Behind each of the 5,000, 15,000, and even 30,000 candles at Candlelight in Monterrey placed in venues such as the Museum of Mexican History.
It’s already one of the first things that comes to mind when looking for something different: Candlelight in Monterrey. Live music, iconic city venues, thousands of candles… But have you ever wondered what happens in the hours leading up to the concert to make everything look the way it does? Five thousand candles, fifteen thousand, and sometimes even thirty thousand candles are what bathe the chosen venues in light.
The number varies depending on the venue and the program, but the concept remains the same: light, lots of light. And while it looks easy, there’s a lot of work behind every Instagram-worthy spot. That’s why we’re here to tell you everything that happens before the music starts.
It’s already one of the first things that comes to mind when looking for something different: Candlelight in Monterrey .
What You Don’t See: The Setup.
First, the boxes arrive and are opened one after another. Hundreds of candles spill out of each one and are arranged on support surfaces, ready to be moved as a single unit. Then they’re neatly placed along the aisles, in circles near the stage, and at specific spots on steps and platforms so that, no matter where you’re sitting, you can see the candles.
And finally, the light. Each candle is lit one by one, row by row, until the vast sea of candles is fully illuminated. Once this is done, any visible gaps are filled in so that the display looks clean and polished.
If you’ve already been to Candlelight, the result is what you’ve already experienced (and most likely photographed many times). At the Museum of Mexican History, for example, the floor reflects flashes of light, the walls take on warmth, and the stage is clearly outlined thanks to each candle.
To put it in perspective: 15,000 candles stacked on top of one another are equivalent to 7 times the height of the Obispado Tower (that’s right, 7 times the tallest building in all of Mexico). If we compare this to the 30,000 candles often used in some venues, the height that would result would be 800 meters taller than Cerro del Potosí.
When the concert ends, the process goes in reverse: extinguishing, picking up, organizing, and storing each candle so the space remains exactly as it was before the performance. It happens again the next day if the program or venue changes, and starts all over from scratch for every performance and every location in Monterrey.
Now that you know what goes on behind the scenes, you might experience Candlelight differently: as a concert that begins long before the instruments are tuned. It’s not just candles; it’s a production put together with care and affection from the very beginning.