In Grand Rapids, where Halloween is celebrated with spirited community events and historic haunts, it’s never too early to plan your festivities. Experience the city’s love for all things spooky at Candlelight Halloween, where live music and glowing venues capture the magic of this cherished holiday. Join your neighbors in making this Halloween another unforgettable chapter in Grand Rapids’ festive tradition.
Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics
The synthesizer pulse that opens Stranger Things immediately transports listeners to Hawkins’ supernatural mysteries, proving that electronic music can be just as terrifying as any orchestral score. This modern classic pairs with Herrmann’s Psycho Prelude and Oldfield’s Tubular Bells for a blood-curdling exploration of how different technologies create fear.
The string quartet transforms electronic terror into acoustic intimacy. The Stranger Things theme gains organic warmth through the harmonic bridge of viola while Herrmann’s stabbing strings become even more visceral. Tubular Bells’ hypnotic repetition builds through all four instruments, creating layers of tension that make the wavering light seem to pulse with supernatural energy.
Candlelight Halloween at the Wealthy Theatre
The historic Wealthy Theatre in Grand Rapids is transformed by the gentle glow of thousands of candles, casting flickering shadows across its ornate architecture and creating an atmosphere that is both enchanting and just a touch eerie. Arriving 30-45 minutes before the 60-minute concert allows audiences to be fully enveloped in this unique ambiance, heightening every note played by the string quartet.
As the music begins, the candlelight brings a new dimension to haunting classics like Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns, Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky, and Der Erlkönig by Franz Schubert. The interplay of music and shimmering light makes this one of the most popular Halloween experiences in the city—plan ahead or risk missing out on a truly magical night.
There are two performances scheduled, at 6:00 pm and 8:45 pm and the concert typically lasts 60 minutes. Doors will open 45 minutes prior to the start time, giving you plenty of time to snap a few pictures of the stunning location and find your seats.