Festival of Lights tops list of nation’s worthy holiday sites

The Society of American Travel Writers ranked Kaua‘i’s Festival of Lights among “The Top 10 Lesser-Known (But Just as Bright!) Holiday Lights” in the country.

The Festival of Lights came in at the top of SATW’s list, ahead of light displays “you may not have heard of, but that are definitely worth a visit” in Kansas City, Mo., Charlotte, N.C., St. Augustine, Fla., Newport Beach, Calif., Cleveland, Ohio, Albuquerque, N.M., Great Smoky Mountains, Tenn., Louisville, Ky. and Pine Mountain, Ga.

This year marks the 16th Annual Festival of Lights at Kaua‘i’s Historic County Building in Lihu‘e. In addition to hundreds of thousands of lights outside, the event features decorations inside made from recycled materials — including SPAM cans, plastic bottles and toothpicks — as well as Christmas folk art created by the late Auntie Josie Chansky.

Upon hearing the news that the Festival of Lights topped SATW’s list, Founder Elizabeth Freeman excitedly shouted, “Oh my gosh!”

Freeman acquired Chansky’s Christmas collection in 1996 and has since displayed her decorations — including a tree made of 7,500 green toothpicks and wreaths created from egg cartons — at the county building, adding her own creations each year.

“It’s really remarkable,” Freeman said of the display. “The inside looks like a parade.”

The 2012 Festival of Lights kicked of Dec. 7 and continues through Sunday. The display is free and open to the public from 6 to 8 p.m.

Freeman said there will be a special opening of the Festival of Lights Dec. 28 for families that did not make it to the island in time.

“Santa will be back in the North Pole, but people are welcome to sit in his sleigh,” she said.

For more information visit www.kauaifestivaloflights.com.

To view SATW’s “Top 10 Lesser-Known (But Just as Bright) Holiday Lights in the U.S.” list visit www.satw.org.