guests alike.
“We are always adding new things and continually progressing,” Timothy explained. “ I think the special magic in our show is that we do everything pretty much completely the opposite of every other Branson show. We have hundreds of thousands of dollars of state-of-the-art technology incorporated into our show in extremely unique ways. We also specialize in entertaining every age group by incorporation very modern, just released music all the way down to the 1960s and everything in-between.”
Timothy went on to say that he, his five brothers and sister are well-versed in a wide variety of musical genres and play over 20 instruments during the course of the show including the violin, bass violin, doghouse bass, electric Bass, piano, harp, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, Concert Grand harp, tenor and alto saxophone, drums & more! With costumes that light up, tap dancing, 3D projection imaging on instruments, energetic choreography, laser systems, and fire effects, the Haygood family presents a truly entertaining and powerful performance that sets them apart from the typical Branson show.
Looking back to the yesteryears, Timothy said that he, his five brothers and his sister never had any real plans or expectations to become professional entertainers but after steady performances to crowds that went crazy for their fiddle tunes, one thing led to another. After seeing the television show air a special episode on Branson in the early 90s, the Haygood family presented some promotional material to Silver Dollar City. The Haygood family was hired for two weeks to perform at the famous Gazebo stage–located at the entrance of the theme park–and moved their family from San Antonio, Texas to Branson. The crowds loved them and, after 5,000 performances to over 5 million people, the Haygood family moved their show to the famous Branson strip and “the rest is history.”
Fast forward to present day, and Timothy told us how he and his family feel blessed that Branson is currently open for business but there were some initial challenges in light of COVID-19. Their theater was one of the first to close and was shut down for nearly 75 days.
“When we re-opened, we were extremely limited in our capacity for seating to keep people properly spaced out,” Timothy said. “ We turned away between 500 and 1000 people every single show because we could not get them into the theater safely.”
However, despite the challenges of the pandemic, Timothy said their shows are selling out a few days in advance and bookings for next year look promising: “[W]e think we are going to make it through this very challenging time unscathed, but it has certainly been tough on the entertainment industry.”
With a new Christmas show on the horizon for early November, things are truly looking merry and bright for the Haygoods who look forward to the magical feeling they get when they perform songs like “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”, “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”, “We Three Kings”, “Joy to the World”, “Mary Did You Know” & many, many more classic holiday tunes! There will be brand new costumes this year that will be alight from top to bottom, a giant projector screen, 4 lasers, 3D projections, and LED lights integrated around the entire stage so the show is fully immersive, powerful, and magical to guests young and old.
“The feeling we get performing together as a family on stage during the holidays is incredible. We are so lucky. It’s a warm, sparkly, happy feeling every year and we so look forward to it.” Timothy said his family sings a version of Mary Did You Know at the conclusion of the show that is the “highlight of the entire year and gets a standing ovation every time.”
This year marks the 28th annual Christmas Extravaganza for the Haygoods who “have pulled out all the stops for our biggest show ever, and we look forward to entertaining families in Grand Style right here in America’s Christmas Hometown, BRANSON, MISSOURI!”
Before the year ends, The Haygoods will team up with the cast and crew of the Clay Cooper’s Country Express to celebrate New Year’s Eve together with Branson guests, visitors and locals! With over 40 people on stage singing, dancing and having a good time, it will be the party of the year you won’t want to miss!
“It’s the biggest celebration in Branson by far,” Timothy said. ” Guests will get the full experience of two productions in three hours with over 50 people on stage from both the Clay Cooper and The Haygoods show.”
All of the best food items from the local restaurant Flat Creek Steak House will be available and there will be an open bar serving drinks. During intermission, there will a fun segment of entertainment staring Clay Cooper . The night ends with a full cast on stage, a drop of over 10,000 balloons, an exciting countdown and a Rock N’ Roll jam to break into the New Year with style.
Timothy went on to say that The Haygoods show will return to continue regular show performances in early Feburary of 2021: ” We will still be adding new elements to the show just as we do every year.” Social distancing and limited capacity seating will still be put into effect next year at the Clay Cooper Theater to ensure guests are being kept safe and healthy at all times. Continue checking The Haygoods website for show schedule listings and important updates.
Seats for The Haygoods book up fast so if you’re ready to book or have any questions, make sure to give us a call at +1 (855)-912-0182 today to speak with a helpful representative who can answer any questions you have and get you started with up-to-date booking information, premium seating and discount tickets available for local shows and attractions in Branson, Missouri!
