by Nigyl Nissan
There’s a magical place where you can watch an original Christmas musical, take a picture with Santa, eat gingerbread cookies, drink elf-made hot chocolate, write a letter to Santa and mail it to the North Pole, play in a snow blizzard, dance to a light show, play carnival games and win prizes, and top it off by roasting s’mores at a s’mores pit – all are ready for you when you visit the Christmas Spectacular! and it’s tucked away in the little community of Kaimuki.
Performance Arts Studio, Moolelo Studios, presents “The 4th Annual Christmas Spectacular” event, and it’s all on the campus of Sacred Hearts Academy. If there’s one thing you must do this holiday season, it’s to come and enjoy this holiday event. Beginning on December 5th and playing through December 22nd, this event features a cascade of activities to enjoy!
An Original Holiday Musical
A Moolelo Studios original, “The Year Christmas Was Almost Cancelled,” is a heartwarming Holiday story. The musical features Santa, Mrs. Claus, and his faithful elves as they deal with the fallout of having to cancel Christmas for a year. The musical focuses on the true importance of the season and showcases a small, tight-knit cast, including Broadway performer Matthew Pedersen as the jolly man in the red suit. Don’t miss the show Wayne Harada calls “delightful and charming … brimming with goodwill and tidings of the season.” “The Year Christmas Was Almost Cancelled” plays Friday and Saturday nights at 7 pm and Sundays at 6 pm at the Sacred Hearts Academy auditorium.
Free Snow and Light Show
Experience music, lights … and a snow blizzard right in the heart of Honolulu! Twice a night, for a miraculous five minutes, the courtyard, just behind the Sacred Hearts Academy’s main iconic building, turns into a winter wonderland of lights, music, and falling snow! “Families are going crazy! Both adults and kids!” says Honolulu resident, Nolan Hong, who couldn’t wait to post his videos on Instagram. The Snow and Light Show plays Friday and Saturday nights at 8:15 pm and 9:00 pm, and on Sundays at 7:15 pm and 8:00 pm. And it’s free to the public!
Free Photos with Santa
If Santa Claus is an important part of your holidays, the Christmas Spectacular is the place for you! Not only is the jolly man featured in the holiday musical “The Year Christmas Was Almost Cancelled”, but there are two wonderful areas where you can get your Santa fix. “Photos With Santa” is where you can take your individual or family portraits with the man himself, and it’s free, BYOC (bring your own camera)! Across the way is “Letters to Santa,” where you can write a personal message to the man in the red suit and mail it in a special mailbox, sending letters straight to the North Pole!
Carnival Games and Prizes
Designed for families and children of all ages, Carnival Game Midway brings home all the excitement and fanfare of a day at the carnival. Test your skills and win prizes as you play a variety of fun games, including a Scavenger Hunt with prize giveaways every night to the first 25 to complete the hunt!
Holiday Dining Area
When you start to get hungry, you will find food, drinks, and snacks. Holiday snacks include Colored Popcorn, Gingerbread Cookies, Rice Krispie Snowmen treats, and Cotton Candy. There will also be a fan favorite S’mores! You get to roast marshmallows yourself at the S’mores Pit, where 6 fire pits are waiting for your skewers. All the while, the smell of Elf-Made Hot Chocolate with marshmallows fills the air.
It’s the most festive time of the year, and the Christmas Spectacular, within the safe haven campus of Sacred Hearts Academy, offers a delightful night of holiday magic. Whether you want to watch a Christmas musical or experience a snow blizzard, roast ‘smores at the smores pit, or drink elf-made hot chocolate, eat gingerbread cookies, or take a picture with Santa, the Christmas Spectacular has it all! December magic is alive and well, right in the little community of Kaimuki. Put together your own perfect evening of holiday cheer and enjoy a cozy winter wonderland you won’t soon forget, and it happens every weekend in December throughout the holiday season!
