WESTFIELD – The New Jersey Festival Orchestra (NJFO) invites audiences to discover a new kind of live music experience this summer with Stranger Things: The 1,000 Candles Concert Experience. Illuminated by the glow of 1,000 candles, this immersive production combines the intimacy of a live string ensemble with the nostalgia of iconic pop and rock music in a setting unlike any other.
Inspired by the 1980s backdrop of the hit Netflix series Stranger Things, the program is performed by a live string ensemble and narrated by Maestro David Wroe. Alongside memorable themes from the series, audiences will hear beloved classics spanning the 70s, 80s, and 90s, including Africa, Every Breath You Take, California Dreamin’, Should I Stay or Should I Go, Who Wants to Live Forever, Material Girl, Heroes, Runaway, Running Up That Hill, and many more.
Reimagined for strings and presented beneath the warm glow of hundreds of candles, these timeless songs take on a new dimension, transforming familiar favorites into an immersive musical journey filled with nostalgia, suspense, and cinematic storytelling.
‘The audience will be full of adults ‘who remember where they were’ when these classics were released, but also young people ‘bopping their heads’ to these songs, beloved by them also through watching the Netflix series,” said Maestro David Wroe. It’s an experience for the whole family.’
Marking one of NJFO’s most innovative presentations to date, Stranger Things: The 1,000 Candles Concert Experience expands the orchestra’s programming with an event designed to welcome both longtime concertgoers and first-time audiences. Perfect for date nights, family outings, and summer evenings with friends, the concert offers a fresh way to experience live music in an intimate candlelit setting.
To encourage younger audiences to experience live performance, NJFO is offering $25 student tickets for patrons ages 21 and under.
The concert will be presented in three performances: Saturday, July 25, 2026 at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.; The Presbyterian Church Chapel, 140 Mountain Avenue, Westfield.
Sunday, July 26, 2026 at 2:30 p.m., Sieminski Theater, 8000 Fellowship Road, Basking Ridge.
For tickets and additional information, visit www.njfestivalorchestra.org or call (908) 232-9400.
