Hundreds of Kaua’i families visited the “Starlit Winter Wonderland Festival” yesterday at the Kukui Grove Shopping Center. It was a first-time event of its kind, put on by island businesses to usher in the Christmas spirit. The four-day event, which
Hundreds of Kaua’i families visited the “Starlit Winter Wonderland Festival” yesterday at the Kukui Grove Shopping Center. It was a first-time event of its kind, put on by island businesses to usher in the Christmas spirit.
The four-day event, which began Thursday with a reception attended by 200 people, and ends Sunday, boasted 40 Christmas trees decorated by businesses, a skating rink, a gingerbread contest, entertainers, and a breakfast with Santa Claus, with proceeds going to feed the island’s needy through the Kaua’i Foodbank.
The purpose behind the event was to “give children of Kaua’i a winter experience without having to go to the mainland,” said Mark Gregory of the Rotary Club of Kaua’i, which sponsored the event. The idea came from Walter Barnes, a Kaua’i rotarian.
Up to 50 parents and children waited eagerly outside the old JC Penny’s Store, where the festival was staged, before doors opened at 9 a.m. Saturday.
In a building darkened for effect, people were greeted by network of Christmas lights strung on the ceiling, lighted figures with Christmas themes, and trees, some with presents under them. All of this was set on a white flooring resembling make-believe snow.
Youths lined up to skate on a plastic-topped skating rink for $5.
The event also included a Santa’s village with reindeer, prizes, live entertainment, a photo session with Santa Claus, photographs of families on the skating rink and holiday cookies and beverages. A separate breakfast with Santa was sponsored by Kukui Grove.
The gingerbread contest was among the highpoints of the event.
By 2 p.m. Saturday, there were only six entries, the most conspicuous was a gingerbread house with icing depicting the American flag.
Out of respect to the victims of the Sept. 11, terrorist attack, this year’s contest theme focused on patriotism.
“Yep, this year’s theme was special, U.S.A, patriotism,” said Biruta Eilers, a Kaua’i Community College culinary and hotel instructor who coordinated the event with Sheryl Grady of Kaua’i Electric and Mary Daubert of the Kukui Grove Shopping Center.
But only one entry reflected that theme, said officials, adding “people did whatever they wanted.”
Daubert said the limited number of gingerbread houses this year suggested people either didn’t have the time or found the job too challenging.
Tina Pinkini of Lihu’e and Juday Leong of Kapa’a and their families said it was their first time creating a gingerbread house.
Using a recipe given to Christopher Robyn, an assistant baker at Kilohana restaurant in Puhi, Pikini said she, family members and friends made a house “from scratch” over the past seven days .
The creation was made with molasses, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, chocolate candy and candy canes, coconut shreds and icing.
Pinkini said the project was undertaken only because of the insistence of her grandson, Khrystian Robyn, 5, of Lihu’e. He found out about the contest during a gingerbread demonstration during classes at Wilcox Elementary School.
Unlike other entries, Leong and her neighbor Rendy Rosario made a house that resembled a castle. It boasted drawbridges made from Graham crackers and licorice. Cylindrical chocolate rolls made up the towers and the walls were topped with cone-shaped chocolate chunks.
Winners had a crack a $100 grand prize and other prizes.
“This is fun. The whole thing is innovative,” said a Wailua resident. “It makes people happy at the happiest time of the year.”
