PO‘IPU — The sign pointing out the annual National Tropical Botanical Garden Christmas craft fair was too modest in touting its “Craft Fair across Spouting Horn today” message. Billed as a craft fair, the annual event was a potpourri of
PO‘IPU — The sign pointing out the annual National Tropical Botanical Garden Christmas craft fair was too modest in touting its “Craft Fair across Spouting Horn today” message.
Billed as a craft fair, the annual event was a potpourri of activities with something for everyone Sunday.
Keiki sprouted antlers and face-painting ranged from a simple Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to more sophisticated clowns. Shoppers whet their appetites in a variety of cuisine including Thai food from Gingbua, appetizers from Pupus Etc. and The Right Slice pie for dessert.
Handcrafts ranged from unique pottery pieces by artist Robbrecht Troost to artwork from Mo Hamilton, who has been confined to a wheelchair since an auto accident in 2002.
“He’s been painting ever since,” said Mo’s mother, Cherry, tending to customer inquiries while Mo added intricate designs using a paintbrush modified so he could wield it using a mouthpiece. “Normally, he paints on the North Shore in Hanalei or the Ching Young Village. But once a year, he comes to the South Shore to this NTBG event.”
Similar to Mo’s art, which reflects the vibrant colors of life, the sun shone bright in a blue sky painted with fleecy white clouds and the trades toyed with the oversized ornaments which hung from the boughs of the monkeypod trees providing shade from the South Shore heat.
Enhancing this setting, Anela (do you know that translates to “angel” in Hawaiian?) Lauren’s Celtic harp melded the atmosphere adjacent to the massage station which had a steady stream of patrons.
“This is perfect,” said Sandy Poehnelt of The Right Slice. “Last year, she was on the far side of the garden and I had a hard time hearing her music. Today, she’s right here and the music is perfect for massage.”
Lauren said she normally works at NTBG as a tour guide and welcomed the opportunity to be able to play her harp for the event.
Risa Clemmons, spearhead of the recent Loy Krathong festival in Wailua, was thrilled to introduce the Gingbua Thai food ‘ohana who normally operate at the Harbor Mall.
“The festival had more than 600 people attending,” Clemmons said of the recent Thai festival. “We didn’t have any chairs left. We’ll do it again next year close to the full moon in November.”
Next on the craft fair agenda is the Koloa Elementary School pancake breakfast, starting at 7:30 a.m., Saturday.
This is a fundraiser for the school combining the pancake breakfast with a craft fair in the school’s cafeteria.
Following that, the Kaua‘i Grown and Kaua‘i Made programs combine for the Holiday Market and Craft Fair event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 17 on the Kaua‘i Community College front lawn.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
