Don’t miss the holiday cheer: 2024 Downtown Hilo Christmas Lights Parade is tonight

City sidewalks will be busy sidewalks and they’ll definitely be decked in holiday style tonight as the holidays officially arrive in Hilo with the 2024 Downtown Hilo Christmas Lights Parade marching through town.

Between 6,000 and 7,000 people can be expected to turn out for the annual East Hawai‘i Lions Clubs event that baths downtown Hilo in the familiar hues of Christmas lights as floats make their way along the parade route.

This year’s holiday extravaganza starts at the usual 6 p.m.

There are 69 entries in the 2024 parade that will include bands, community organizations and other participants.

Even the man in red, Santa Claus himself, will likely make an appearance despite his busy workshop schedule.

Man, that guy has to be quick on his feet — and in his sleigh with those 8 tiny reindeer and the one with the red nose — to get to Hilo and all the other parades he’s in every year and back to make sure all his work is finished before Christmas Eve night!

This year’s theme is “Christmas Around the World, May it be Merry and Light.”

“We are excited to see how this year’s participants show their Christmas spirit from places around the world,” said Nate Tajon, the parade’s new coordinator.

Tajon took over coordinator duties after Jeff Dansdill, who had the position for the first 2 years, moved away.

Organizers also are keeping with the tradition of having parade-goers vote for their favorite entries.

“This year, there will be added categories that will add more fun and whimsy to the voting and will give more chances for the participants to get recognized,” said Tajon.

The categories are:

• Kaiaulu Award: “Peopleʻs Choice” award.
• Menehune Magic Award: Best entry featuring children.
• Holiday Mele Award: Entry with the best musical performance.
• Festive Trooper Award: Best marching or walking entry.
• Shakakalikimaka Award: Entry with most spirited participants.
• Winter Buggy Award: Best display on wheels.
• Fruitcake Award: Entry with most humorous display.

It will also be easier for those watching the parade to vote for their favorites.

Hilo High School Leo Club members marching in the parade with QR codes that will take viewers directly to the parade website on their smartphones to vote during the parade.

The parade also returns to its original route this year after having to switch things up last year because of Keawe Street renovations.

Participants will be staged at an area behind the Bayfront Texaco on Piopio Street and march out, turning left onto Pauahi Street heading toward Kīlauea Avenue. They then will turn right at Longs Drugs and continue through Keawee Street, turning right at Waiānuenue Avenue.

Getting back onto Kamehameha Avenue, they will finish by marching back to the starting point.

The parade route will be closed from 5:30 to 9 p.m. or sooner, if the parade ends earlier, and there will be no parking on part of Keawe Street and along Waiānuenue Avenue between Keawe Street and Kamehameha Avenue.

Kamehameha Avenue from Pauahi Street to Manono Street was closed at 4:30 p.m. for parade staging.

Ali Akamine, a member of the Akaka Falls Lions Club and the 2023 Downtown Hilo Christmas Light Parade committee, recalled last year while discussing parade plans that she used to watch the event in front of her mother’s office on Keawe Street in the 1960s and ’70s.

She said it’s always been a magical experience.

“We share holiday cheer with our community and bring people together for a couple of hours to share this community event, and hopefully get some candy,” said Akamine in November 2023. “The parade is a fun event, bringing joy to people during this time of year. The lights always make it special, but what makes it more fulfilling is seeing all the smiles along the parade route.”

Find more information at the 2024 Downtown Hilo Christmas Lights Parade website.

The Hilo parade kicks off the Christmas parade season on the Big Island. Here are the dates and times for the other upcoming parades:

• 31st annual Pāhoa Holiday Parade: 9 a.m. Dec 7 on Main Street.
• 64th annual Waimea Twilight Christmas Parade: 6 p.m. Dec. 7.
• 21st annual Keaʻau Lighted Christmas Parade: 6 p.m. Dec. 14.
• 40th annual Kailua-Kona Community Christmas Parade: 5 p.m. Dec. 14.
• 2nd annual Pāhala Lighted Christmas Parade: 6 p.m. Dec. 14.

While it won’t be marching, the 9th annual Lighted Boat Parade is also part of the Christmas parade mix. It starts at 6 p.m. Dec. 8 in Kailua Bay in Kailua-Kona.

2nd annual Christmas by the Bay

The 2024 Downtown Hilo Christmas Lights Parade isn’t the only holiday show in town today.

Be sure to check out the 2nd annual Christmas by the Bay at Mo’oheau Park, located at 369 Kamehameha Ave., in downtown Hilo, hosted by the Hilo Downtown Improvement Association.

The event goes until 8 p.m., featuring a festive Christmas village with delicious food trucks, unique craft vendors and live entertainment. Santa and some of his elves are also there, before the jolly old elf has to go for the parade.

So bring the family and your friends for a magical evening full of fun and holiday cheer.