Susie McEntire during her 2014 concert in Warsaw. McEntire will return Dec. 12 for another country-themed concert. (File photo)

WARSAW — Susie McEntire is returning to Warsaw for her second annual country Christmas concert and, this year, there will be some surprises.

“Mike Loher is orchestrating the whole benefit and he has a bit of a surprise that I can’t even tell about,” McEntire said of her upcoming concert. “He’s gone to great lengths to make it a good concert.”

McEntire will be at Lakeview Middle School, Warsaw, at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12. The concert is free and is titled, “A Country Christmas With Susie McEntire.” This is her third time in Warsaw and her second holiday season visit.This will be McEntire’s third visit to Warsaw, including last year’s Christmas concert plus a performance at the Kosciusko Community Fair.

“I love the people,” she said. “Everybody was so supportive and warm. It took us probably an hour to get through the lines, taking pictures and signing autographs last year. The people were warm and inviting and friendly.”

Like last year, this year’s event will include a Toys for Tots fundraiser and toy drive. Though it is not required, anyone attending can bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate to Toys for Tots. All toys collected will go to kids in the local community who may otherwise not receive a gift this year.

“I’m looking forward to helping Toys for Tots gather toys for underprivileged kids who are not going to be able to have toys for the Christmas season,” McEntire said. “It’s a great function. It’s a great benefit.”

Like last year, this year’s audience can look forward to a country-themed Christmas event, including traditional, acoustic carols and a warm, inviting atmosphere.

“What we’re looking forward to is people feeling like they’re in our living room, sitting around our fireplace, enjoying Christmas music,” McEntire said. “It’s very country. There will be a variety. It will lean more toward religious Christmas music, Santa, the spirit of Christmas, snow, cold, people getting out shopping, very traditional type of Christmas music.”

The Warsaw Christian School children’s choir will join McEntire on stage.

This will also be a special evening for McEntire and her husband, Mark, who will celebrate their sixth anniversary that evening. Mark will accompany McEntire on stage with his acoustic guitar. The couple will also give an update on what has been going on in their lives since they were last in the area.

In between songs, McEntire will tell about growing up in southeastern Oklahoma with her family. She will also share about recent difficult times her family has gone through and what they have learned through those experiences.

“The greatest thing about our going through tough times … is that all of us could just look at each other and say, ‘I’m glad you’re here,'” she said. “We love each other and we’ve got each other. Those trials make us strong.”

Switching gears, McEntire extended an invitation to the community to come out for the free concert and to support Toys for Tots.

“Everybody come out and enjoy the evening and hopefully I’ll remember the words to all those Christmas songs,” she said humorously.

More information about McEntire is available via her official website.