Pearl Harbor Festival of Lights/U.S. Navy

The annual Pearl Harbor Holiday Festival of Lights at World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument featuring decoratively lit ships and submarines will be on display through December 25. Public tours by boat in the harbor will be conducted December 17 and 18.

Boat tours for the public will be offered by the monument staff and the U.S. Navy from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on December 17 and 18. The boats will depart every half hour from the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, 1 Arizona Memorial Place, off of Kamehameha Highway. Seats are limited and will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Free tickets will be available beginning at 5:30 p.m., at the day of the tour, at the USS Arizona ticket counter in the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center. No reservations available.

No backpacks, fanny packs, luggage, diaper bags, camera bags, purses, large camera/tripods or other items that provide concealment are allowed in the visitor center or aboard the boats. There are lockers available, through a partner organization, on site for a small fee.

Do not leave your valuables in your car. Cameras are allowed aboard for photos of the decorated ships. However, photographing security activities such as the patrol boats and security personnel is prohibited.

The annual ship/submarine holiday lighting competition is judged on Dec. 16 by a United States Navy barge tour of the harbor. Judges, tentatively, will include representatives from Submarine Force U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Navy Region Hawaii.

The top three and honorable mentions will be selected for both ships and submarines by the US Navy. A special admiral's choice award will be presented to one ship or submarine of Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific's choice. All ships and submarines are encouraged to show their festive spirit and provide the best holiday lighting and hospitality they can muster.