While people have sung carols at Christmas time for hundreds of years, their popularity seems to be as strong as ever, with thousands of people filling Rosalind Park for the 46^th annual Carols by Candlelight.

Glenn Reilly, president of the Rotary Club of Bendigo which hosted the event, said the enduring popularity of the carols could be put down to the new generations of children coming through and discovering their magic.

Mr Reilly said Christmas carols were also timeless, given “everyone loves Christmas”.

The night began with a barbecue and entertainment from the City of Greater Bendigo Brass Band and Alawishus Jones and the Outright Lies.

The community carols followed, led on stage by groups including the Bendigo Youth Performing Choir, the AF Singers, Axedale Primary School, Bendigo Youth Choir Reserves and the Bendigo Senior Secondary College Singing Ensemble.

Jennifer Schatzle, Cheryl Long, Geordie Scarce, Pamela Jackson, Jennifer Gogolin and Peter Butler were among the other talents that brought the carols to life.

The songbook featured a range of traditional and more modern carols, including Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, O Come All Ye Faithful, Silent Night, and Joy to the World, among others.

The arrival of Santa Claus, much anticipated by some of the younger attendees, was heralded by a medley of Jingle Bells and Here Comes Santa Claus.

The event was rounded out with a performance of We Wish You A Merry Christmas, a fitting end to a festive evening.

But it was not all about the music, with kids entertaining the crowd in between performances with some of their best Christmas jokes, and prizes on offer for attendees.

Attendees at last night’s Carols by Candlelight enjoyed an expanded program of entertainment this year.

Rotary Club of Bendigo president Glenn Reilly said a decision had been made to start the event an hour earlier than previous years to include some more local talent.

“The great focus of carols is on local talent, and that’s where we’re so fortunate in Bendigo,” Mr Reilly said.

The two acts included in the expanded program were Alawishus Jones and the Outright Lies and the City of Greater Bendigo Brass Band, who entertained the crowd and built up a festive atmosphere before the carol singing got under way.

The brass band brought out the big guns early, with one of the most famous Christmas songs of them all, Jingle Bells, among their tunes.

Alawishus Jones and the Outright Lies lent a nostalgic feel to the night with their blues-flavoured renditions of such classics as White Christmas and Baby It’s Cold Outside.