LIHU‘E — While many people were engrossed in the shopping madness which accompanies Thanksgiving, Kaua‘i Fire Department fire fighters worked to install holiday lights in the part of the historic County Building, Friday. Work for the annual display of holiday
LIHU‘E — While many people were engrossed in the shopping madness which accompanies Thanksgiving, Kaua‘i Fire Department fire fighters worked to install holiday lights in the part of the historic County Building, Friday.
Work for the annual display of holiday lights, both inside and outside the historic County Building started Monday under the direction of Elizabeth Freeman, chair of the Festival of Lights, and Manu Tevita, the park logistics coordinator.
The holiday light display will be available for viewing nightly from Dec. 7, the official lighting ceremony date, through at least Dec. 24, Christmas Eve, states the Festival of Lights website.
Joining the outdoor display, the Festival of Lights committee will decorate the inside lobby area with holiday lighting displays, including many of the pieces owned by the late Josie Chansky.
A holiday tree, “If Can, Can,” featuring ornaments created out of different-colored discarded aluminum beverage containers will anchor the interior display which will be open on weekends from Dec. 7 through Dec. 24 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Freeman said this year’s work received help from Ace Hardware, one of the Festival of Lights sponsors, in coordinating the lights.
“It’s been a big problem in the past to get the quantity of specific colored lights for the huge trees in the park,” Freeman said in an email. “Ace Hardware worked with us and really helped us out getting the lights at a great price.”
During the initial phases of installation, the Festival of Lights received help from Keith Ruiz of Oceanic Time Warner Cable, Bobby Thompson of Hawaiian Telcom and Curran Chang of the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative.
The Genies being utilized for the work are from Service Rentals who donated a pair and one from Toolmaster.
“We’ve still got some time,” Tevita said, following the securing of the triangular display to the historic County Building’s pediment. “We have several more trees for the fire department to complete on Monday. Following that, they hook up everything in preparation for working with the county’s electricians for final testing before Dec. 7.”
Visit www.kauaifestivaloflights.com for more information.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
