December 13, 2019 – December 28, 2019:
Festival Of Lights. Celebrate the holidays on Kauai at Elizabeth Freeman’s annual holiday extravaganza, the award-winning Festival of Lights! Celebrating its 23rd year, local designer Elizabeth Freeman presents a collection of Kauai-style holiday art inspired by her and created with the assistance of local artisans from recycled and reclaimed materials.

Entirely focused on environmental sustainability, Festival of Lights provides a spirited and fun reminder that the true meaning of the holidays comes from the heart, and not the stores. Every year, thousands of locals and visitors crowd the halls to view a holiday wonderland of trees, wreathes, ornaments and other seasonal decorations made from recycled and reclaimed materials such as plastic water bottles, aluminum cans, cardboard and bubble wrap. Several pieces are donated designs from previous visitors inspired from their experience.

Trees are decorated in themes, with the most popular influenced by local culture and sites such as “SPAM Can Tree,” “Hokulea Aloha Tree,” “Kilauea Lighthouse” and “Princess Kaiulani Peacock.” The nationally-recognized “Aloha Recycled Treasures” tree, which made its debut in 2010 at the U.S. Capitol by invite of the late Hawaii Senator Daniel K. Inouye, is decorated with plastic water bottles. Other recent additions include the “If Can, Can” tree with recycled aluminum cans, the “Lure of the Sea” tree, decorated with embossed recycled aluminum cans and recycled containers, and “Fire and Rain” with cutlery morphed to represent 2018’s Kilauea Volcano eruption and Kauai’s 50 inches of rain within 24 hours.

Leading the team of art direction is local artist and designer Elizabeth Freeman, whose background spans fine arts and design. Her work has been displayed at the Smithsonian and the Museum of Arts and Design in New York. Elizabeth lives on Kauai and teaches and inspires people about her “trash to treasure” artistic vision.

Festival of Lights opens Dec. 6 and continues through Dec. 28 from 6-8 p.m. Friday-Sunday. Also open Dec. 24. Free admission. Visitors are greeted by trained docents who share the history of the event and reveal the origins of the decorations. Take pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus through Dec. 24. Thousands of lights illuminate both the interior and exterior of the building and surrounding park. www.KauaiFestivalOfLights.com