Fargo stands in applause as The Blenders put a wrap on hometown holiday shows.

PHOTO: The Blenders, Tim Kasper, Ryan Lance, Darren Rust, and Allan Rust perform as "The Folkers" during their concert on Dec. 17 at the Fargo Theatre.

It's almost hard to fathom Christmastime in our area without The Blenders playing a series of holiday shows at the iconic Fargo Theatre.

Still, at this time next year, the locally famous foursome born and raised in the area will be doing other things they haven't been able to do in more than 25 years of playing December shows here and in the Twin Cities, where three of them have lived for many years.

The group announced earlier this year that the recently concluded holiday shows would be their last for the foreseeable future. They each wanted to do some other things this time of year and they didn't want the quality of the shows to suffer.

Good for them! They deserve a holiday break, too.

Frankly, the staying power of The Blenders and their holiday shows is something to behold.

For more than 25 years, Darren Rust, Allan Rust, Tim Kasper and Ryan Lance have reunited late in the year to rehearse and put on at least a half-dozen shows in Minneapolis and Fargo.

It's clearly a labor of love for the men who came together 36 years ago in our area.

Kasper, Lance and Darren Rust formed the group with Paul Dunkirk in Fargo in 1989. The group quickly made a name for itself nationally with an appearance on

"The Arsenio Hall Show" the following year, though the band's name was never mentioned.

The Blenders would go on to share stages with acts like Jay Leno, Howie Mandel and others. Dunkirk left in '95 and was replaced by Allan Rust that year, a lineup that has remained since.

The group has released over a dozen records, including six holiday albums.

This past summer, The Blenders were inducted into the North Dakota Music Hall of Fame. In 2015, the quartet was inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame.

Judging by reviews of their recently concluded series of holiday shows at The Fargo Theatre, The Blenders' popularity with their devoted local fan base has not missed a beat. You can bet that a large percentage of audience members at the recent string of shows rarely misses the group when they come to town.

Devotion to the foursome remains as strong as ever, just like their voices on stage. Yes, the audience has gotten older over the years, just like The Blenders themselves. But the connection is as deep and enthusiastic as it's ever been.

It should also be noted that The Blenders and The Fargo Theatre go hand in hand this time of year. It's a perfect venue for these kinds of performances, and it takes on a special kind of aura as snow falls outside in the heart of downtown Fargo.

The Blenders have always been great ambassadors for the Fargo area, and Fargo is clearly proud of raising the men who make up The Blenders.

If they don't sing another note in Fargo, The Blenders will always be remembered as some of Fargo's most cherished sons.

But if they do decide to reunite for a series of holiday shows somewhere down the line, we can be sure there will be an adoring Fargo audience there to sing along.

Chris Flynn / The Forum