This year’s Candlelight Church Walk will be an evening of the traditional with a touch of something new.

In the past the Ohio University Southern Alumni Band provides the musical accompaniment for those walking downtown to visit the eight historic churches on the tour. Another commitment, however, prevented the band from performing on Saturday.

Instead, the Rock Hill High School music students of Nicholas Basham will offer trios and quartets of trumpets and trombones as well as a performance by the high school show choir that night.

“There will be small ensembles going to play at the different locations,” said Rhonda Pemberton, assistant band director and vocal music director for Rock Hill. “We are trying to do something different.”

The walk, sponsored by the Lawrence County Historical Society, showcases the history of Ironton’s churches while telling the story of the birth of Jesus Christ.

At one point on the tour, at St. Paul Lutheran, the Rock Hill show choir will perform.

“If the weather isn’t really bad, we will perform at other locations outside,” Pemberton said.

Churches on the walk are First Baptist Church of Ironton, Christ Episcopal Church, First Methodist Church of Ironton, First Presbyterian Church of Ironton, St. Paul’s, St. Lawrence O’Toole, Gateway Baptist and Quinn Chapel. Following the walk will be a reception at the museum’s headquarters at the Gray Mansion on Sixth Street.

“This is a really good educational opportunity,” Pemberton said. “They can see they can continue outside the classroom and play music for their whole life, not just in the classroom.”

The church walk, which is free and open to the public, begins at First Baptist at 5 p.m.