Oʻahu Holiday Events 2026: City Lights, Christmas Parades and Holiday Markets by Date

The holiday season on Oʻahu doesn’t wait for Thanksgiving. Big Santa is already up at Ala Moana, the first holiday markets have started, and nearly every town on the island has a Christmas parade on the calendar. We checked each date below against the organizer’s own page or the City’s official 2026 parade permit schedule. Bookmark this page. We’ll keep it updated through the season.

The big three: free light shows and opening nights

Kapolei City Lights — Saturday, Nov. 28

The West Side gets the season’s first big tree lighting. Kapolei City Lights returns Saturday, Nov. 28, with the theme “Paniolo Nights & Holiday Lights,” according to the City Department of Parks and Recreation. It’s free and family-friendly.

• Block party: 5 to 9 p.m. on the streets around Kapolei Hale (Ulu‘ōhi‘a, Ala Kahawai, Alohikea and Kama‘aha), with more than 70 vendors, live music, food and a holiday car display
• Parade: 5:30 p.m., led by the Royal Hawaiian Band, from Fort Barrette Road and Kapolei Parkway down the parkway to Kama‘aha Avenue. DPR says more than 60 organizations and City departments take part.
• Tree lighting: The Mayor’s Tree Lighting is set for 6:15 p.m., under a 50-foot holiday tree outside the hale
• Inside Kapolei Hale: Tree displays from City agencies and community groups, keiki games, make-and-take crafts and pictures with Santa on opening night
• Getting there: Phased road closures begin at 11 a.m. that day. DPR points to public parking in and around Kapolei Regional Park.
• Can’t make opening night? The decorations stay up through Sunday, Jan. 3, 2027: Monday to Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fridays 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., and weekends and holidays 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Honolulu City Lights — Saturday, Dec. 5

The island’s signature holiday tradition opens Saturday, Dec. 5, at Honolulu Hale. This year’s theme is “Christmas in the Country,” per Honolulu City Lights.

• Mayor’s Tree Lighting Ceremony: 6 p.m., Dec. 5
• Public Workers’ Electric Light Parade: City agencies, high school marching bands and sponsors roll through downtown on opening night, with Santa closing the parade at Honolulu Hale. The City’s permit schedule routes it from ʻAʻala Park east on King Street to Honolulu Hale, with lanes closing from 5 p.m.
• Free Santa photos: 7 to 9 p.m. on opening night at Mission Memorial Auditorium
• City Department Tree Exhibit: Inside the Honolulu Hale courtyard, 7 to 10 p.m. on Dec. 5, then 7:45 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily from Dec. 6 through Dec. 30
• Outdoor displays: The big photo-op figures, including Shaka Santa and Tutu Mele
• Heads-up: Expect detours, street closures and parking restrictions throughout downtown and Chinatown that night. TheBus routes will be detoured.

Want to make your own? The 42nd annual Holiday Wreath Contest is open to Oʻahu residents, with entries accepted Monday, Nov. 30, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Lane Gallery in Honolulu Hale. The entry form is on the Honolulu City Lights homepage.

Waikīkī Holiday Parade — Friday, Nov. 27

The night after Thanksgiving, marching bands from Hawaiʻi and the mainland, military units and dignitaries head down Kalākaua Avenue. The Waikiki Holiday Parade commemorates Pearl Harbor and honors survivors and veterans. This year it falls on Friday, Nov. 27. The City permit schedule runs it from Saratoga Road along Kalākaua to Monsarrat Avenue, ending at Kapiʻolani Park, with roads closed from about 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Christmas parades, town by town

These come from the Department of Transportation Services’ 2026 parade and event schedule. The times shown are DTS road-closure windows, not exact step-off times. As of Nov. 8, some permits were approved and others were still listed as “submitted,” so check with the sponsor before you set up your chairs.

