Honolulu City Lights features Grammy-nominated Tatofi

“It’s a Zoo Out There” sets the theme this year for Honolulu City Lights, the eagerly awaited free event that has become a beloved Christmas season tradition.

References to the zoo will appear throughout the monthlong celebration, from the “Merrie Menagerie” theme of this year’s holiday wreath contest, to zoo-themed decorations at the Honolulu Hale courtyard, to the centerpiece 50-foot Christmas tree, which will be decorated with 56 animal-themed ornaments ranging from 1 to 5 feet in height.

In addition, this year’s official souvenir ornaments, available from Friends of Honolulu City Lights at honolulucitylights.org, will be dedicated to the Honolulu Zoo.

The event opens Saturday with a 6 p.m. official tree lighting ceremony, a parade featuring decorated city vehicles, Christmas displays and family-friendly entertainment, centered at Honolulu Hale and the Frank F. Fasi Civic Center Grounds, which was named for the Honolulu mayor who launched the event in 1985.

Get there early for a bite from the more than dozen food vendors, including Filipino cuisine from Dick’s Lechon, malasadas from Leonard’s Bakery, poi from Uncle Lani’s Poi Mochi, and fresh lemonade and sweet tea from Waimanalo Country Farms. Food and keiki games start at 4 p.m.

This year’s opening night concert features Josh Tatofi. Joining Tatofi at the concert, to be held at Isamu Noguchi’s famed Sky Gate sculpture, will be Hoku Award-winners Kupaoa, Mark Yamanaka and Mailani Makainai, and the Kamehameha Elementary Schools Chorus. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m.

Tatofi has had a very good year. He just received a Grammy nomination for his first full-length Hawaiian album, “Pua Kiele,” which in May earned him a pair of Hoku Awards — Male Vocalist of the Year and Island Music album. In November he represented his father, Tivaini “Tiva” Tatofi, and uncle, Teimomi “Timo” Tatofi, in concert with Kapena at the Hawaii Theatre. (Tiva and Timo were founding members of the group.)

“I’ll be doing a couple of Christmas songs and some songs from the album,” Tatofi said in a call from Osaka, Japan, where he was on tour with Kuana Torres Kahele, Mark Keali‘i Ho‘omalu, Sean Na‘auau, Kamaka Kukona and Ku‘uipo Kumukahi.

Born and raised in Kaneohe, Tatofi first followed his father and uncle into the local music scene playing Jawaiian music. As years passed, he embraced Hawaiian music as well. However, recording an album of Hawaiian music wasn’t something he did lightly.

“Now that I’ve been singing Hawaiian music for a little bit along the way, I’ve noticed that the Hawaiian music (community) is real close and they like to keep it in the circle,” he said, adding that any skepticism he may have encountered “wasn’t that I’m Tongan, but because I was coming from outside the Hawaiian (music) genre.”

Last May, Tatofi was doing another show in Osaka while the 2017 Hoku Awards were taking place in Honolulu.

“I came off stage to a whole bunch of cheering because I had won Island Album of the Year and I was blessed to watch the actual award announcement of Male Vocalist of the Year,” he said. “It was amazing. I was speechless for sure.

“I’m a person to likes to respect anything culturally, of course, but at the end of day, really I’m just singing music,” Tatofi said. “I was hoping that people would take it the same way I did, and they’ve been taking it very well. I’ve been very appreciative that everybody at home is supporting me.”

Does he think Hawaii would support him if he also recorded in Tongan? He speaks the language and sings Tongan songs for fun, but said that in Hawaii, “no one likes to be force-fed.”

“I believe through time you can share Samoan music or Tongan music or Maori music,” he said. “That’s the story of Kapena. They came out with ‘Masese,’ which is Fijian. No one in the group was Fijian, and that sort of became the national anthem of party music in Hawaii. What those guys were doing for such a long time is what I’m doing.”

Tatofi is looking forward to several weeks in Tonga at the end of the year. In January he starts work on his next album.

HONOLULU CITY LIGHTS 2017 HIGHLIGHTS

Opening Night:

>> 4 p.m.: Food booths and keiki rides open.

>> 6 p.m.: Tree lighting ceremony begins on the steps of Honolulu Hale, with Polynesian Voyaging Society president Nainoa Thompson lighting the tree at 6:30 p.m.

>> 6-6:30 p.m.: The Public Workers’ Electric Light Parade departs from Aala Park and proceeds down King Street, reaching Honolulu Hale at 6:30 p.m. Floats and other decorated city vehicles will be on display between Honolulu Hale and Alapa‘i/South St. until 8:30 p.m.

>> 6:30 p.m.: The Honolulu Hale Courtyard opens to reveal 24 Christmas trees decorated by city employees, with top entries in this year’s public wreath contest on display in the Lane Gallery.

>> 7:30 p.m.: Concert at Sky Gate.

>> 7:30-9 p.m.: Santa will visit with children in the Mission Memorial Auditorium.

>> 11 p.m.: Courtyard closes.

(Note: Opening night festivities will be cablecast on ‘Olelo Channel 49, with rebroadcasts on ‘Olelo Channel 53 at 7 p.m. Dec. 13, 8 a.m. Dec 17, 1:30 p.m. Dec. 24 and 1:30 p.m. Dec. 25. A parade special will air at 4 p.m. Dec. 17 on KHON2, at 7 p.m. Dec. 17 and Dec. 24 on Hawaii’s CW (Spectrum Digital 93), and at 9 p.m. Dec. 23 on KHON2.)

Special Events:

>> 6-8 p.m. Thursday: Toys for Tots Collection featuring the 501st Legion of Imperial Stormtroopers

>> 6-8 p.m. Dec. 8: Free Photo with Santa Night

>> 7-9 p.m. Dec. 16: Film night, “Moana”

>> 5-6 p.m. Dec. 17: Performance by Halau Hula O Kapunahala O Nu‘uanu YMCA

>> 6:30-8:30 p.m. Dec. 22: Free Milk and Cookies Night