By Staff Reports
(Honolulu)– The lights are all but strung, the final decorations being hung as we are just two days away from the opening night of Kapolei City Lights celebrated with a block party & holiday parade!
The block party is scheduled from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. around the intersection of Ulu‘ōhi‘a and Ala Kahawai streets fronting Kapolei Hale. It will feature a wide variety of food trucks and local vendors, along with live entertainment hosted by City Councilmember Augusto Tulba, aka Augie T. Livening up the block party’s main stage, he will be joined by a variety of VIPs and live music:
🎤 5 p.m. = Performance by Jah Li‘i
🎼 5:45 p.m. = Teanu Music
🚗 6 p.m. = Kapolei City Lights Parade Begins
🎧 6:30 p.m. = Music from B.E.T. (Big Every Time)
🎄 7:30 p.m. = Mayor Blangiardi’s Tree Lighting Ceremony
🎹 7:45 p.m. = Melodies by Chardonnay
“It’s such a pleasure to be a part of Kapolei City Lights as it returns in full force to spread holiday cheer to our Leeward communities,” said Councilmember Tulba. “Looking at the lineup for the block party, it’s going to be an amazing time. Rain or shine I’ll be there helping to emcee the opening night, keeping the block party fun and entertaining for the entire family. I hope you can make it down to Kapolei Hale!”
The holiday parade will launch at 6 p.m. from Kapolei High School, progress down Kapolei Parkway, then finish at Kealakapu Street.
As a result of this nighttime event, several thoroughfares around the block party and parade route will be closed, with traffic detoured, to allow for preparations and safe public enjoyment of the holiday parade. Those include:
- Fort Barrette Road (between Roosevelt Avenue and Kapolei Parkway) 2 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
- Ulu‘ōhi‘a Street (between Kama‘aha Avenue and Haumea Street) 3 p.m. – 9 p.m.
- Kamaaha Avenue (between Kapolei Parkway and Alohikea Street) 3 p.m. – 9 p.m.
- Ala Kahawai Street (between Ulu‘ōhi‘a Street and Alohikea Street) 3 p.m. – 9 p.m.
- Kapolei Parkway (between Fort Barrette Road and Kealakupu Street) 4:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Additional street parking restrictions will be in effect for several areas surrounding the block party and parade route, including on Alohikea Street from Haumea to Kapolei Parkway 1 p.m. – 11 p.m.. The public is strongly advised to carpool and avoid the road closure areas as much as possible.
For all of the environmentally-minded, good Samaritans in the community, the City will be hosting a volunteer cleanup around Kapolei Hale on Sunday, Dec. 11 from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Mahalo to our partners in the Department of Facility Maintenance, and all of the volunteers, for their support.
Following the opening night festivities, the interior and exterior of Kapolei Hale will be open to the public to experience the various under-the-sea themed decorations until Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. The ornaments outside of the hale will be illuminated nightly until 11 p.m., with the inside of Kapolei Hale open to the public under the following schedule:
- Weekdays (Monday – Friday, excluding holidays), 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Sundays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Since the inaugural celebration in 2001, Kapolei City Lights has been spreading holiday cheer to this ever-growing Leeward O‘ahu community as a complement to Honolulu City Lights.
If you need an auxiliary aid/service, other accommodations due to a disability, or an interpreter for a language other than English in reference to this announcement, please contact the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation at (808) 768-3003 on weekdays from 7:45 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. or email parks@honolulu.gov