Explore How You Can Enjoy This Magical Holiday Event
Every winter, tourists from across the globe escape their snowy hometowns by heading to Kauai to soak up the sunshine, sip piña coladas, and enjoy a much-needed reprieve from the frigid weather. And while there’s no snow in sight in Hawaii, you don’t have to worry about missing out on Christmas cheer. If you’re planning to be in Kauai over the holidays, the 23rd Annual Festival of Lights will keep spirits merry and bright throughout the entire season.
Taking place on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from December 6th through December 28th, the free Kauai-style celebration will include family-friendly activities like photos with Santa and light displays. It will be open from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m on each of those days at the historic county building.
This year’s theme is “Santa’s Gone Kaua’i’an,” and decorated displays will include a Kauai Lantern Tree, a Kauai Mermaid Kingdom, Santa’s Cane Train Village, and Surfin’ Santa. There will also be a collection of Christmas Folk Art created by the late Auntie Josie Chansky and “Trash to Treasure” decorations made by local teens and art-directed by Elizabeth Freeman, who founded the festival in 1997. In addition to creating a beautiful exhibit, Freeman aims to truly capture the Kauai spirit with this event, highlighting the humor and whimsy that characterizes the Garden Island.
“Although my work has been shown through the Smithsonian and the Museum of Arts and Design in New York,” Freeman says, “it is my annual installation at Kauai’s Historic County Building of which I am most proud.”
After checking out the holiday attractions, visitors can head to a local coffee shop to sip some hot chocolate or sit down to a nice dinner with family and friends. Highlights include Ha Coffee Bar and Plantation Coffee Company for warm drinks, Kauai Beer Company for gastropub cuisine and beverages, and Mark’s Place for traditional Hawaiian food in a casual environment.
If you’re looking to buy a vacation property or year-round home in Kauai, contact Sean Ahearn and Jim Karlovsky today. As experts in the Kauai real estate market, Sean and Jim can answer any questions you have about homes for sale in Kauai and help you find a property that checks every item off your list.
* Image Credit: Hawaii Magazine