CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO COVID UNCERTAINTIES FOR DECEMBER 2021

On the Sunday night before each Christmas, our Rotary club hosts Carols by Candlelight. Crowds join performers to joyously sing out all the popular carols. Also, local entities and performers are invited to speak and sing of Christmas. Big thanks go to compere Tony Bunting, Alpine Energy Brass Band and Salvation Army band members, who have been major contributors throughout.

The 2020 event

The Mountainview High School Auditorium was again packed to capacity on Sunday night 20 December for a sing-along to brass band backed Rhyth-mix singers and performances by Jess Bacon’s highland dancers & piper William McArthur, the Austin family and Junior Drama League. Christmas messages were given by Mayor, Nigel Bowen and Rev Ben Randall representing the South Canterbury Ministers Association.  Big thanks to The Aoraki Foundation for their support covering expenses. About $900 was raised for The Salvation Army food bank, our charity for this year, off-setting the hardship caused by COVID-19. 
 

Watch the recorded video

Photo coverage is here

Download 2020 programme here

Download 2020 song-sheets here

FREE tickets

Entry is now by free ticket because of limited seating. They can be collected on a first-served basis from Timaru Visitor Information Centre at 2 George Street or from Community House, 27 Strathallan Street, Timaru.

Christmas decoration

Please join in the Christmas spirit and dress-up with your best candle-like or self-illuminations.  There will be a prize for the best effort at the auditorium.

Please note change of venue from the Theatre Royal

Carols by Candlelight is currently held in the Mountainview High School Auditorium, Pages Road, Timaru, because the Theatre Royal is closed for restrengthening work.

Auditorium doors open 6.30pm and the programme commences 7:00pm.

Sing-a-long at your place with live video

The event is now videoed with high quality sound by Stix from Audio Dynamite. This is streamed live and for playback allowing people to join in at home or in larger groups such as churches and rest homes.

Anyone with a phone, tablet, computer, smart TV or AV system on-line can watch or sing along. Simply click on the public link on our Facebook page during the evening or even long afterwards.

Follow our Facebook page for information and link: www.facebook.com/RotaryTimaruNorth. Please note the link is one-way only. Remote participation is not captured and shared unlike Zoom meetings for example.

Supporters

Everyone volunteers their time and talents for our entertainment and enjoyment. Venue hire and promotion costs are usually covered by sponsorship,

Thank you Alpine Energy for many years of sponosrship. Aoraki Foundation is our current sponsor.

Other support is provided by: 

  • Street Banner - Timaru Signs and Graphix
  • Audio-visual and lighting production - Audio Dynamite

Donations for charity

    There is no charge for entry but gold coin donations on the night benefit a charity chosen each year.  Donations may also be accepted via our Givealittle page 

    COVID-19 considerations

    Any COVID-19 Level requirements are to be met including attendance logging for possible contact tracing. Notifications will be posted on this website and our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/RotaryTimaruNorth

    Contact:

    Please email enquiries to: carols@rotarytimnth.nz

    Background

    Timaru carollers have long celebrated Christmas with Rotary, usually the prior weekend.  Without missing a year since 1967, Carols by Candlelight has become a long-standing tradition, run firstly by the Timaru club for two years, then by the Timaru South club until handed to the Timaru North club in 2014.

    “A particular bad run of wet weather in the 1990s saw a series of transfers from the Timaru Botanic Gardens to the Sacred Heart Basilica, and the eventual decision to become an indoor event at the Theatre Royal." quotes the Timaru Herald,  mentioning entry is on a first-come-first-served basis.

    The 1100 seat theatre was often filled to capacity and glow sticks encouraged to build the 'candlelight' atmosphere.

    The 1100 seat Theatre Royal was often filled to capacity and glow sticks were encouraged to build the 'candlelight' atmosphere.

    2019:

    400 carolers filled the Mountainview High School Auditorium on Sunday evening 15 December 2019. Guests arrived as Sheryl Higgs Singers ‘Double Talk’ entertained until Robbie Jackson introduced the evening.  Sue Shewan, standing in for the voiceless Tony Bunting, compared the evening commencing with Jess Bacon's Highland Dancers.  Lead by the Rhyth-mix Singers the crowd joyously sang out carols to the rousing accompaniment of the Alpine Energy Brass Band. In between, items were given from Mrs A’s Music School students and soloists Abhi Barathan and Abigail Austin gave class performances. Christmas messages were given by Deputy Mayor, Steve Wills and Rev Gordon Rosewall representing the South Canterbury Ministers Association.  About $1000 was raided for Family Support. Big thanks to Alpine Energy for their support.

    Watch the recorded video on our club's Facebook Page here
    Photo coverage is here

    2018:

    About 600 carol singers gathered and sang all the traditional carols backed by The Alpine Energy Brass Band, Salvation Army Band and Ryth-Mix Singers and Double Talk, Mrs A's Emma and Cameron, Caitlin Bradley, Jane Bowen performed guest items along with pipers and dancers - all compared by.Tony Bunting. Donations went to Hospice.

    Past Timaru Herald news items:

    2009: Carols night to help tsunami victims
    2009: Carols as popular as ever
    2011: Rotary to sing for MRI scanner
    2012: Enchantment-of-Christmas
    2018: Concert raises more than $1700 for charity