Everything about Carols By Candlelight totally explained
Carols by Candlelight is an
Australian
Christmas tradition that has spread around the world. It involves people gathering, usually outdoors in a
park, to sing
carols by candlelight, accompanied by a band.
It is held annually on Christmas Eve to raise awareness and funds for
Vision Australia, Australia's largest blindness and low vision charity.
History
Carols by Candlelight was begun in
Melbourne in
1938 by
Norman Banks, a radio announcer then with Melbourne radio station
3KZ. Whilst walking home from his night-time radio shift on
Christmas Eve in
1937, he passed a window and saw inside an elderly woman sitting up in bed, listening to
Away in a Manger being played on the radio and singing along, with her face being lit by candlelight. Wondering how many others spent Christmas alone, he'd the idea to gather a large group of people to all sing Christmas carols together by candlelight, and the first such event was held in the
Alexandra Gardens the following Christmas. This first event had 10,000 people attend.
Following
World War II, many people began to sing the Carols as they moved to the nearby
Sidney Myer Music Bowl, where they're still held to this day. Funds raised from donations, ticket, and candle sales are given to
Vision Australia (formerly the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind).
Broadcast
The program is broadcast every Christmas Eve on the
Nine Network at the
Sidney Myer Music Bowl and has been hosted for 18 years by
Ray Martin. Because of the arrangement the show often features Nine stars such as
Hi-5
Events
Similar events are now held all over Australia, usually arranged by churches, municipal councils, or other community groups. They are normally held on Christmas Eve or the Sunday before Christmas. The major Australian events are the
Melbourne Carols (which attracts about 30,000 people) held at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Christmas Eve (broadcast on the
Nine Network) and the
Sydney Carols in
The Domain (broadcast by the
Seven Network) and borrows the shape of its stage from its big brother, the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne. Both of these are televised nationally and the Melbourne Carols By Candlelight is televised also to eastern Asia, many Pacific Islands and New Zealand, live.
In
Brisbane the Lord Mayor's Christmas Carols are held about a week before Christmas, at the
Brisbane River Stage in the
Brisbane City Botanic Gardens.
In
Perth, Carols by Candlelight are held in mid December at the
Supreme Court Gardens, while other events are held at
Fremantle,
Scarborough and
Rockingham.
In
Adelaide, Carols by Candlelight is held in the weeks before Christmas in
Elder Park on the banks of the
River Torrens.
In
Newcastle, New South Wales, Carols by Candlelight are held in mid December, both at
Speers Point Park near
Lake Macquarie and at
King Edward Park in the city near the beach.
In
Hobart, due to the urban nature of the city, there are three main carols services. One each in
Clarence,
Glenorchy and the main ceremony in Sandown Park in Sandy Bay,
Hobart itself.
In
Geelong, there's
Denis Walters' Carols by the Bay held on the first Saturday of December. This is held at Eastern Beach. There is also Carols in the Park in Johnston Park on Christmas Eve.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Carols By Candlelight'.
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