Hundreds of people are expected to converge in Chinatown and downtown Honolulu tonight to watch the colorful procession of festive city cars and school bands march in the Honolulu City Lights electric-light parade.

The parade will begin 6 p.m. at River Street, continue past Honolulu Hale and end at Kawaiahao Street.

The event will affect TheBus schedule, close some streets and detour traffic. Here’s what you need to know to plan ahead so you don’t get caught in a traffic jam.

PARKING

Free parking will be available at the city’s municipal lot with the entrance on the Beretania Street left lane past Alapai Street. Paid parking is also available at Mark’s Garage, Walmart, Chinatown Gateway Plaza, Smith-Beretainia and Hale Pauahi parking garages.

STREET PARKING

To avoid getting cited and towed, avoid parking in the following areas during the following times:

1 p.m. to midnight

>> Punchbowl Street, both sides from Beretania Street to King Street

>> Punchbowl Street, Ewa-side from King Street to Queen Street

>> King Street, both sides from River Street to Ward Avenue

1 p.m. to 8 p.m.

>> Beretania Street, both sides from River Street to North King Street

>> River Street, both sides from North Beretania Street to Hotel Street

>> Bethel Street, both sides from King Street to Pauahi Street

DETOURS

Traffic will be detoured on the following streets:

>> Makai-bound traffic on Maunakea Street from Beretania Street to be detoured eastbound to Pauahi Street.

>> Bethel Street will turn into a two-way lane from Hotel Street to the Walmart parking lot driveway.

>> Traffic along Nuuanu Avenue and Alakea Street will be allowed to cross King Street at selected break times during the parade.

>> Bishop Street will turn into a two-way lane between Beretania Street and the Executive Centre parking lot driveway.

STREET CLOSURES

The following streets and lanes will be closed to traffic:

>> 11 a.m. — The left lane on King Street from Punchbowl Street to Kawaiahao Street will be closed, so city crews can set up equipment for the parade.

>> 1:30 p.m. — Crews will place crowd-control barricades on both sides of King Street from Richards to Punchbowl streets.

>> 3 p.m. — Crews will place crowd-control barricades on both sides of King Street from Punchbowl to South streets. During this time, Punchbowl Street will be closed between Beretania and King streets as vendors and food trucks employees set up. The streets will remain closed until 11 p.m. Makai-bound traffic will be detoured to Beretania Street.

>> 3:30 p.m. — Curb lanes at Aala Park on North King Street between Beretania and River streets, and Iwilei Road from Kuwili Street to King Street, will be closed as crews begin staging parade cars. During this time, curb lanes on Iwilei Road from Kuwili Street to King Street will also be closed.

>> 4:30 p.m. — Three mauka lanes on South King Street will closed from Alapai Street to Ward Avenue. Two left lanes on South Street will be closed from Kapiolani Boulevard to Queen Street.

>> 5 p.m. — North King Street will be closed from the Liliha-Dillingham intersection to River Street. Eastbound drivers on King Street will be detoured to Beretania Street. During this time, King Street between Punchbowl and Alapai-South streets will also be closed. Eastbound drivers on King Street will be detoured makai to Punchbowl Street. The King Street bus stop near the corner of Punchbowl Street will be moved makai of the existing stop.

>> 5:30 p.m. — King Street will close along the parade route and reopen after the parade. However, the section of King Street from Punchbowl to the Alapai-South King street intersection will remain closed until 10 p.m., so crews can sweep the streets and remove crowd-control barricades.

In addition, the following areas will be affected:

>>> River Street will be closed at Pauahi Street.

>>> Bishop Street will become a two-way lane between Beretania Street and the Executive Centre parking lot driveway.

>>> Makai-bound traffic on Maunakea Street will be detoured to Pauahi Street.

>>> Nuuanu Avenue will be open with intermittent traffic flow.

>>> Bethel Street will become a two-way lane from Hotel Street and Walmart’s parking lot entrance.

>>> Richards Street mauka of King Street will be closed at Beretania Street.

>>> Kekaulike, Maunakea, and Smith streets makai of King Street will be closed at Nimitz Highway.

>>> Bethel Street will be closed at Merchant Street.

>>> Mililani Street will be closed at Queen Street.

>>> Alakea Street will be open with intermittent traffic flow.

THEBUS DETOURS

Planning to take the bus today? Several bus routes will be detoured. View the schedule here.

For more information about the event, call 768-3499. Visit honolulucitylights.org for the full schedule of events.