LIHU’E — Luke was enjoying his first parade, the 2005 Kaua’i Aloha Festivals edition, at Kukui Grove Center. As any first-time parader, Luke, 3, kept looking at Justine Albrecht for encouragement, while waiting for the procession to start. Luke was
LIHU’E — Luke was enjoying his first parade, the 2005 Kaua’i Aloha Festivals edition, at Kukui Grove Center.
As any first-time parader, Luke, 3, kept looking at Justine Albrecht for encouragement, while waiting for the procession to start.
Luke was part of the Aloha Festivals parade that snaked its way through the main thoroughfare at the Kukui Grove Center, with hostess Mele Apana affording the audience a commentary that overflowed with local flavor.
That is the essence of Aloha Festivals.
Harvey Maeda and David Tao of the Kauai Classic Cars and Kauai Volkswagen Club, respectively, added color with the introduction of their treasured wheels, and, parked in the shade of the walkway at the makai end of Sears, the Kaua’i roller hockey group awaited their cue to enter the parade.
Luke is now 3 years old, being air-flown to the stables of Plantation Carriages under the escort of Doug Albrecht, and Saturday was his first parade.
“We have been busy, but it’s about time he learned about parades,” Justine Albrecht explained. “Last year, we were involved with the Ku Kilakila All-Kaua’i Island Marching Band so we just didn’t have time. But, now, we need to make time.”
Housed in a position of honor in the carriage, Charlie Perreira of Moloa’a, a 24-year veteran of Coco Palms Resort, was getting to know his granddaughter he never knew until recently, as Kathy Texeira and her children assumed a seat opposite Charlie and his wife Rose in the carriage piloted by Doug Albrecht.
Rotarian Marc Imamura delayed his appearance at work long enough to drive one of the convertibles housing a bevy of beauty queens, including Miss Garden Isle 2005 Cindy Jackson, while other Rotarians drove other convertibles that transported dignitaries and representatives of the various Hawaiian civic organizations.
Col. Jerald Knudsen of the Kapa’a High School JROTC was still feeling the effects of having his color guard at the Kaua’i Interscholastic Federation football game the night before, but had his unit on hand to provide the only color guard in the parade that, according to Aloha Festivals’ Kaua’i manager, Wallis Punua, “was thrown together at the last minute.”
Like Knudsen, Kaua’i Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste also came on the heels of the Friday-night football game, as his designated driver, Owen Tango, fiddled with the final details of the mayor’s convertible.
Hideko Koigawachi might not know how old she is, but she remembers being born in 1907.
“She’s the second-oldest resident at Mahelona (Hospital),” announced Josie Pablo, the hospital’s long-term-care activities coordinator.
Koigawachi opted to be wheeled outside of the hospital’s long-term-care van, being pushed by staff members who accompanied the nine patients to the event.
Pablo jockeyed between the hospital’s van and a convertible occupied by her daughter Veronica Pablo, who was representing the Kauai Filipino Community Council as Miss Kaua’i Filipina 2005.
Veronica Pablo, the University of Hawai’i-Manoa student, made a special effort to be a part of her former kumu hula’s (Punua) Aloha Festivals effort.
Joining Punua was Yuki Lei Sugimura, the Aloha Festivals Maui island manager, who, according to Punua, flew over to “lend a hand.”
Sugimura was quickly enveloped in the crowd that surged to the center stage area of the mall, summoned by the sound of the pu announcing the arrival of the Royal Court.
Veronica Pablo also joined her hula sisters from Rohotu to herald the start of a day-long series of entertainment at the ho’olaule’a that followed the parade, as Punua got the help of emcee Apana to provide a variety of music that afforded the spectators a taste of Polynesian dance that was not restricted to hula.
As for Luke, he was headed for his next tour, the parade chores done.
“We’ll be looking at doing more of these community events,” Justine said. “This is just the first.”
Luke, in case you haven’t guessed it yet, is a young horse. The Albrechts own and operate Plantation Carriages, most visible providing horse-drawn carriage rides around Kilohana Plantation in Puhi.
