Lighting up the holidays
The holidays officially kicked off Friday night with the lighting of Parker Ranch’s 150-foot tall Cook Island Pine tree in Waimea.
More than 200 residents turned out for the return of the annual tree lighting event that had been put on hold since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The event comes amid the ranch’s 175th anniversary.
Started by Parker Rancher owner Richard Smart in 1962, the tradition of lighting the giant Cook Island Pine tree in his front yard at Puuopelu continued on its 60th anniversary. The festive event is put on by the Parker Ranch staff as a gift to their North Hawaii community.
At the event, attendees were treated to free hot chocolate, Christmas cookies and candy canes served up by Parker Ranch Cub Scout Troop 27.
Students from Hawaii Preparatory Academy’s Middle School Handbell Choir, Parker School’s choir, Kanu o ka Aina New Century Public Charter School‘s ukulele ensemble and Punana Leo o Waimea and Alo Kehau o ka Aina Mauna‘s Na Keiki o ka Ua Paliloa.
