LIHU‘E — Their voices were silenced from being put away for so long. Their skin a chalky white from the lack of sun. They walked listlessly, eyes inquisitive as they approached shoppers in silence. These are the zombies that frequent
LIHU‘E — Their voices were silenced from being put away for so long. Their skin a chalky white from the lack of sun. They walked listlessly, eyes inquisitive as they approached shoppers in silence.
These are the zombies that frequent the Haunted House and the dance arena in the exhibition area of Kukui Grove Center on Freaky Fridays.
Every Friday through Halloween, the mall transforms from its normal retailing into a scene from the horror movies as a pirate ship rolls out of its storage facility and, one by one, ghoulish figures appear, silently mingling with shoppers at the mall before dropping in the exhibition area.
“We wanted something that appealed to all members of the family and I think the Aloha Dance Studio people did it,” said Jonel Kaohelauli‘i, the marketing director of CB Richard Ellis.
Starting at 5 p.m. and running through 9 p.m., the Aloha Dance Studio and Kukui Grove hosts Freaky Fridays that offer a variety of keiki activities, dance exhibitions including Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and the Haunted House.
“The demand for the Haunted House was so great, the mall extended its operation so it is open on Saturday nights as well,” said Tiffany Dodge of the Aloha Dance Studio.
Kaohelauli‘i said the Saturday night Haunted House hours are from 5 to 8 p.m. She said the normal mall hours has stores closing at 7 p.m., but McDonald’s is open until 8:30 p.m., Cold Stone Creamery is open until 10 p.m. and Star Market closes at 11 p.m.
“My daughter, Tiffany, and many families on Kaua‘i got together with Kukui Grove to build a Haunted House for the families and keiki of Kaua‘i,” Clark Dodge said in an e-mail. “It is growing into a major event.”
Freaky Fridays is the major feature when the Children’s Discovery Museum offers a variety of keiki craft activities in the vicinity of the Haunted House, located between Radio Shack and the Kaua‘i Society of Artists gallery, between 5 and 7 p.m., Kaohelauli‘i said.
“We wanted to offer something to people who are not at the (high school) football games,” Kaohelauli‘i said. “We also wanted something to appeal to all the teens that frequent the mall on Fridays.”
This set the stage for the “Thriller” performances by Aloha Dance Studio.
“This year, we have added more dances from the little ones through the adults,” Clark said.
A pirate ship facade provides the setting for keiki fishing for prizes at the fish pond, the highlight of the keiki activities.
“We used real marine debris from Wailua to decorate the boat,” Mary Pigao, whose daughters perform at Aloha Dance Studio, said. “We went out one weekend and picked up stuff from the beaches to use on the boat.”
Pigao said the project took almost a month to complete with parents and other volunteers spending days and weekends piecing together the maze and other features of Freaky Fridays.
“They did a really excellent job,” Kaohelauli‘i said. “We have certain restrictions such as nothing can be tacked on the walls. They worked around whatever conditions was set forth in the agreement and did a marvelous job.”
Kukui Grove and Aloha Dance Studio brings everything to a climax on Halloween when the mall hosts a variety of activities starting with the Halloween Festival from 3 to 6 p.m., Kaohelauli‘i said.
“There will be a family costume contest, the Howl and Growl contest sponsored by KONG Radio, the annual Trick-or-Treat parade, and an appearance by Augie T,” Kaohelauli‘i said. “And yes, the Haunted House will be open until 8 p.m.”
Clark said the project is a true family affair.
“It shows how families and friends can make something happen,” Clark said. “My wife, Kathy Dodge, owner of Dance Wear Etc., teamed up with Tiffany Dodge of Aloha Dance Studio to design and lay out the room, and together with the students, parents and other volunteers, is now one of the first big Haunted Houses on the island.”
