Kauai Community College was a bustling place Saturday, as the 23rd annual Garden Fair boosted the weekly market offerings, and the island’s Boy Scout troops gathered for the annual Makahiki celebration.
The fair, a collaboration between the Kauai County Farm Bureau and the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, featured a series of garden- and agriculture-related presentations, with a wide variety of vendors from the Kauai Grown and Kauai Made programs joining the lineup of regular vendors from the weekly Kauai Community Market.
“We have the same tree,” said Peter McHugh of Anthuriums and More nursery. “Rain or shine, every year, we’re here at the same place — and the same tree.”
His sister, Marit McHugh, flew in from New Mexico to help, and this year another sibling, Mimi McHugh of California, also flew in to help at the rain-drenched event.
The showers didn’t dampen the energy under the 4-H Livestock Club tent, which offered activities and a petting zoo.
“Chantal Rusaw wore make-up especially for today,” said Hallie Cristobal, whose senior project started the popular petting zoom more than five years ago. “I guess she’s getting ready for the farm fair and photos.”
Having the 4-H Youth Development Program, a part of the CTAHR, in the Garden Fair was a natural for pairing with the Boy Scout Makahiki program again. Boy Scouts from the adjoining event overflowed into the fair by helping shuttle plants, many being friends with 4-H Club members — or being 4-Hers themselves — and patronizing the various food vendors.
“The Boy Scouts of Kauai are very excited about our Makahiki Day,” said Kauai District Executive Tiffany Wienand. “This is a free, family event where the Boy Scouts host hands-on, science exploration activity stations for families to enjoy. It is the island’s largest student-driven STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) event.”
Included among the itinerary of stations, the islandwide Cub Scout Pinewood Derby packed the tent as spectators and drivers shared the space to watch the event as well as escape the rain and mist.
Other stations featured a potato launcher, made popular at the Wilcox School STEM Night; a marble run where participants learned about physics; the pendulum ball where Scoutmaster Mike Kano reigns supreme as the “master;” rubber band shooting; paper plane flying; ice cream (made inside a plastic bag); croquet; and the ever-popular rope bridge hosted by Troop 148.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
