Episode 40: Honolulu City Lights

On this episode of the One O'ahu Podcast, Alex Ching, a recreation specialist with the Department of Parks and Recreation and long-time curator for the statues of Honolulu City Lights, joins host Brandi Higa to talk about the history of some of the sculptures and the work that goes in to putting on O‘ahu’s most beloved annual holiday celebration.

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Honolulu City Lights

In 1985, Honolulu City Lights began as a 50-foot Norfolk pine Christmas tree in front of Honolulu Hale. The annual holiday celebration grew to include the iconic Shaka Santa display, unveiled in 1989, and the crowd-favorite Public Workers’ Electric Light Parade, which debuted in 1991.

On this week’s episode of the One Oahu Podcast, Alex Ching, a Recreation Specialist with the Department of Parks and Recreation, talks about his role as a sculptor and custodian over the sculptures for Honolulu City Lights for nearly three decades. Alex Ching describes what the statues are made of and what goes into maintaining the massive displays for the City’s poplar holiday tradition.

Shaka Santa and Tutu Mele

Each year, Shaka Santa and Tutu Mele make their annual trip from a storage warehouse to Honolulu Hale just a few days after Thanksgiving. But getting them into town isn't always a smooth ride. Alex Ching talks about one of the more difficult "moving days."

"We were taking the same route we always take,” explained Ching. He goes on to say, “I guess we’ve been clearing Santa’s foot all these years, but apparently it (the tree) grew so much this one year or finally came down enough to where Santa’s toe caught the tree and came off.”

No one was injured and no vehicles or property was damaged.

2023 Opening Night

This year’s opening night festivities for the 2023 Honolulu City Lights – including the tree lighting ceremony, Public Workers’ Electric Light Parade and City Lights block party – are scheduled for Saturday, December 2, 2023.

The month-long celebration of the Honolulu City Lights kicks-off with a block party at 4 p.m. on Punchbowl Street and across the Frank F. Fasi Civic Grounds. At 6:30 p.m., as the Electric Light Parade passes Honolulu Hale, Mayor Rick Blangiardi will illuminate Honolulu Hale’s holiday tree and the lights and displays decorating the grounds.

For more information on the 2023 Honolulu City Lights, please visit https://hnlcitylights.org/