An award-winning all-female a cappella group is set to stage several performances later this week in Lehighton.

The Belles are poised to perform at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday at Lehighton Area High School. Doors open an hour before.

The two shows on Saturday will feature their award winning set, along with many Christmas songs to ring in the season, according to Hannah Smith, the president of The Belles who is originally from Lehighton.

In addition, group members will perform for the Lehighton Elementary Center and Lehighton Area High School on Friday to showcase their work and participate in a panel that allows students to ask questions and engage with the creative process and college journey.

From 6-9 p.m. Friday, The Belles will offer an all-ages workshop session at Yenser’s Tree Farm in Lehighton to teach participants a Christmas song that can then optionally be performed with the group on Saturday.

An award-winning all-female a cappella group from Belmont University, The Belles are comprised of 18 members ranging from voice parts of bass to soprano 1.

Smith said they perform a variety of musical styles, including pop, jazz, soul and R&B. The group consists of students who are majoring in a range of areas.

She said there are young women going to school for media and entertainment, psychology, music business, music therapy, journalism, commercial voice, and more.

“The group is an outlet where we can create music, find friendships, share laughter and achieve goals,” Smith said. “As a student-run organization, we are led by an executive board of six members who handle the essential tasks that keep us running. We rely primarily on donations through GoFundMe to fund our group, and we’re incredibly grateful to our supporters for making everything possible.”

The Belles are in their second year competing in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, where they placed first at the 2024 Southern Quarterfinal in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Smith won the Outstanding Soloist award. Afterward, they headed to the semifinals in Durham, North Carolina, and placed fourth.

“To celebrate this success, we recorded and produced our 2024 set, “Fire and Rain,” which is available on all streaming platforms, and the music video for our set can be found on YouTube,” she said. “This year, we’re focused on having more success as we compete in the 2025 ICCAs (starting with the Southern Quarterfinal in Knoxville on Feb. 8). Our main goal is to bring music and our story to those who want to listen.”

Smith, a senior media and entertainment major at Belmont University, is currently in her second year as president of The Belles.

“Leading the group has been one of the greatest parts of my college experience, and I am so grateful for the relationships I have made within the group and the music we create,” s he said. “It has taught me so much about leadership and my love of performance, showing me two key factors I plan to carry with me in my career after graduation.”

Smith has been a member of the group since her sophomore year.

“I’m incredibly grateful for my hometown and the passion for performance it instilled in me,” she said. “Growing up, I was involved in many musical groups and organizations like Zion Opera Workshop and Pale Moon Players, which gave me the chance to sing, act and dance.

“If it weren’t for the organizations through middle school and high school, I would’ve never found performance and the way it heightens my life, eventually leading to The Belles. My hometown has taught me what it means to be a strong leader and value success and determination.

“Knowing the strong sense of community in Lehighton and the limited access to the arts and music, I wanted to bring something special back to my town.

“I proposed to The Belles that we perform in Lehighton, and they were just as excited as I was. I’ve been working hard to organize everything for this event, from marketing, communicating with the local schools and the community, and to securing venues and organizing our performance workshop for students.

“I’ve handled all the travel arrangements and the full itinerary for our trip, and I’m so grateful for my family and everyone who has supported and sponsored us to make this happen. Our main goal is to bring a fun, inspiring performance to the community and showcase the importance of music and performance to the students and schools in Lehighton.”

Smith added: “The experience will not only benefit us to have an incredible opportunity to host our own shows and get our name out there, but it will also give us the chance as a student-run-organization to raise funds to continue our journey.

“I cannot wait to bring this group of women and our exciting show back home to Lehighton. Without my town I would not have reached the heights I have throughout college.”

Smith said having The Belles perform in Lehighton is “an exciting opportunity to inspire creativity and passion for music within the community.”