The annual Waimea Christmas Parade will begin at 6 p.m. on Saturday. Held since 1995, over 50 floats created by families, churches and businesses will participate this year. Entertainment following the parade will be held at Hofgaard Park. The event
The annual Waimea Christmas Parade will begin at 6 p.m. on Saturday. Held since 1995, over 50 floats created by families, churches and businesses will participate this year.
Entertainment following the parade will be held at Hofgaard Park. The event is free. Visitors are welcome to join in this colorful community event and come early to the Waimea businesses and eateries before the parade begins.
The parade will start at the intersection of Waimea Canyon Drive and Kaumualii Highway and will last from 6 p.m. until just before 7 p.m. Traffic will be held up significantly and if travel is necessary through the area, it should be done well before the start and finish of the parade.
It’s recommended that visitors come early to Waimea, even at lunchtime and visit the parks, walk around the town and have an early dinner. There are a lot of people traveling to Waimea to attend the parade with numbers in the thousands.
No street parking will be allowed along the parade route on Kaumualii Highway and Waimea Road during the parade and expect the roads to be closed near the parade route between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Plenty of parking will be available at the Russian Fort and along the side streets within a block or two of the parade. The floats and parade line can be viewed all the way from Waimea Sugar Mill to the Kekaha/Waimea bridge.
• Parade route — the parade route will travel along Kaumualii Highway from Waimea Canyon Drive to Ala Wai Road next to the bridge. The parade ends on Waimea Road at Hofgaard Park. Parade review stands can be found at Waimea Public Library and at the stage next to First Hawaiian Bank.
• Entertainment — Before the parade, singers from the Waimea Senior Center will perform at 5 p.m. at the Hofgaard Park stage in front of First Hawaiian Bank. After the parade, town merchants will provide everyone with light refreshments. At 7:30 p.m., Sean Na‘auao, a Na Hoku Hanohano Award winner, will perform.
• Town lights — Walk around Waimea town and witness the light displays of homes and businesses which first started to go up the day after Thanksgiving and will continue to be created right up to the parade start. For those not attending the parade, many of the businesses will keep their Christmas decorations and lights blazing through New Year’s Eve.
• Yes, it gets cold — even though visitors will be spending the sunny day at the parks and enjoying the warm weather of the day, a cool dip in temperature will arrive with nightfall. Plan on bringing something to stay comfortable.
