Bring on the show, let it all glow. Honolulu City Lights — the glittering nighttime holiday attraction, not the fabled song — opens tomorrow night at Honolulu Hale and environs in all its usual glory.

There will be decorated trees (the main attraction was donated by Marie Rose Perry of 'Aiea), music, kid-friendly displays, a parade. Plus food booths for opening-night celebrants.

And yes, Wilikilia (that's Hawaiian for Virginia), no pilikia: There will be Shaka Santa and Tutu Mele at the pond in front of Honolulu Hale, overseeing the tens of thousands expected to take in the splendor on foot, by car, by trolley through Jan. 1.

In a tight economy, the city has smartly recycled and updated a few familiar elements from earlier displays — the polar bears return, in a snow globe — and glitter brings new sparkle to garlands on the tree.

And the displays are going green, with the installation of LED lights a-twinkling on the monkeypod trees on the City Hall grounds.

If you're "doing" the exhibition — and why wouldn't you? — here are 10 tips to enhance your experience:

1. Go at night. Sure, a stroll in the daytime can be fun, but the exhibit is called City Lights for a reason. The lighted displays — the centerpiece tree, the special attractions along the route, from King to Alapa'i streets, from Beretania to Bishop streets (and Tamarind Park) and back on King Street — are in their glory with everything switched on.

2 . Take pictures. There will be numerous photo ops — at the festooned 50-foot tree, with oversized school-kine flower lei as ornaments, for example. Find your favorite spot; this could be the image for next year's Christmas card.

3. Watch the parade. Santa will ride in a float created by parade guru Nelson Fujio and sponsored by King's Cathedral. It's part of the Public Workers Electric Light Parade, which starts at 6 p.m. tomorrow at River Street, proceeds on King Street and arrives at City Hall at 6:30 p.m. A total of 50 units will participate, including high-school marching bands, 30 decorated vehicles including familiar city wheels such as a fire truck, TheBus, Handi-Van, a dump truck, Honolulu Police Department mobile command center, sewer vector truck, electric carts and more. Guy Hagi and Kim Gennaula (he's still with KGMB9, she recently left) will be parade narrators. Geico's Gecko mascot will pass out treats to keiki along the route.

4. Visit Santa. If you have keiki naughty or nice who want to uncork their Christmas gift wishes, Santa will arrive at the Mission Memorial Auditorium next to Honolulu Hale at about 8 p.m. tomorrow to accept children's holiday wishes until 9 p.m. Fujifilm Hawaii takes free photos of children visiting with Santa.

5. Beware of traffic snarls. You might want to arrive by 4:30 p.m. to claim a parking spot at the Civic Center parking garage and surrounding government and private-sector garages. There's no parking along the display route, but side streets offer some relief if you go early. Plan on car pooling, or catch TheBus.

6. Consider a fire truck tour. Mission Houses Museum teams up with Fire Truck Hawaii for City Lights tours 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 7-28 (no tours on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day), with more dates possible. The tour starts and ends at the museum, 553 S. King St. Cost: $7 adults, $3 keiki 2 and younger. Reservations recommended; call 590-2100.

7. Look for two Downtown delights. Two newbies have sprouted — dividends provided by two banks. First Hawaiian Bank boasts a new display called Ho'aloha Kalikimaka Trees, in the Bishop Street area, featuring a trio of trees in varying heights — all in "green" LED lighting, with a forest look combined with tapa. The other newcomer is across the street, at Bank of Hawaii, where designer Owen Ho has placed a crown-flower lei around the building, with swags featuring local musical instruments. Why crown flower? It was Queen Lili'uokalani's favorite.

8. Grrrrin and bear it. An 8-foot snow globe, with motorized snow falling on polar bears and surrounded by refurbished bells of all sizes, is something new from something old. At least 800 pounds of glitter in 10 colors provide a rainbow of hues. The globe was in storage, but has been resuscitated by Alex Ching (with kokua from volunteer Wayne Takemoto) and reimagined with bears.

9. Listen to music. Tom Moffatt has assembled a slate of performers at Skygate, the sculpture on the civic center grounds, from 7:30 p.m. tomorrow, featuring John Cruz, Jake Shimabukuro, Karen Keawehawai'i, Kristian Lei, and J Boog and Laga Savea. Cox Radio personalities will emcee.

10. Be on TV. The City Lights festivities, such as the tree-lighting, the parade, the concerts, will be televised live from 6 p.m. tomorrow on 'Olelo Channel 52, and most TV newscasts carry a smidgen of live shots. A one-hour Electric Light Parade special will air at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 17 (again at 6 p.m. Dec. 20), so you may be on the tube.