• Fri., Nov. 27, Liliha/Pālama: Kamehameha Lions Club parade, about 5:30–6:30 p.m., from United Church of Christ via Judd, Liliha and N. King streets (approved)
• Fri., Nov. 27, Kalihi: Kalihi Business Association parade, about 6–7 p.m., from Kalihi Union Church to Kapālama Elementary (submitted)
• Sat., Nov. 28, Hawaiʻi Kai: Hawaiʻi Kai Lions Club Holiday Parade, about 9 a.m.–noon, from Kamiloiki Park along Lunalilo Home Road to Koko Marina Center (approved)
• Thu., Dec. 3, Kaimukī: Kaimukī Christmas Parade, from 5 p.m., from St. Louis/Chaminade along Waiʻalae Avenue (submitted)
• Fri., Dec. 4, Wahiawā: Wahiawā Town Santa Parade, about 4:30–8 p.m., from Kaʻala Elementary along California Avenue to Fred Wright Park (submitted)
• Sat., Dec. 5, Mililani: Mililani ʻOhana Holiday Parade, about 8:30–11 a.m., from Mililani High School to Mililani Town Center (submitted)
• Sat., Dec. 5, Kāneʻohe: Kāneʻohe Christmas Parade, about 9 a.m.–12:30 p.m., from Windward Mall at Haʻikū Road to Castle High School (submitted)
• Sat., Dec. 5, Waiʻanae: Waiʻanae Coast Rotary Community Christmas Parade, about 5:30–8:30 p.m., from Waiʻanae Mall along Farrington Highway to Waiʻanae High (submitted)
• Sun., Dec. 6, Mānoa: Mānoa Community Christmas Parade, about 4–6 p.m., from Noelani School to Mānoa Park (submitted)
• Sun., Dec. 6, Pearl City: Pearl City Christmas Parade, about 4–6 p.m., from Momilani Elementary to Pearl City Shopping Center (approved)
• Thu., Dec. 10, Kapahulu/Mōʻiliʻili: Kapahulu-Mōʻiliʻili Christmas Parade, about 6:30–7:30 p.m., from Kūhiō Elementary to Old Stadium Park (submitted)
• Fri., Dec. 11, Haleʻiwa: Haleʻiwa Town Christmas Parade, about 5:30–9 p.m., from Weed Circle through town to Haleʻiwa Beach Park (submitted)
• Sat., Dec. 12, ʻAiea, ʻEwa Beach and Waimānalo: Morning parades from Pearlridge Elementary to ʻAiea Library, around Campbell High School, and from Kumuhau Street to Waimānalo Beach Park (all submitted)
• Sat., Dec. 12, Nānākuli: Christmas on the Avenue closes Nānākuli Avenue from 1 p.m. (submitted)
• Later in December: Whitmore Village (Dec. 19, evening), Moanalua (Dec. 19, evening) and Olomana (Dec. 20, afternoon)

Holiday markets to put on your list

• Waiʻanae Moku Made Kalikimaka Edition, Sat., Nov. 14: An evening mākeke of Waiʻanae-made gifts, food, music and a youth-run market at Kalanihoʻokahā Community Learning Center, from 4 p.m. Our full preview is here.
• Big Santa at Ala Moana Center: Santa photos start Nov. 13, and the daily holiday hula show starts Nov. 27. Every date is in our Big Santa guide.
• More pop-ups: HONOLULU Magazine’s holiday market roundup lists dozens more. A few that caught our eye: the Kailua Town Holiday Sip + Shop at Lau Hala Shops (Thu., Nov. 12, 4–7 p.m., ticketed); the Mālama Hawaiʻi Makers Market at Ala Moana Center (Sat., Nov. 14); a Thanksgiving-themed Honolulu Maker’s Market at The Barn at SALT in Kakaʻako (Sat., Nov. 14); and the JCCH Craft & Collectibles Fair with Aki Matsuri in Mōʻiliʻili (Sat., Nov. 14, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.). Confirm times with each organizer before you go.

Planning tips

• Go early for opening nights. Both City Lights openings close streets for hours. Carpool or take TheBus, and check DTS for closures.
• Pick a weeknight for the displays. The Kapolei Hale and Honolulu Hale decorations stay up for weeks after opening night and are much calmer then.
• Coming up: We’ll add the Honolulu Marathon (Sun., Dec. 13), New Year’s events and more dates as organizers confirm them.

Sources

• City and County of Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation, Kapolei City Lights (checked Nov. 8, 2026): https://www.honolulu.gov/dpr/kapolei-city-lights/
• Honolulu City Lights, Events and Activities and homepage (checked Nov. 8, 2026): https://hnlcitylights.com/events-and-activities/ ; https://hnlcitylights.com/city-department-tree-exhibit/ ; https://hnlcitylights.com/
• Waikiki Holiday Parade official site: https://www.waikikiholidayparade.com/
• Department of Transportation Services, 2026 Oʻahu Schedule of Major Parades and Events (checked Nov. 8, 2026): https://www.honolulu.gov/dts/2026-events/
• HONOLULU Magazine, “Can’t-Miss Local Holiday Markets and Craft Fairs on Oʻahu” (Nov. 2026): https://www.honolulumagazine.com/holiday-markets-craft-fairs/
• Oahu Local, Waiʻanae Moku Made Kalikimaka Edition (Nov. 7, 2026) and Big Santa at Ala Moana Center (Nov. 4, 2026)