Talk story at Plantation Days

POIPU — A lot of what is going on at Koloa Plantation Days is a preview of Saturday.

More than 800 fliers were distributed to South Shore properties to let visitors know about the craft fair on Saturday, said Judy Webb, coordinator of the Park Celebration at the Anne Knudsen Park craft fair.

“Nathan Kawaguchi, the Koloa Plantation Days vice president, once told me this is the most elite craft fair in Hawaii,” Webb said.

“There will be more than 60 vendors showing off some of the island’s finest items.”

In keeping with the “Stories of Our Heritage” theme, vendors had an abundance of stories to share with customers and shoppers.

“This is the real history,” said David Chang, longtime resident of Koloa and Poipu on Monday evening when he stopped by the exhibit at The Shops at Kukuiula. “Real Kauai people talking about Kauai is history.”

Chang reminisced about the days gone by at the Waita Reservoir and the finer points of comparing canoes created out of roofing iron.

“You were doing the same things we did,” Chang told Ismael “Pineapple Sam” Tabalno.

Melissa McFerrin, event coordinator, said there was almost not going to be a band in Saturday’s parade.

“The military bands cannot fly because of the sequestration,” McFerrin said.

“We almost had no band, but the all-Kauai members of the all-Hawaii marching band, which plays in the Rose Bowl Parade, is practicing so they can provide music on Saturday.”

Koloa Plantation Days continues with traditional Hawaiian games hosted by the Outrigger Kiahuna Plantation from 10 a.m. to noon today and a special plantation-style cooking demonstration at the Kauai Culinary Market from 4 to 6 p.m. at The Shops at Kukuiula.

Talk story with long-time Koloa residents on Thursday and Friday, along with the Plantation Days Putting Contest at the Poipu Bay Gold Club from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday.