LIHU‘E — A young student at the Premier Martial Arts emerged from the dojo to a world of witches, ghouls and other Halloween frights on Wednesday during after-school hours.
He was joined by hula students at Na Hula O Kaohikukapulani studio, who were practicing for an upcoming performance.
The students snaked out one door of the studio located next to Kaua‘i Ocean Discovery, smiled and waved before entering the studio through another set of doors.
A few doors down the shopping center, a worker took up the bench occupied by a full-sized skelton to do paperwork at the Small Fry shop offering infant and young children gear.
“Small Fry was the first store to decorate for Halloween. We are super enthusiastic about Halloween and families at Kukui Grove,” said Melissa McFerrin-Warrack, the marketing and specialty leasing manager at Kukui Grove Center.
“The Halloween tradition is back in force starting with the fall break weekend that includes a ‘Trick or Trade’ Pop Swap hosted by Bubbah’s Toy Box on Oct. 7. Kristyn and Sheldon Peralta invite the public to dress up as your favorite Halloween character to win a prize.”
During that same day, the Aloha Dance Studio will be performing its showcase in anticipation of three weeks of Freaky Fridays, which start on Oct. 13 from 5 to 8:30 p.m.
“This first week’s theme will be Disney inspired,” McFerrin-Warrack said. “This year, Aloha Dance is adding crafts in addition to games as a fundraiser. To go along with that, their ever-popular ‘flash mob’ style performances will take place fronting the Keiki Korner play area.”
Dog lovers are invited to the “Howloween Doggie Costume Contest,” which takes place at 2 p.m. on Oct. 14 with the Dog Fanciers Club that hosts doggie obedience classes in the shopping center’s parking lot.
At 4 p.m. on the same date, the Kapa‘a Middle School ‘Ukulele Band and Choir will host a fall break movie night based on the popularity and success of the Kaua‘i High School Homecoming Committee that aired a movie tied in with the school’s homecoming week activities.
The annual Halloween Festival, which takes the stage on Oct. 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., features a shopping center-wide trick or treating and costume contest.
The weekend wraps up on Oct. 29 from 3 to 5 p.m. when Nannie Ann Apalla and Alice Luck, of the Kaua‘i Planning and Action Alliance Resilience Project, bring back the now-annual Trunk or Treat event. The event takes place ahead of the traditional Oct. 31 Halloween celebrations.
