Hawai‘i Care Choices is honored to host the 21st Annual Celebration of Life - Lantern Floating Event on Sunday, May 25, 2025, at Reed’s Bay Beach Park in Hilo, from 3PM to 7:45 PM. As the Big Island’s largest lantern floating event, this deeply meaningful gathering provides a space for remembrance and healing, attracting more than 2,500 attendees annually. The event remains free and open to the public.
The program will begin with a traditional Bon Dance, led by the Hilo Bon Dance Club and Tsukikage Odori Kai Dancers, marking the first Bon Dance of the Obon season to honor those who have passed. Attendees will experience a moving tribute featuring multi-faith prayers, hula performances, and live music, culminating in the lantern release at sunset. Families will have the opportunity to personalize and decorate luminaries, which will be released into the serene waters of Reed’s Bay as a symbolic farewell to their loved ones.
Event Highlights:
- Luminary Decorating Tents
- Food Trucks
- Special Event T-shirts
- Hula Hālau & Live Music Performances
- Multi-Faith Blessings and Prayers
- Lantern Floating Ceremony at Sunset
Parking & Transportation:
Free parking will be available at Afook Chinen Civic Auditorium, with continuous shuttle services running to and from Reed’s Bay between 2:30 PM and 7:45 PM.
Luminary Information:
Presales are now closed
Thank you for your interest and support. Our presale period has now concluded; however, a variety of items—including Luminaries, Memorial Hearts, limited edition Celebration of Life shirts, and more—will be available for purchase at the event, while supplies last. Please visit the HICARE Will Call tent for on-site sales. We look forward to seeing you there!
All proceeds will support hospice families and community members receiving bereavement care through Hawai‘i Care Choices.
Join Us in Honoring Loved Ones
We invite the community to come together in this day of remembrance, unity, and aloha. For more information, please visit www.hawaiicarechoices.org/celebrationoflife or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
About Hawai‘i Care Choices
Hawai‘i Care Choices is a Medicare/Medicaid-certified, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to providing quality, compassionate, and specialized care for seniors and individuals with serious or life-limiting illnesses. Services include hospice care, palliative care, complex care, and bereavement support for families throughout the Big Island. For more information, visit www.hawaiicarechoices.org or contact care@hawaiicarechoices.org.
