LIHUE — Junko and Steve Hara of Los Angeles knew something was up when they stopped by the Historic County Building Tuesday afternoon. “We got in Sunday and saw the lights on Monday,” Junko said. “I kept telling Steve something
LIHUE — Junko and Steve Hara of Los Angeles knew something was up when they stopped by the Historic County Building Tuesday afternoon.
“We got in Sunday and saw the lights on Monday,” Junko said. “I kept telling Steve something was up. Today, we saw the lights on the inside of the building and just had to see what was going on. It’s lucky that we did because we leave Kauai Wednesday.”
The Festival of Lights is open to the public on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through Christmas Eve from 6 to 8 p.m. with Santa and Mrs. Claus in the Historic County Building.
The light display on the trees out front is on each night from 6 p.m. through New Year’s Day.
“This is an architecture in light,” said Elizabeth Freeman, art director for the Festival of Lights, who has been doing the display for 19 years. “Every year, it’s a new installation, and I try to involve as many students as I can to make this work.”
With the theme of “Santa’s Gone Kauaian,” Freeman gets help from volunteers from the high schools, the Kauai Community Correctional Center, and the community in creating handcrafted “trash to treasure” decorations she designs. The youthful energy of the students and volunteers brings the recycled materials to life, she said.
“It was really fun,” said Hana Barker, Kapaa High School Interact Club student. “We made flowers using two plastic bottles glued together, iridescent ink, and glitter glue. The hard part was waiting for the glue to dry, but I would use what I learned at home.”
The flowers were part of the new “upcycled” Over the Rainbow Tree, being joined this year by the “Bling It On” Peacock Tree, and other pieces inspired by Josie Chasky’s Christmas folk art.
“I want the students to have a fun and rewarding experience,” Freeman said. “I lay things out, creating ornament stations with the finished original, instructions, stencils, and all the elements they need to successfully create something wonderful. And they do.”
The displays get a special treat Dec. 18 when Mary Lardizabal will have the Kapaa Middle School choir and ukulele band entertain people from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The Festival of Lights is sponsored by the County of Kauai, the Hawaii Tourism Authority, Housemart Ace Hardware and Crafts, and the Friends of the Festival of Lights.
