The Lehua Jaycees invite the community to join in the festivities as the club hosts its annual Downtown Hilo Christmas Parade on the Saturday following Thanksgiving, as is tradition.
The Lehua Jaycees invite the community to join in the festivities as the club hosts its annual Downtown Hilo Christmas Parade on the Saturday following Thanksgiving, as is tradition.
The theme of this year’s big event will be “Ke Kalikimaka No Na Keiki,” or “Christmas for the Children.”
The popular twilight event will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30, and entries are now being taken in five categories: marching unit, marching band, lunch wagon, small float (15 feet or less) and large float.
The fun activity draws crowds of onlookers all along the parade route through downtown Hilo. There’s lots of candy tossing, ho-ho-ho-ing, colorful lights and tinsel. Santa comes to town on the top of a fire engine and folks of all ages and sizes march and ride and get the town into the holiday spirit.
If you are interested in participating, please contact Allyson Cortez at 960-6091, Marcie Kawamura at 936-5149, or email the sponsoring organization at lehua_jaycees@yahoo.com. Folks wanting to help out the Jaycees with donations to help pay for parade expenses may contact Cortez or Kawamura.
To qualify to compete for prizes, entries must be postmarked by Saturday, Nov. 23. There will be three places in each of the categories, with $200 for first place, $125 for second and $75 for third-place winners.
The route will vary slightly this year. The parade will start on Piopio Street, turn left on Pauahi Street, then right on Kilauea Avenue, then right on Ponahawai, right on Kamehameha Avenue, right on Pauahi and end on Bishop Street near the Kamehameha statue.