On the heels of a very successful Black & White Night, shops, restaurants, galleries and cafés invite the public to downtown Hilo’s Red & White Night on Friday.
On the heels of a very successful Black &White Night, shops, restaurants, galleries and cafés invite the public to downtown Hilo’s Red &White Night on Friday.
Business windows are lit up and decorated in the theme, artists are creating, shopkeepers are stocking their shelves, setting up free live music and ordering refreshments in preparation.
“Doors will be open wide inviting everyone to enjoy Hilo’s special holiday spirit. It’s a townwide Makahiki, Christmas, Hanukkah, Thanksgiving, year-end celebration,” promised Hilo Downtown Improvement Association Executive Director Alice Moon.
The evening starts off 5 p.m. at Kalakaua Park with three potted Norfolk pine trees loaned by Puna Certified Nursery and decorated with recycled ornaments festively lit up for the crowd to enjoy. Everyone is invited to bring their favorite carols or holiday songs to sing and share, then stroll through town serenading shoppers, diners and shopkeepers.
“If you have a favorite song or two, please bring along some copies. We will have some songs copied and distributed,” said Moon.
All around downtown, free live music will be featured at several locations including The Most Irresistible Shop in Hilo, Café Pesto, Day-Lum Realty, KTA, KapohoKine Adventures, Mac Made Easy and One Gallery, among others.
Hawaii Museum of Contemporary Art (formerly East Hawaii Cultural Center) will host a fabulous opening reception for its annual Members’ Art Exhibition with ukulele music, hula and complimentary refreshments.
“Book stores, galleries, kid’s shops, boutiques, specialty stores, restaurants and cafés all over town are putting out the red and white carpet and warmly welcoming holiday shoppers and walkers. It’s one of the best evening experiences in East Hawaii,” said Moon.
The Kress Building on Kamehameha Avenue will be transformed by Connections Public Charter School into Grand Central Station (GCS), opening 5 p.m. with arts, crafts, gifts and goodies for sale and free entertainment throughout the night. The complete schedule of events in town as well as the official Treasure Hunt will be available there as well as at more than 50 participating businesses on First Friday.
People hunt in town, finding special stores, collecting stamps and entering to win prizes at the 8 p.m. drawing at GCS.
Dozens of prizes will be given away from entries that complete the hunt for stamps. Instead of getting stamps all across town, a special drawing will also be hosted for anyone showing more than $50 in receipts from purchases made that day and night from stores on the treasure hunt map with more than $500 in gift certificates going to a single winner.
For more information contact the DIA at 935-8850 or email askalice@downtownhilo.com.