WAIMEA — Thousands of people lined Kaumuali‘i Highway as members of the West Kauai Business and Professional Association hosted their annual Waimea Lights Parade Saturday night. The event, always a popular draw for people wanting a respite from the hectic
WAIMEA — Thousands of people lined Kaumuali‘i Highway as members of the West Kauai Business and Professional Association hosted their annual Waimea Lights Parade Saturday night.
The event, always a popular draw for people wanting a respite from the hectic holiday routines, was embellished by community businesses and residences that were festooned with holiday lights and icons in a competitive atmosphere.
Judging for the stationery-light displays was done prior to the Saturday-night parade, with awards presented during the live-entertainment portion of the festivities that followed the parade.
Ishihara Market topped the Most Brilliant category, followed by First Hawaiian Bank, and Pioneer Hi-Bred International’s illuminated holiday light village.
Fruits of their efforts helping to draw people to the outdoor serving areas, leaders of the Mane Event/Da Booze Shop team topped the Most Original category, followed by the Waimea post office, and the Waimea Auto Top Shop.
A patriotic theme fueled the Cook’s Landing/NaPali Explorer/Seto’s Service & Repair entry to the top slot of the Most Beautiful division. Kauai Care Home took the runner-up slot in that division, followed by Aloha-N-Paradise/J’s Restaurant.
The Higashi residence that carried the lighting theme of Ishihara Market located across the street topped the Residential division, followed by the Bayot home located next door to the Subway sandwich shop.
Chris Fayé, one of the event organizers, had her hands full trying to park parade arrivals in the staging area that was split into several different locations this year. Waimea Canyon Park parking lot held the majority of the floats, while the parking lot at the Waimea Canyon School served as the preliminary staging area for the Ku Kilakila Kaua‘i All-Island Marching Band as well as housed the overflow of floats.
Due to their numbers, the band was eventually moved to a feeder street, where they opened up the parade following the color guard presented by the Waimea High School JROTC unit.
Fayé said originally they were scheduled for 44 units, but had a couple of no-shows, added with a few others that came in “under the radar,” with some spectators calculating that there were over 50 units.
But, Fayé said, “In our parade, everyone is a winner.”
Parking for the event was at a premium, with traffic entering Waimea town slowing down and backing up from about 4:30 p.m. for the 6 p.m. start of the parade. Eventually, cars were parked on both sides of Kaumuali‘i Highway leading to and from Waimea town.
Among the audience, several Kapa‘a and Lihu‘e parents took advantage of their children participating in the Ku Kilakila band to make the trip out to watch the parade.
Colleen McCracken and Josie Pablo were among those people, as well as daughter Maegan Pablo, the Kapa‘a High School girls’ varsity soccer goalie who was able to make the parade following her afternoon game. Pablo and McCracken both added that this was the first time they had experienced the Waimea lights extravaganza.
Several of the Kaua‘i High School girls soccer players were also among the ranks of the Ku Kilakila band, as was West Kaua‘i Rotarian Mike Fayé, who was busy officiating the game prior to getting back in time for the parade.
The Rotarians were one of the 50-plus units that fielded a unit to help celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Westside Rotary club.
Another new entry was the First Hawaiian Bank unit that incorporated children of its employees from around the island, with staff members being joined by Mike Murakoshi to help distribute candies to the audience. Santa was flanked by a bevy of keiki hula dancers who performed to live music in a Polynesian-themed unit fielded by Na Hula O Kaohikukapulani, under the direction of kumu hula Kapu Kinimaka-Alquiza.
Among the field were floats and units fielded by prominent Westside families such as the Ayau ‘ohana, and a low boy fielded by the Wa‘alani family.
All of this was organized and presented in an orderly fashion by hostess Hualani Duncan and her sister who manned the audio station located at the Waimea Public Library, and Bob Westerman had a flashlight holder and spotter to facilitate the hosting process at the main stage set upon the steps fronting First Hawaiian Bank.
Liz Hahn, one of the parent spearheads for the Ku Kilakila band that will be leaving for Pasadena, Calif. on Monday, Dec. 27, was having a panic attack as the banner touting Big Save as one of the major sponsors of the student musicians was still tucked away in someone’s home, but it didn’t matter because the arrival of McGruff atop a Kaua‘i Police Department pickup signaled the start of the parade just as the sun dipped below the horizon.
Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@pulitzer.net.
