Candles line a snowy path in the winter. (naturetron-123RF)
The Candle Festival in Candelara
Imagine all the bright overhead lights and streetlamps turned off. You are in a cozy town square, ambient music playing softly. Maybe the smell of warm cider or sweet butter cookies fills each inhale, and all around you is the soft amber glow of candlelight. Perhaps your attention is drawn solely to an illuminated stilt walker gliding through the streets. This is the Candele a Candelara, or Candle Festival in Candelara, Italy, and it is truly one of a kind.
Located near the temperate Adriatic coast, the village of Candelara in the Pesaro province is approximately one hour north of Ancona. Now in its 22nd year, Candele a Candelara is celebrated over a nine-day period. The tradition was built from the story of Candelara’s coat of arms, which features three candles atop three hills. Legend has it that the three candles were lit to identify which site would be best for building the town. In the end, it was the least windy hill, where only one candle did not go out, that the town placed its roots.
A line of people with candles (EvGavrilov-Adobe Stock)
Twice each day, first at 5:30 p.m. as the sun sinks below the horizon and again at 6:30 p.m., all electric lighting in the town center is turned off for 15 to 20 minutes. A hush falls over the crowd and the darkness is set ablaze by a procession of thousands of candles. There is something quite enamoring about the romance and enchantment of it all.
The Christmas market in Candelara
In addition to the candlelight procession, Candele a Candelara features a Christmas market complete with elaborate nativity scenes, a snow-laden alley, street artists and delicious regional delicacies like tortellini in brood (meat-filled pasta in a savory broth) or Pangiallo Romano (a traditional sweet bread).
Candelara pours a lot of care into its entire holiday program as the entire medieval village transforms into a place of Christmas magic. It is a village that has passionately passed down artistry and craftsmanship to keep tradition alive. Everywhere you look within the market, you will see unique decorations and special artisan-centered activities.
Stroll past each of the four corners of the village’s medieval walls to admire the Advent themes: shepherds, angels, Bethlehem and the prophets, curated by the Mengaroni Art Institute. There will be live candle-making demonstrations where you can watch the candle makers use only beeswax. This method stays true to how they were crafted in the Middle Ages. The Morelli Brothers, local metalwork artists, will return this year and demonstrate for visitors how to create wrought iron sculptures of the Nativity scene.
Children can participate in the Elf Workshop held at the Captain’s Hall at the entrance of the castle where they will learn to make special figurines and Christmas ornaments from clay, wax, wood and paper. Plus, they can meet Santa, take a picture with him and tell him their Christmas wish while working on their crafts.
As part of the festival, to get around the market and to see more sites within Candelara, you can hop aboard the Candle Train for a guided tour to and from Bellavista from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. A ticket includes a tour of the 18th-century Villa Berloni. You can also book a candle-lit lunch or dinner in the villa and enjoy a meal of regional specialties. The next stop on the Candle Train route is the Pieve di Santo Stefano, a beautiful late-Gothic-style Roman Catholic church. Inside, you can see a few variations of frescoes of “The Madonna and Child,” fitting for the Christmas season.
The final Candle Train stop is at the PAC Museum of Textile Art, Embroidery, Cutting and Sewing, where guests can learn about the ancient tradition of making textiles and fabric on 20th-century looms. The train then drops passengers off back at the market, where you can continue to enjoy sampling treats, sipping warm drinks and shopping from the market stalls.
Know before you go
In 2025, the festival and market will run over the weekends of Nov. 22-23 and 29-30, Dec. 6-7 and 13-14. While the candle procession is only in the evenings, visitors can enjoy the market and other festivities from 10 a.m.– 8 p.m. If you are travelling to the festival by car, it is recommended to park in Pesaro near one of Candelara’s free shuttle stops. Entry to the festival and market, until 1 p.m. admission is €3, after 1 p.m., €6, and free for children under 10. For more information, visit www.candelara.com.