The flags are up, and Hui Alu is ready for the Kaua‘i Okinawan Festival (this is perfect because it coincides with Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month that is celebrated in May!) that starts Friday (gates open at 5 p.m.) and Saturday at the Kaua‘i Veterans Center in Lihu‘e.
The Kaua‘i Veterans Council hosts its annual Memorial Day service on Monday starting at 10 a.m. at the Kaua‘i Veterans Cemetery in Hanapepe, with guest speaker U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda (rumor has it that she’s visiting the Okinawan festival, too).
Co-sponsored by the County of Kaua‘i, the two-day (er, night, because the festival actually starts at 6 and runs to 10 p.m.) event will feature Okinawan food (andagi is the Okinawa version of malasada, and they got noodle dishes and soups, too), Okinawa Eisa bon dance (with some Honolulu performers), Japanese bon dance (Kapa‘a Hongwanji is hosting the first one on June 9 and 10!), sanshi performances, craft vendors, and a country store featuring produce, plants and assorted baked goods — all for free! And, the banners are nice, too.
Kudos, Bonnie Tiffany and the Bonjolea II crew for snapping the Fast Company win streak in the Nawiliwili Yacht Club’s weekly races.
Jakki Nelson (Rotary Club of Kapa‘a’s Taste of Hawai‘i is coming up on June 4!) said it was all right, and Chris Jordan (Kauai Sailing Association — Chris is the president — has its summer sailing coming up, June 5) from OZone had some nice comments about the Fast Company loss, too.
OK, have a safe, fun Memorial Day weekend!
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
