For many in East Hawaii, the holiday season begins Saturday evening with the 2024 Downtown Hilo Christmas Lights Parade.

The streets come alive with twinkling lights and the community has a chance to recover from the overindulgence of Thanksgiving and the bumps and bruises of competitive Black Friday shopping.

This year’s theme is “Christmas around the world, may it be merry and bright.”

The parade, which begins at 6 p.m., will be the 37th edition since the event was paused during the novel coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

Organizers of the parade, in its third year, are the East Hawaii Lions Clubs – which include the Akaka Falls Lions, Hilo Crescent City Lions and Leos, Hilo Lions, Hilo Hawaii Lions Unlimited and Waiakea Lions and Leos.

“The committee began meeting in March,” said Nate Tajon, president of the Hilo Crescent City Lions Club. “The planning became more intensive in June or July, then we went full throttle, all approvals came in around October. It’s a lot of work from a lot of people and a lot of support from our sponsors.

“We are excited to bring joy and holiday cheer to our Hilo community.”

Major sponsors include Ken’s House of Pancakes, Young Brothers and MPI Security.

“We are grateful to the businesses and individuals who donated to the parade. We appreciate every donation, big or small,” said Tajon. “Every dollar donated will fund this year’s parade and the 2025 Downtown Hilo Christmas Lights Parade.”

The parade will feature marching bands, dignitaries and beauty queens in convertibles, floats and vehicles decorated with holiday regalia, trucks from the Hawaii Fire Department and the Army’s Pohakuloa Training Area Fire Department, and the Hawaiian Electric Company’s Big Ben Toys for Tots train – 69 units everything, including a very special cavalry unit.

“It will be a Santa Claus on horseback, a kind of paniolo Santa Claus,” Tajon said. “Santa used to sit on the fire truck, but we felt this was more personal.”

In addition to the HECO train, other new additions this year include: Suisan; Pacific Gymnastics fins; Sunbelt Rentals and SR Service Rentals.

The community has enjoyed the return of the parade for the past two years. Thousands lined the streets of downtown Hilo, including keiki hoping to snag a special treat or two donated by parade participants.

“We have a float, the East Hawaii Lions Leo Clubs, that will be handing out candy for the keiki,” Tajon said. “If any of the other floats want this, we would welcome it, but we want to make sure the candies are sealed.”

There will also be awards for creative parade entries.

“We put together some fun categories so parade viewers can vote for more of their favorite parade entries,” Tajon said.

The new categories are: Kaiaulu Award: the People’s Choice Award; Menehune Magic Award: the best contribution with children; Holiday Mele Award: the entry with the best musical performance; Festive Trooper Award: the best marching or walking entry; Shakakalikimaka Prize: the entry with the most “spirited” participants; Winter Buggy Award: the best presentation on wheels; and Fruitcake Award: the entry with the most unique humorous performance.

The show must go on, meaning the parade will take place rain or shine, except in the unlikely event of a thunderstorm.

Kamehameha Avenue from Pauahi Street to the old Iron Works building will be closed at 4:30 p.m. to allow parade participants to safely assemble and line up on Piopio Street.

The parade begins at Piopio Street, then turns left onto Pauahi Street, then right onto Kilauea Avenue and continues onto Keawe Street, then right onto Waianuenue Avenue and finally right onto Kamehameha Avenue. The procession ends on Bishop Street at the statue of Kamehameha the Great.

The parade route is closed from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., or earlier if the parade ends earlier.

It promises to be a festive evening filled with lights, music and the aloha spirit of community.

With nostalgia growing, Tajon said the East Hawaii Lions are proud to ring in Christmas in one of the most beautiful places in the world.

“As far as I can remember, there has always been a parade, and I remember seeing it as a little kid,” he said. “It is one of downtown Hilo’s most iconic and proud traditions.”

Email John Burnett at [email protected].