HANALEI — The Hanalei Canoe Club Golden Jubilee Lu‘au is right around the corner. Tickets for the event are available online by visiting hanaleicanoeclub.org/luau/.
Early bird tickets are $60 for adults, and $15 for keiki, online. Tickets will be available at the door, but at higher rates.
The Hanalei Canoe Club Golden Jubilee Lu‘au is July 29 at the Hanalei Canoe Club, with the gates opening at 4 p.m. for ono food, live music, canoe rides and an on-site silent auction.
“All activities will celebrate Hawaiian canoe culture, history and paddling,” said Haily Zaki in an email. “For our 50th anniversary, the Hanalei Canoe Club is honoring our roots and raising funds to send the club’s Na ‘Opio to the 2023 State Championship races that will be held in Hilo, Hawai‘i island.”
The Hanalei Canoe Club is the oldest canoe club on Kaua‘i, and was created to support the youth of Kaua‘i’s North Shore communities, states the club’s website.
“This is the first time that the lu‘au is being held since the flood, and then, of course, COVID-19,” Zaki said. “As Dr. Kapua Chandler — her father was one of the founders of the Hanalei Canoe Club in 1973 — was saying this week at practice to the kids, back when the lu‘au was started, it was an annual festivity to ensure that local kids would have access to paddling, and learning about wa‘a culture.”
From 1973 until today, the Hanalei Hawaiian Civic Club and Hanalei Canoe Club have continued to prioritize na ‘opio paddling program that continues to be the club’s heart, bringing together communities from keiki to kupuna.
With the Garden Isle Championships looming on July 22 at Hanalei Bay, the state championship race in Hilo is a special and significant milestone for youth paddlers.
“Hilo is a hub for Hawaiian cultural education, and during this trip to the upcoming state races, na ‘opio paddlers will have the opportunity to connect with historically and culturally significant places. Given that the location of the state championship race rotates annually, this opportunity occurs once every six years,” the website states.
“The program would not be possible without the generous support of our community — from parents to volunteers to donors and sponsors. All proceeds from the 50th anniversary lu‘au will allow our qualifying na ‘opio paddlers to participate in the 2023 state championships in Hilo this year.”
