KUKUI GROVE — The annual Kaua‘i Christmas Parade capped a hectic day of shopping at the Kukui Grove Shopping Center, Saturday afternoon. Presents, trees and ornaments were the order of the day for Girl Scouts in Troops 812, 803 and
KUKUI GROVE — The annual Kaua‘i Christmas Parade capped a hectic day of shopping at the Kukui Grove Shopping Center, Saturday afternoon.
Presents, trees and ornaments were the order of the day for Girl Scouts in Troops 812, 803 and 540 as they congregated around Santa Claus in extending greetings to David Bice, the on-air radio personality from FM97 who served as emcee for the annual event hosted by the Garden Island Federal Credit Union and the Kaua‘i Teachers Federal Credit Union in conjunction with the mall.
The Girl Scouts in Troops 812, 803 and 540 finished the around-the-mall parade route by impressing the judges and earning top honors in the Marching Unit category.
Following them were the Girl Scouts of Troop 273 and Junior Troop 851 with the Kaua‘i All Girl Rodeo Association with its accompanying mule, rounding out the leaders for that category.
A convoy of classic cars and hot rods paced off the parade that featured Sparky the Fire Dog, representing Kaua‘i Mayor Bryan Baptiste, at the head of the holiday gathering that had shoppers taking a break to line the sidewalk and shaded parking areas of the shopping center to take in the caravan of holiday revelers.
The Kalaheo School Sunshine Express, a perennial entry in the parade, topped the Vehicle Unit judging with its train of specially-created “railroad” cars being pulled by a flashy white pickup decorated especially for the holidays.
Inside the cars, students from the elementary school choral unit greeted the audience with Christmas carols.
Na Hoku O Kaua‘i Pageant took the runner-up trophy, its organizers whipping together the holiday carriage for its beauty queens prior to the start of the parade in the west parking lot of the Big Kmart store.
DMD Productions with its bevy of pageant winners rounded out the leaders of the Vehicle division, its queens completely focused on the video camera filming their move from the vehicle ahead of them.
The Kaluahine ‘ohana pulled out all the stops, fielding motorized vehicles themed in blue and Cheyson Kaluahine, the 21-month-old son of Pua Kaluahine, getting to ride a blue ATV in the event.
A trailer pulled by “Big Toe,” a monster pickup, showed off its cargo of two blue customized motorcycles with the ATVs escorting the convoy.
Jonell Kaohelaulii, the marketing director for Kukui Grove, served as one of the judges for the event that was followed by a post-parade awards ceremony at the mall’s food court area.
Kaohelaulii said this weekend, the mall will be featuring the annual Lokahi Giving Project on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Olena Rubin, a Kapa‘a High School graduate, will be emcee-ing the event for KHON2. The entertainment lineup includes Barefoot Native, Jordan Segundo, Sassy & G Magazine, and more, Kaohelaulii said.
