The Wizards of Winter will perform at the Roof Garden Ballroom in Arnolds Park at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21, bringing a touring holiday rock opera called The Christmas Dream to northwest Iowa. The show mixes symphonic rock and pop with ballads and promises an appearance from Mrs. Claus; the event listing also mentions snowballs.
The band describes its own sound as blending symphonic rock and pop with powerful ballads, snowballs, beach balls and a visit from Mrs. Claus, according to Roof Garden Ballroom's event listing. The venue calls it a high-energy, family-friendly production, and tickets are priced at $49 for general admission and $59 for Tier 1 seating. The Roof Garden Ballroom is located at 91 Lake St. in Arnolds Park, as reported by The N'West Iowa REVIEW.
The Wizards of Winter performance is a holiday rock opera.
A Lineup Built From Arena-Rock Resumes
The Wizards of Winter feature all-star musicians with backgrounds that include Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Blue Öyster Cult, per the N'West Iowa REVIEW. The band's own site goes further, noting members have also performed with Rainbow and Alice Cooper, per the same account. The group was founded by husband-and-wife duo Scott Kelly, who composes and plays keyboard, and Sharon Kelly, who sings lead vocals and plays flute, according to thewizardsofwinter.com.
The band says its Christmas holiday rock opera has become a cherished family tradition for audiences spanning generations, from ages 8 to 80. A PBS special featuring the band, shot alongside the program Song of the Mountains, began airing in November 2024, per thewizardsofwinter.com.
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Accounts differ on exactly when the Wizards of Winter got their start. The band's official website says the project originated in 2010 with a mission to support its local community food pantry, while a 2019 profile in The Aquarian describes a one-time 2009 benefit performance held during the recession to raise money for a food pantry in Frenchtown, New Jersey. The Aquarian piece notes the band initially covered Trans-Siberian Orchestra songs and traditional Christmas tunes before its musical director began writing original material.
The Christmas Dream, the show coming to Arnolds Park, is billed as the 12-piece band's third effort, following a self-titled 2014 debut and 2015's The Magic of Winter, according to The Aquarian. The Wizards of Winter have also used their shows for charity elsewhere — a report from SNJ Today says two benefit performances in Morehead City, North Carolina, raised roughly $20,000 for the organization BackPackfriends.
The Roof Garden Ballroom listing says Mrs. Claus will appear as part of The Christmas Dream and describes the show as family-friendly. With a touring résumé that stretches from Long Island theaters to New Jersey benefit shows, the Arnolds Park stop gives northwest Iowa audiences a chance to catch a production that has built its reputation well beyond the Midwest.
