Carols by Candlelight
On Christmas Eve 1937, broadcaster Norman Banks finished his late-night radio shift and ambled home. While walking along St Kilda Road he noticed an elderly woman sitting by her window singing Christmas carols in candlelight. It was the inspiration for an event which is now more than 70 years old and attracts audiences of millions throughout Australia and overseas.The inaugural Carols by Candlelight in 1938 attracted an overwhelming 10,000 people to Melbourne's Alexandra Gardens, where carols were sung with a 30-strong choir, two soloists and the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Band. The following year numbers had swelled to 40,000 and in 1958 the event moved to the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. The only prior venue change had been when wartime restrictions necessitated the dimming of lights and temporary relocation to the Collins Street Baptist Church.
Carols by Candlelight makes a significant contribution to the community. Vision Australia is the sole beneficiary and uses event funds to support children who are blind or have low vision. An eminent roll call of participating celebrities - from Johnny O'Keefe in 1959 to the current line-up of contemporary pop stars - helps keep the tradition alive and well. From accidental encounter to Christmas custom, our carols carry a luminous legacy.
Location: Sidney Myer Musical Bowl, Melbourne
