Family Fright Night: fun for everyone

WAIPOULI — Superheroes, witches and scary costumes galore made Friday Night Fright Night an allover success for keiki and adults alike in Waipouli at the Kaua‘i Village shopping center.

Dozens of unique costumes adorned children ready to show off their creativity and fright-ability while asking the age-old question, “Trick or Treat?” on the Friday preceding Halloween.

The evening’s events got started at 6 p.m. with a trick-or-treating segment at businesses within the village until 7:30 p.m., along with a keiki-friendly haunted house. Then it was time for the adult haunted house from 8 p.m. until midnight, all as part of a  fundraiser for the Kapa‘a High and Kaua‘i High drama clubs. Coinciding at 8:30 p.m. was a viewing of the cult-classic “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” where participants could bring props and costumes, until finally it was time for the Halloween dance with Dance Anahata DJ Kyahnasun.

The events were part of an effort to support the island’s theater programs. Both drama clubs partnered with Na Keiki O Ka Aina (The Children of the Land) Polynesian Culture Center, a nonprofit that offers free classes and cultural events that keep the Polynesian culture alive, to put the “Family Fright Night” together. 

Families got creative in their costumes, with some adults dressing the part along with their children.

Linden Johns of Kapa‘a, who was out with his parents and baby sister, said his it was his brother’s idea for his costume: an IRS audit team. Reese Collins, trick-or-treating with mom Cathy, got the idea for her costume all on her own: that of a feral cat.

Mahealani Pontius was sans keiki but creative nonetheless, and opted to be a sea goddess, after having made a “found-object” costume herself.

Pontius said she used gold wire and sea coral for her outfit, along with other found objects, including fishing rope and seaweed.