Limiting alcohol and beefing up security are among ideas on the table for this year’s Taste of Hawai‘i, following last year’s incident in which an inebriated attendee resisted arrest. The alcohol-limit free event had managed to run successfully without serious
Limiting alcohol and beefing up security are among ideas on the table for this year’s Taste of Hawai‘i, following last year’s incident in which an inebriated attendee resisted arrest.
The alcohol-limit free event had managed to run successfully without serious incident for 19 years, as this year will mark its 20th anniversary.
But last year, the majority of Kaua‘i police were called to the event as it was winding down, as a result of an argument between three reportedly intoxicated guests.
Among them was Mixed Martial Arts fighter Lebeau Lagmay, 24, who police later charged with second-degree terroristic threatening, three counts of harassment and second-degree assault on a police officer.
Police had said it took several officers to intervene because Lagmay was uncooperative.
To make matters worse, a woman who was attending the event with Lagmay reportedly kicked a police officer when Lagmay was being put in handcuffs.
In light of the incident, coordinators’ discussions of increasing security — still in the planning process — has included hiring off-duty cops, perhaps from other islands if necessary, according to Jakki Nelson, Olympic Café manager and Taste of Hawai‘i chef coordinator for the Kapa‘a Rotary Clup, the organizer of the event.
Whether that idea will come to fruition is yet to be decided, but the reason behind the need for more security remains.
“We don’t want to be
pulling from Kaua‘i’s resources, because we’re a small island and we shouldn’t need to call all the cops to one area during those four hours,” Nelson said.
The event, which began imposing a limit on ticket sales several years ago, has had to make modifications here and there to accommodate its growing popularity, she added.
“The event has gotten so large — it used to attract an exclusive clientele,” she said.
“Of course word gets out for one price you can drink as much as you want and it’s such a nice setting, there are bad elements that find out and try to take advantage.”
To help limit alcohol consumption this year, coordinators have talked about wristbands or tickets to help monitor how many drinks attendees can have.
They’ve also discussed having beer vendors bring smaller cups, she said.
“A lot of them have been serving in 16-ounce cups,” Nelson said. “So we’ve discussed possibly having it smaller — it is supposed to be a ‘taste.’ Even the food portions are supposed to be small.”
Taste of Hawai‘i cofounder Jim Saylor said of the 30,000 guests to have sampled food and drink at Taste of Hawai’i — a conservative estimate in Saylor’s view — “most have been fabulous and presented zero problems,” he said.
Saylor noted the arrests last year were isolated incidents amidst a long-standing, significant event that has become a community tradition.
To ensure the incident remains isolated, however, coordinators are considering refusing admittance to those who appear intoxicated.
Those falling in that category could be asked to leave, Saylor said, “in a very professional manner, with professional persuasion,” he added.
The event coordinators are also working with the vendors serving alcohol, asking that they follow the state law and avoid serving drinks to those who appear intoxicated.
In all, though, the main concern of vendors and coordinators is that guests enjoy themselves while getting to do something positive for the community, Saylor said.
“We want the day to be a fun-filled, enjoyable event for everybody,” he said. “We certainly don’t want to do anything to jeopardize that.”
Nelson said the Kapa‘a Rotary Club, which sponsors Taste of Hawai’i, has donated to the Kapa‘a Middle School band and has worked with the Boys and Girls Club. It also has donated culinary scholarships, Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas presents to child and family services and produced a water safety video that aired at the Lihu’e Airport. The video was later solicited to airlines and hotels to help educate visitors.
Kapa‘a Rotary also has donated wheelchairs to Kaua‘i residents and has helped Rotary International with its mission of providing clean water worldwide, as well as its global initiative to end polio, Nelson said.
More information
To learn more about Taste of Hawai’i or to buy tickets online, go to www.tasteofhawaii.com
• Amanda C. Gregg, assistant editor/staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or agregg@kauaipubco.com
