City crews began installing decorations on the Frank F. Fasi Civic Center Grounds on Monday, kicking off preparations for the 42nd annual Honolulu City Lights, which opens downtown on December 5 with a new lighted tunnel, illuminated trees and train rides for keiki. This year’s theme, Christmas in the Country, swaps the usual tropical Santa imagery for Hawaiian paniolo flair, and the display will stretch beyond Honolulu Hale into festive setups along Alapaʻi and Beretania streets.
The early start to setup traces back to the return of event producer Mike Gangloff and Show Aloha Land to the Fasi grounds, according to the Office of the Mayor, which says the team is adding 250 feet of lighted tunnels and 50 illuminated trees to the grounds this year. As reported by Hawaii News Now, crews are preparing the Honolulu Hale displays while the new train ride and lighted tunnel take shape nearby.
A Theme Rooted in Paniolo Tradition
The Christmas in the Country theme complements Kapolei City Lights’ own 2026 theme, Paniolo Nights & Holiday Lights, set to open November 28. The city’s Department of Parks and Recreation sponsors Kapolei City Lights.
Longtime fixtures of the Honolulu display aren’t going anywhere amid the new paniolo touches. The 21-foot, two-ton Shaka Santa sculpture — designed by Owen Ho and crafted by Kurt Nelson back in 1989 — will again perch above the Honolulu Hale fountain, joined by Tūtū Mele, the Snow Family gnomes and the giant ABC blocks that have anchored the display since the early 1990s, according to the nonprofit Friends of Honolulu City Lights.
From a Single Tree to a Monthlong Tradition
Honolulu City Lights traces back to December 12, 1985, when Mayor Frank F. Fasi unveiled a 50-foot Norfolk Pine decorated with wooden white doves and gold balls; the festival officially adopted its current name in 1987. The event’s history is documented by the same Friends of Honolulu City Lights nonprofit, which was established in 1991 to raise funds and help keep the celebration free. The Public Workers’ Electric Light Parade was added in 1990, featuring decorated city work vehicles and high school marching bands…