Honolulu City Lights starts this month with the lighting ceremony of a 55-foot tree in front of Honolulu Hale on Saturday, Nov. 29. The City and County of Honolulu, in partnership with the Friends of Honolulu City Lights and Show Aloha Land, will illuminate displays at the Frank F. Fasi Civic Grounds and Thomas Square Park.
Opening Night activities start at 4 p.m. with a block party along Punchbowl Street. At 6:15 p.m., the Public Workers’ Electric Light Parade will leave ʻAʻala Park and head down South King Street, passing Honolulu Hale. The tree lighting ceremony starts at 6 p.m. and will be followed by live entertainment behind Mission Memorial Auditorium. These events are free and open to the public.
Shaka Santa and Tūtū Mele will make an appearance at the civic grounds. Thomas Square Park will include keiki train rides, craft and food vendors and a chance to meet Santa, as well as light tunnels and illuminated trees.
This year, the theme is “Navigating by the Stars,” which honors the 50th anniversary of the creation of Hōkūleʻa, which recently relaunched its Moananuiākea Voyage that consists of 43,000 nautical miles and is a nearly four-year circumnavigation of the Pacific.
The Honolulu City Lights displays and festivities run through December. Inside Honolulu Hale, the City Department Holiday Tree Exhibition will return with each department decorating a tree that represents their work. The City Department Holiday Tree Exhibition closes Dec. 26. The outdoor displays power down Monday, Dec. 29.
The public can also create wreath submissions for display inside the Lane Gallery of Honolulu Hale. These wreaths will be on display from Nov. 29 through Dec. 31. There are cash prizes for first-place, second-place and third-place winners. There will also be Judges’ Choice awards. Entries must be submitted between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 17.
Katie Helland can be reached at katie@alohastatedaily.com.
