KAPA‘A — Someone didn’t tell the Coconut Festival people the economy is on a downturn. Thousands of people streamed through the entrance to the two-day festival over the weekend at the Kapa‘a Beach Park. “We had about 4,500 people at
KAPA‘A — Someone didn’t tell the Coconut Festival people the economy is on a downturn.
Thousands of people streamed through the entrance to the two-day festival over the weekend at the Kapa‘a Beach Park.
“We had about 4,500 people at the gate, Saturday,” said Laurie Yoshida, event coordinator for the 13th Annual Coconut Festival. “Sunday is usually less hectic than Saturday, but people attending the event didn’t drop off because of the economy.”
Yoshida said there were vendors in the craft tent who indicated attendance and business was less than the 2008 event, but the food vendors were smashed all day and sold out of goods.
Melissa Costales, volunteer coordinator for the Coconut Festival, said attendance at the festival appeared to be the same as last year.
“We saw the banner on the wall as we were passing through and stopped to visit,” said Chris and Amy Tuma of California who were being interviewed by Taylor Ludington and Janessa Grady, students from the Kaua‘i High School Academy of Hospitality and Tourism.
Kathy Morishige, director of the AOHT program, said she wanted the students’ volunteerism to also be a learning event.
“The interviews being conducted by the students enable them to meet real visitors to the island,” she said. “The results will be compiled later in class and when the summary is done, Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. said he would like to be present when the students do their final presentation.”
Sheila Colobong, an AOHT volunteer, said there were a total of 10 seniors and 10 juniors volunteering each day, with the students being rotated through the different stations throughout the day.
“If I didn’t have to come to volunteer, I would not have known about this,” said Courtney Cagdan, another AOHT volunteer. “This is the first time I’ve been to this event.”
The Coconut Festival started 13 years ago when KBA member Bob Bartolo and Ed McDowell came up with the idea of celebrating the coconut.
Since that time, the festival has grown to include two large tents filled with crafters and vendors, and has been exposed internationally via the appearances of various television crews and writers that converge at the park to take in the coconut-related acts, contests, crafts and food.
“It was so busy, Saturday, you couldn’t see space in here,” said Ron Wiley, the emcee for the event.
The event was sponsored by Kaua‘i County, the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority and the Kapa‘a Business Association.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
