KAPA‘A — “There’s a coconut creme pie with my name on it,” were the hopeful words uttered by Thomas Noyes, as he waited in the shade of the welcome tent at the 11th Annual Coconut Festival. With that, he and
KAPA‘A — “There’s a coconut creme pie with my name on it,” were the hopeful words uttered by Thomas Noyes, as he waited in the shade of the welcome tent at the 11th Annual Coconut Festival.
With that, he and councilman Tim Bynam bid Steve Thatcher, president of the Kapa‘a Business Association, farewell in search of the delicacy.
Actually, if Noyes had come in earlier in the day, he would have been able to get his fill of coconut creme pie at the pie eating contest hosted by Russell the Rooster and Russell’s owner Mark Jeffers of the Storybook Theater.
The pie eating contest is one facet of the two-day event which will be on the agenda at 9 a.m. today when the gates open. Russell will then be summoning contestants to the main stage area for the annual event, which is scheduled to begin at 10:25 a.m.
Bob Bartolo, one of the event founders from 11 years ago, is still very visible among the sea of activities. Yesterday, he stopped by to visit Sova and Alamita Musika for an ice-cold coconut before scurrying off to host the cooking demonstration, another facet of the community event.
“We wanted to make it a community event,” Thatcher said. “And the community organizations stepped up to the plate. This is the first time that on Thursday night, I didn’t have to work that hard because most of the things were being taken care of by the groups and agencies that make up the Kapa‘a community.”
Yet as Thatcher was able to enjoy the pre-festival, Administrative Coordinator Cherisse Kent was deprived of sleep Friday night.
“There are four chair people for this event,” Kent said. “They work really hard, and I was just worried about it being a success. I just couldn’t sleep.”
Kent, who is from the Tateishi family of Kukui Brand jelly fame, said the four chair people include Bartolo, Kenny Ishii of the Ono Family Restaurant, Pat Pannell and Mike Hough who was busy roaming the festival in search of photos for next year’s promotional pieces.
“The chair people really wanted to make this a community event,” Kent said. “And one of the first things they did was eliminate the admission fee. That must have worked because it’s been warmly received by all the people here.”
When Bartolo and Ed McDowell started the Coconut Festival 11 years ago, the intent was to celebrate the coconut, local artists and entertainers.
Over the years, Bartolo said the event has grown to attract thousands of people and about 200 volunteers.
Some of those included members of the Kapa‘a High School girls volleyball team under coach Gary Maguire who were spread out in the games tent.
Some of the players spread out to cover the prize tent, and during a rare lull in activity, even took time out to try their hand at the Coconut Bowling and Coconut Ping Pong bounce games.
Vendors filled two large tents to capacity, a far cry from the original festival where just one tent of vendors offered their wares.
That meant parking was at a premium as the festival took over the entire Kapa‘a Beach Park, but Kent said parking was available at the New Kapa‘a Town Park with free shuttle service from Bubba’s Burgers to the Armory.
Billed as the only authentic Hawaiian Coconut Festival in the USA, the Coconut Festival is sponsored by the county of Kaua‘i, the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, and a host of community sponsors including the Bank of Hawaii, American Savings Bank, the Hotel Coral Reef, Dorland & Associates and the Kauai Country Inn.
The event wraps up this afternoon with a final show by Vili the Warrior from the Polynesian Cultural Center starting at 4 p.m.
Between the pies and the final Vili show, patrons can expect performances from Hui O Kalamaola, a hula halau led by kumu hula Nathan Kalama and Maka Herrod, Lady Ipo and Na Hoaloha and a rousing performance by Tsunami Taiko to announce Vili’s final appearance.
There is no charge to enjoy the event.
