Cold northerly winds and the possibility of rain hung in the air during the Hawai‘i Lodging &Tourism Association Kaua‘i Chapter pau hana event at the Sheraton Kaua‘i Coconut Beach Resort last week.
“If it rains, we have roll-down shelters to protect against the weather,” said resort General Manager Chris Machorek to over 100 members and guests of the HLTA. “This is our very-first event in this open-air lu‘au hale that replaces the big tent where our lu‘au was presented for many months.”
HLTA Kaua‘i director Samira Siale announced optimism for the return of the in-person Kaua‘i Visitor Industry Charity Walk under the chairmanship of Dan King, Grand Hyatt Resort Kaua‘i Resort &Spa general manager.
“We’re still meeting on this,” Siale said. “But it looks good so far, and everyone is waiting for the opportunity to have fun and raise funds for the more-than-60 Kaua‘i nonprofit organizations that get help from the charity walk.”
The last charity walk before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the HLTA Kaua‘i and charity-walk-affiliated events raised more than $453,000 shared among local nonprofit groups. Then the pandemic hit, and despite struggling through the pandemic with the rest of the island, the HLTA Kaua‘i was able to raise $260,000 through special events like the charity fishing tournament that provided respite from COVID and was fully in compliance with COVID-19 health and safety conditions.
Kaua‘i Community College Chancellor Joseph Daisy, one of the many guests enjoying the spacious, 4,800-square-foot hale, was also optimistic about the loosening conditions, informally noting that the Puhi campus will host an in-person commencement program in May.
The lu‘au hale has a capacity of 230 people, and will house the Lu‘au Ka Hikina that will start as early as Tuesday, when guests gather from around 5 p.m. for an evening including the torch-lighting ceremony, good lu‘au, locally-sourced food (yes, they have some vegan selections), and celebration of the Hawaiian and Polynesian culture under direction of award-winning kumu Leilani Rivera Low.
“We’re still testing the lighting,” said Darryl Low. “There’re more lights coming, and everything should be ready to go by Tuesday.”
Lu‘au Ka Hikina lights up on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the new lu‘au hale from 5 p.m.
Reservations and more information can be obtained via luaukahikina.com, or concierges at Kaua‘i resorts.
