Bells will be ringing and music will fill the air as the City and County of Honolulu and Friends of Honolulu City Lights continue their Christmas tradition at Honolulu Hale with the 19th annual Honolulu City Lights, opening at 4 p.m. tomorrow, with the official tree-lighting ceremony taking place at 6 p.m.
CORRECTION
Friday, Dec. 5, 2003>> To accommodate traffic for Honolulu City Lights festivities and other events tonight, Bishop Street will become two-way between Beretania and Hotel streets. Also, Bethel Street will become two-way between King and Hotel streets, and traffic controls will be in place to allow Nuuanu Avenue and Alakea Street traffic to cross King Street at intervals during the parade. This information updates a story that ran on Page 9 of yesterday's Weekend section.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at fbridgewater@starbulletin.com.This year's "Jingle all the Way" theme is reflected in the design of the City's 65-foot "Mele Tree" decked with 130 jingle bells and 400 musical ornaments, as well as through the employee-decorated trees and public wreath contest exhibits inside City Hall.
Festivities begin at 4 p.m., with the Tree Lighting Ceremony taking place at 6 p.m. Ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro will be there to perform a special rendition of "Honolulu City Lights."
At 6:30 p.m., all of downtown will illuminate simultaneously as Mayor Jeremy Harris lights up the city's Norfolk Island pine.
Then, if traffic lights cooperate, the Public Workers Electric Light Parade, co-sponsored by Hawaiian Electric Co., will pass in front of Honolulu Hale at the moment the mayor lights the Christmas tree. The parade leaves Aala Park at 6 p.m., going down King Street to Honolulu Hale.
Here is tomorrow's schedule of events:
4 p.m.: Afternoon concert at Sky Gate accommodates early arrivals wanting to avoid traffic.
5 p.m.: Kawaiahao Church Service
6 p.m.: Electric Light Parade with more than 35 decorated floats starts down King Street from Aala Park to Honolulu Hale. About 30 units and 15 school marching bands are expected to participate with special appearances by Kikaida, and characters from Star Wars.
6:30 p.m.: Tree Lighting Ceremony outdoors at Honolulu Hale with opening of Christmas tree and wreath displays in the courtyard.
7:30 p.m.: Holiday concert at Sky Gate featuring Jordan Segundo, Five by 5 with Simplisity, Hapa, and Henry Kapono.
7:30 to 9 p.m.: Keiki get to meet Santa on the Diamond Head side of the small red brick building facing King Street. Fuji Films Hawaii will be taking free photos. Disposable cameras available for purchase.
Food and beverages, commemorative ornaments and event T-shirts will be available for purchase throughout the evening.
And in case you suffer from crowd phobia or miss the event, the Honolulu City Lights festivities will be cablecast live beginning at 6 p.m. on Olelo Channel 54. Rebroadcasts will air on Channel 55 at 8 p.m. Christmas Eve, 6 p.m. Christmas Day, 1 p.m. Dec. 26, and 10 a.m. Dec. 27.
The celebration continues nightly through Jan. 4, 2004. The City's Employees' Christmas Tree Exhibit and Holiday Wreath Display inside Honolulu Hale may be viewed from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, including holiday and weekends.
Holiday entertainment and choir performances will also be presented nightly in the Honolulu Hale Courtyard. Santa will visit the courtyard most evenings after the concert until Christmas Eve. Call the Mayor's Culture and Arts Hotline at 527-5666 for details.
Admission is free for the city festivities, but all are encouraged to bring a new toy to the Marine Corps Reserves' "Toys for Tots" donation box, which is part of Santa's new sleigh in the Honolulu Hale courtyard. The "Toys for Tots" Drive continues through Dec. 17.
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Arrive early to avoid traffic jams
Although opening-night ceremonies for Honolulu City Lights begin at 6 p.m., plan to arrive early to avoid traffic jams that begin as early as 4:30 p.m.
for Honolulu City Lights
To accommodate early arrivals, KCCN FM-100 and Honolulu Star-Bulletin/Midweek have arranged for entertainment from 4 to 5 p.m. at Sky Gate. Food booths will also be open from 3 p.m. and there will be a keiki train and swing rides. Early arrivals can also attend a special holiday service at 5 p.m. across the street at Kawaiahao Church.
Honolulu City Lights
Opening dayWhere: Honolulu Hale
Time: 4 p.m. tomorrow, with 6 p.m. tree lighting
Admission: Free
Call: 523-CITY (2489)
Parking note: Show up early to avoid traffic. Park at the Civic Center parking lot at the corner of Beretania and Alapai; Kalanimoku Parking Structure, next to the Civic Center on Beretania; or look for $2 all-day parking at the following locations: 1132 Bishop St., 1000 Bishop St.; Bank of Hawaii; Macy's (entrance on Bethel); Topa Tower (entrance off Nimitz Highway) and Pioneer Plaza (enter from Merchant).
Be aware of street closures throughout the Downtown and Chinatown areas beginning as early as 11 a.m. tomorrow, when set-up for the festivities and Honolulu City Lights Public Workers Electric Light Parade begins. The parade starts at 6 p.m. from Aala Park down King Street, arriving around 6:30 p.m. at Honolulu Hale.
Revelers should arrive well before 5 p.m., although traffic controls will be in place to allow access to parking at Marks Garage, Macy's and the Chinatown Gateway parking lots from Beretania Street for those attending the Jim Nabors' Christmas Concert at Hawaii Theatre or having dinner in the area. Parking will also be available in the Smith Beretania Park garage.
Bus stops on King Street will be temporary relocated to Hotel Street. See posted signs at TheBus stops for relocation information.
Details on all street closures and parking restrictions are as follows.
Parade route
>> 6 p.m.: The parade proceeds east on North King Street beginning at River Street and ending at a closed area on South King between Punchbowl and Alapai Street.
Street closures
>> 11 a.m.: King Street, mauka lane closest to Honolulu Hale: Several platforms will take up the space. Coning of the affected lane will be in effect.>> 3 p.m.: Barricades will be placed on both sides of King Street from Richards to Alapai/South streets.
>> 3:30 p.m.: Curb lanes on North King Street between Beretania and River streets, and Iwilei Road from Kuwili to King Street will be closed for parade staging.
>> 4:30 p.m.: Punchbowl Street closed between Beretania and King streets.
>> 5 p.m.: North King Street, from Liliha to River streets closed, east-bound King Street traffic detoured to Liliha Street and Dillingham Boulevard.
>> 5:05 p.m.: King Street between Punchbowl and Alapai/South streets closed.
>> 5:30 p.m.-- Richards, Alakea, Bishop and River streets mauka of King street along the parade route will begin to be closed at Beretania. Makai-bound traffic on Maunakea will be detoured to Pauahi Street. Makai-bound traffic on Nuuanu Avenue will be detoured on to Hotel and mauka on Bethel. Bethel will become two-way between Pauahi and Hotel. Pauahi will be closed west of Maunakea and east of Bethel. Kekaulike, Maunakea, Smith and Nuuanu makai of King Street will be closed at Nimitz Highway. Bethel will be closed at Merchant. Alakea and Mililani streets will be closed at Queen Street.
>> 6 p.m.: King Street from Beretania to Alapai/South streets, closed until 8 p.m.
Parking prohibited
No parking (cars will be towed) from 1 p.m. to midnight tomorrow as follows:>> Punchbowl Street: Beretania to King, both sides. Also, King to Queen, ewa side.
>> King Street: Both sides, River to South streets, and Kawaiahao to South, makai side.
>> Kawaiahao Street: Closest to King Street, parking meters on Ewa and Koko Head sides.
No parking (cars will be towed) from 1 to 8 p.m. tomorrow as follows:
>> Beretania Street: Both sides, River to N. King.
>> River Street: Both sides, N. Beretania to Hotel.
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‘Bear Band’ is this year’s ornament
Add city ornament to your collection.For the fourth consecutive year, the Friends of Honolulu City Lights have created a signature ornament to benefit the popular monthlong holiday program that opens tomorrow.
Called "The Bear Band," the 2003 ornament features the whimsical centurion bears that play instruments around the singing Christmas tree in front of Honolulu Hale each holiday season.
The ornaments can be purchased at all Macy's stores on Oahu, Borders Books Music & Cafe at Ward Centre and Waikele, and at the City Store in Ala Moana Center.
To purchase any of the 2000-03 ornaments on line, go to honolulucitylights.org.
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