Disneyland’s Candlelight Processional Gets ‘Black Panther’ Narrator

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Sleeping Beauty Castle Christmas

Credit: Disney

‘Tis the season to be jolly — and we have some very magical news for this year’s holiday season.

Usually kept a surprise until the last moment, we have the name of the big star narrating this year’s return of the Disneyland Candlelight Processional.

After taking a break during the pandemic, Disney’s adored holiday tradition is returning to Disneyland’s Town Square on December 4 and December 5 with a Disney star narrating the Christmas story.

Candlelight Processional Disneyland
Credit: D23

Disneyland was unfortunately not able to have the Candlelight Processional — or any Christmas events — last year as both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure were completely shut down due to the pandemic. This year, however, the Christmas magic is well and truly back in the Parks.

The Disneyland Candlelight Ceremony tradition dates back all the way to 1958 when Walt Disney himself wanted a way to show his gratitude to the Orange County community.

Each year, the Christmas story is beautifully brought to life by singers including Disney employees and members of local community choirs performing alongside a live orchestra and fanfare trumpeters.

Candlelight Processional Disneyland
Credit: Disney

Past Candlelight Processionals have seen Hamilton creator Lin Manuel Miranda, Thor star Chris Hemsworth, Guardians of the Galaxy actor Chris Pratt, James Earl Jones, Geena Davis, and Disney legend Dick Van Dyke narrating the nostalgic event.

If you want the narrator’s identity to be a surprise on December 4, do not read ahead.

The name of the Disney celebrity is usually kept a secret until the beginning of Candlelight in the theme park, as a surprise to the community Guests and VIP visitors invited to the holiday performance.

christmas on main street at disneyland
Credit: Disney

According to the OC Register, Frozen 2 (2019) voice actor Sterling K. Brown will be narrating this year’s performances of Candlelight Processional at Disneyland on both Saturday, December 4 and Sunday, December 5.

The Emmy Award-winning actor is famous for his role as Randall in NBC’s This Is Us, N’Jobu in Marvel Studios’ Black Panther (2018), and Mattias in Disney’s Frozen 2. He can also be heard narrating the Disney+ documentary series One Day at Disney.

This year’s Candlelight Processional will be held at 5:30 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. both nights and will feature a procession of hundreds of choir members along Main Street U.S.A 10 minutes before the start of the performance.

sterling k brown Black Panther<br /> Sterling K. Brown as N’Jobu and in b/g young Zuri played by Denzel Whitaker<br />
Credit: Marvel Studios

According to OC Register, the news of Sterling K. Brown’s appearance at Candlelight was leaked by choir members excited to hear who would be narrating the return of the holiday Park tradition.

If you’d like to enjoy the Christmas story’s retelling, limited standing-room-only standby viewing areas are available near City Hall, the Opera House, and behind the seating sections in Town Square on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Candlelight Processional features multiple choir groups on stage in front of Disneyland’s train station, performing to invited community members, civic leaders, and VIPs who fill a seating area in Disneyland’s Town Square.

frozen 2 anna mattias
Credit: Disney

Walt Disney World Guests have enjoyed the annual Candlelight Processional since 1971, initially at Magic Kingdom Park and then since 1994 at EPCOT. The holiday production will once again grace the America Gardens Theatre with a live orchestra, cast choir, and celebrity narrators retelling the traditional Christmas story in spectacular and heartwarming fashion.

Narrators over at Walt Disney World include Jodi Benson, Chita Rivera, and Moana (2016) voice actor Auli’i Cravalho.

Will you be trying to catch a glimpse of Candlelight this weekend? What do you think of this year’s narrator?

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