18th Annual Holiday Lighting of the Lahaina Banyan Tree

Annual Banyan Tree Lighting Ceremony. File photo credit: Lahaina Town Action Committee.

The LahainaTown Action Committee will host its 18th Annual Lighting of the Banyan Tree in downtown Lahaina this weekend.

The two day event includes a tree lighting ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 5 at 6:30 p.m., with an estimated 6,500 colored lights to decorate the tree for the holiday season.

The Lahainaluna High School Band will add to the holiday ambiance during the tree lighting event, along with a special guest who will light the tree, according to the Lahaina Town Action Committee.

The Pioneer Inn and the Wharf Cinema Center will simultaneously light their neighboring properties with holiday lights during the Banyan Tree event.

Banyan lighting 2015, event flyer.

The celebration runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5, and continues on Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Keiki activities will kick off on Saturday with the arrival of Santa at the North Pole sponsored by AAAAA Rent-A-Space. Other activities include cookie decorating, face painting and Christmas crafts.

In addition the Lahaina Town Action Committee requests one canned or non perishable food item for admission to the “North Pole” winter wonderland.

Keiki are also invited to meet the Banyan Snowman arriving at 4 p.m. He is donated and carved on site by Maui Ice Company. Parents are invited to bring their cameras for a photo opportunity.

The vent also features a holiday arts and crafts fair along with a variety of local musicians. Music begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday and continues on Sunday at 9 a.m.  The two day event is free and is open to the public.

Holiday lighting of the Banyan Tree, photo courtesy Lahaina Town Action Committee.

The Banyan Tree was planted in 1873 by Sheriff Smith to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first missionary. The Lahaina Town Action Committee notes that the tree was brought from India, and was only 8-feet high at the time of planting. It now has a dozen main trunks, and spreads over the better part of an acre.