Talent home-grown for the holidays

More than 40 musical ensembles, choirs and dance troupes will perform Saturday at the 45th annual Los Angeles County Holiday Celebration at the Music Center. Six celebrity hosts will take turns as master of ceremonies at this free six-hour seasonal extravaganza: singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka, dancer-choreographer Debbie Allen, television personality Mark Walberg, singer-actress Gloria Loring, ventriloquist Ronn Lucas and pianist-composer Jim Brickman.

The Blind Boys of Alabama will make their debut appearance at the show. Past favorites such as the Mariachi Sol de Mexico and the Jazz Tap Ensemble are returning this year. Most of the arts groups performing come from the county and reflect the cultural and ethnic diversity of Los Angeles. Just a few of those scheduled to appear are the Kennedy Tap Company, the Mariachi Divas, Jubilant Voices of Holman United Methodist Church, Elvis Schoenberg’s Orchestre Surreal, the Chinese Classical Musical Ensemble and Manoochehr Sadeghi Ensemble. A schedule is available at www.holidaycelebration.org.

Doors open at 2:30 p.m. Attendees may come and go throughout the six-hour show. The show and parking are free and no reservations are necessary. For those who can’t make it downtown, the show will be broadcast live by KCET-TV.

Holiday Celebration, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., L.A. 3 to 9 p.m. Saturday. Free. (213) 972-3099.