The Candlelight series is coming to several spectacular venues across The Golden City this season. Get ready for hundreds of flickering candles, talented musicians, and an unforgetable ambience to be created in some of San Francisco’s most treasured and historic spaces. Listen to your favorite modern-day hits in the classical form or revisit timeless compositions by geniuses such as Vivaldi.
This year’s lineup of Candlelight concerts will take place at the International Art Museum of America, Grace Cathedral, St. Ignatius Church, Great Star Theater, and the iconic Chabot Space and Science Center. With a variety of breathtaking venues and diverse performances to choose from, you’re sure to find the perfect live music experience in San Fran.
Great Star Theater: So Much More than a Theater
Great Star Theater is another unique Candlelight venue in San Francisco’s famous Chinatown. You will be mesmerized by the classic proscenium stage live theater. After being built in 1925, Great Star Theater staged Cantonese Opera and showed Hong Kong kung-fu movies. Newly renovated, the historic theater is well-equipped with two full bars, seating for 438 people, aerial rigging, a 7.1 surround sound system, and so much more.
International Art Museum of America: Exquisite Beauty
You’ll find this international museum in the heart of downtown San Francisco. Not government-subsidized, it is a non-profit museum housing various fascinating exhibits by national, European, and Asian artists. Appreciate art from the 17th century to more modern works including that of Rosa Bonheur, George Romney, and H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. Where better to listen to candlelit classical performances than surrounded by centuries of art and culture?
Grace Cathedral: An Awe-Inspiring Venue
The third largest Episcopal Cathedral in North America, and an idyllic venue in San Francisco, Grace Cathedral is a sight to behold. After the 1906 earthquake, structural strength was key. The Cathedral is Gothic in style and reinforced by raw concrete and steel. Visitors from all around the world flock to catch a glimpse at its striking architecture. Art by Keith Haring and Ansel Adams, stained glass windows, the Aeolian-Skinner organ, and more are some of the distinctive details adorning the stunning cathedral.
St. Ignatius Church: A University’s Chapel
Located on the campus of the University of San Francisco, St. Ignatius Church is a “Beacon on the Hill”. The impressive church building which started as a basic, wooden structure has been through a lot throughout its history. It saw the San Francisco earthquake and fire during the outbreak of the First World War and continues to stand as a civic landmark for the Jesuits in San Francisco. The church’s prominent dome and high towers are hard to miss.
Chabot Space and Science Center: Music and the Universe
This non-profit science center is home to an observatory, planetarium, and so much more. With an aim to “inspire and educate learners of all ages about the Universe and Planet Earth.” The center also boasts stunning event spaces. The Planetarium is fitted with a stage directly below a 70-foot dome of the starry night sky. Nothing compares to the enchanting experience of attending a candlelit concert against a celestial-themed backdrop.
Picture yourself surrounded by the romantic glow of candlelight, art, history, or science at an intimate concert in San Francisco. The venues hosting the Candlelight series each possess their own unique charm and blend perfectly with the soothing music.