WAIMEA — For the past 17 years, Thomas Nizo has been the man behind the scenes at the annual Waimea Town Celebration. You may have seen him setting up the entertainment for the festival or even troubleshooting a technical problem.
WAIMEA — For the past 17 years, Thomas Nizo has been the man behind the scenes at the annual Waimea Town Celebration.
You may have seen him setting up the entertainment for the festival or even troubleshooting a technical problem.
At other times, you may have caught him working at the festival’s beer garden or selling some of the festival’s custom-made shirts.
Over the years, he has done them all.
But Nizo, who has been a go-to guy for most of his time with the festival, made a leap this year to head the 37-year-old event after former chair Mark Nellis left Kauai.
“The next logical person was for me to take the reins,” Nizo said.
So this year, he said, will be one marked by a lot of learning and a few big changes to one of the town’s mainstay events, which runs Saturday through Feb. 22.
“It’s a little bit stressful but I think it’ll go well,” said Nizo, who works as a facilities operations specialist at the Pacific Missile Range Facility during the day and manages the Waimea Theater at night.
“Everyone knows their positions or their jobs and knows their events inside and out,” he added. “That’s the good thing about the longevity of this event — we have people who have been involved as long or longer that I have been involved with it.”
Nizo said he became involved with the Waimea Town Celebration through PMRF, one of the event’s main sponsors.
At that time, Nizo said he was the point of contact between festival organizers and the federal facility, which provided volunteers, booths and entertainment for the fundraiser that benefits community nonprofits.
“For me, I saw this trickle down economics, I guess you would say,” Nizo said. “Over the years, it just built in me that this is my way to give back to my community.”
Even after PMRF officials had to scale back their community efforts following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Nizo became more active in the community, and the festival, through the West Kauai Business and Professional Association.
“It just grew on me, and every year after that, I started getting really involved,” Nizo said. “My whole thing to this day is measuring my success in how many smiles I get per dollar.”
And this year, Nizo is breaking the mold, so to speak, by changing the way the Waimea Town Celebration has been done for many years.
The more noticeable changes, he said, includes extending the festival over the span of seven days rather than two.
Some that he tried over the past six months did not work, but Nizo said he hopes those revisions that were successful will help the festival for years to come.
“At the end of the day, my whole thing is to generate as much money for the West Kauai Business and Professional Association to keep things like the theater, main street, light parade and this festival going year after year,” Nizo said. “That’s my drive and that’s the overall way I look at the festival — it’s not just a festival that we throw on, it’s more than that. It’s a way for us to give back to our community in ways that not a lot of people see.”
It’s a lot of hard work, he admits, but it’s worth it.
That realization, he said, happens almost every year when he steps out on the stage, looks into the crowd and sees how many people are enjoying themselves.
“When I walk off that stage and the first group plays that first note, I know that I’ve done my job,” Nizo said. “I know that every dollar that we spent, every dollar or in-kind contributions that we received and the sweat equity that we put into that festival, was worth it.”
The Waimea Film Festival is scheduled for Monday.
The day was incorrectly listed in the tab inserted in today’s TGI.
Editor’s note: The Waimea Film Festival is scheduled for Monday. The day was incorrectly listed in the tab inserted in today’s TGI.
Feb. 15
Kilohana Long Distance Canoe Race
Traditional Hawaiian outrigger canoes race. Info: 651-7252.
Feb. 16
One-Man, Two-Man, SUP & Surf Ski Races
Registration 9 to 11 a.m. at Salt Pond. Races begin at noon. Cost: $25. Info: 482-1972.
Celebration of The Year of King Kaumualii
Games, music and hula. Info: 338-1332
Feb. 17
Waimea Film Festival
Life-affirming films and inspiring filmmakers. Cost: $8 adult, $7 seniors, students, $6 children. Info: 651-5744
Feb. 19
In the Name of Aloha
Music, hula and celebration. Cost: $10. Info: 651-5744
Feb. 20
Tales and Treats
A storytelling event at the Historic Waimea Theater. Cost: $10.
Feb. 21-22
Heritage of Aloha Hoolaulea
Entertainment, food booths, games and carnival rides. Info: 645-0996
Rodeo Roundup
Traditional rodeo events at the Friendship Do Ranch at the Old Waimea Dairy site. Friday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost: (Saturday only) $5 adults, $3 for keiki (5-12). Info: 635-9635.
3-on-3 Basketball
All games will be held at Waimea Canyon Park Basketball Courts. Cost: $10/player (school division) and $25/player (adult division). Friday 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Info: 286-2064.
Paniolo Hat Lei Contest
Display at the Visitor Center Friday from noon to 8 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Lei Makamae
Make a lei with Aunty Janet Kahalekomo at the West Kauai Technology and Visitor Center. Info: 338-1332
Feb. 22
Fun Run
Captain Cook Caper Run registration Friday at the Old Mill Site 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Cost: $30 adults and $25 for ages 17 and below. Info: (623) 824-2177.
Ice Cream Contest
Sign up at 11:30 a.m. next to the stage. Contest begins at noon. Info: 338-1522.
Scotty‘s Music ‘Ukulele Contest
Signup Saturday at the information booth at the Old Mill Site 10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Contest begins 1 p.m. Info: 338-1332.
Feb. 21-23
Slow Pitch Softball Tournament
Teams compete in a double elimination tournament. Friday 5 to 9 p.m. at Waimea Athletic Field and H.P. Faye Park in Kekaha, Saturday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Waimea Athletic Field and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at H.P. Faye Park and Sunday 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. playoffs and championships at Waimea Athletic Field. Info: 482-0886
