Dustin MacDonald of the Kaua‘i Skate ‘Ohana had been waiting for more than 20 years for Friday night.
“He’s been waiting to do this for more than 20 years,” said Jody MacDonald, Dustin’s wife, as she secured her car near the Historic County Building. “To be part of the Lights on Rice holiday parade has always been his dream.”
The Kaua‘i Skate ‘Ohana and its corps of skateboarders and bicyclists that use the Lihu‘e skate ramp in the back of the Pi‘ikoi Building was one of the newest participants in the 2022 edition of the Lights on Rice holiday lights parade that returned for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s been so long since we had this,” was the common thread of conversation among participants and spectators that lined Rice Street from the Historic County Building to the west entrance of Vidinha Stadium. “There’s going to be a lot of people! Everyone has been waiting for this.”
Thousands of people flocked to Lihu‘e to watch and revel in the excitement of more than 60 floats (65, if following the dialog of the four announcement stations) and participants exceeding 3,000 people, according to The Rotary Club of Kaua‘i staging data.
“I’ve got to get the dogs home,” said Sharron Weber of Tire Warehouse, who has been participating in the holiday extravaganza since the first parade more than 25 years ago.
Shelley Paik said their Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative line truck entry was the truck’s first assignment.
“It’s brand new,” Paik said. “We haven’t used it yet. This is the first time it’s going to be used.”
Doris Nekomoto with her daughter in tow searched through the sea of chairs and parked cars for a space to set up.
“This is so crowded,” she said, after squeezing into a space across the former Lee’s Furniture, where a family set up a refreshment buffet table in the unoccupied depths of the store at the intersection of Rice and Kress streets.
Thousands of spectators attested by the growing number of parked chairs and cars lined the street to share the excitement of the parade participants, including the little red canoe and the Kaua‘i High School paddling teams, who faced the inaugural races of the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation paddling regatta on
Saturday morning.
“I’m so glad I decided to come,” said Julie Demond of Jules by the Sea craft tent. “It was so last minute, but I figured I could at least get a spot to watch the parade. It was crazy, and well worth it. Now, I need to get ready for Saturday and the craft fair circuit.”
Elena Camat of Elena’s Gourmet Kaua‘i Pretzels shared the same sentiment.
“I’ve got to make more pretzels,” she said. “I have four stations to set up Saturday — two at the Grove Farm Market, the Little Pea Holiday Market benefiting Kaua‘i Hospice, and First Saturday by Pono Market.”
The next lighted Christmas parade takes place on Dec. 17 in Waimea town, presented by the historic Waimea Theater Foundation.
•••
Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
