Cultural festival · Līhuʻe, Kauai · From 6:30 PM
Lights on Rice Parade 2026
Hosted by Rotary Club of Kauaʻi Foundation
Date
What to expect
The Lights on Rice Parade, presented by the Rotary Club of Kauaʻi Foundation, is held on the first Friday of December each year to kick off the island's holiday season. The illuminated nighttime parade travels up Rice Street to the Historic County Building in Līhuʻe with roughly 60 units and thousands of performers, accompanying the County Building's Festival of Lights recycled-art holiday displays.
Plan your visit
Parking & access: Free to watch; Rice Street closes at 5:30 p.m. Parking along Hardy Street, the Convention Hall, and the County Building.
Plan your weekend on Kauai
While you’re out for Lights on Rice Parade, see who else is open — and meet the makers and farmers behind Hawai‘i’s markets.
Farmers markets this weekend
What’s worth a trip this weekend
One email a week: the makers worth seeking out, pop-ups, and Hawai‘i cultural events worth planning around.
About cultural festivals
Hawaii's cultural festivals gather food, performing arts, craft, and community across a weekend or longer. Many trace to the islands' Japanese, Okinawan, and broader Asia-Pacific communities and feature taiko, hula, bon dance, and street-food booths.
Some are free block parties and some are ticketed convention-center markets. Come for the performances and stay for the food booths, craft vendors, and local-product marketplaces.
- Check admission before you go — marketplace and convention-center events may charge entry.
- Parking fills early — rideshare or transit is usually easier.
- Schedules and venues can shift year to year; confirm before you go.
Sources: Lights on Rice Parade (official); Downtown Līhuʻe — Holiday Season. Dates and times can change — confirm with the organizer before you go.