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Water Ways Ray Pendleton |
Spend the day at
the harbor festivalQuick, what time is it?
If you're like me, it's about 8 o'clock Saturday morning and you're reading the Star-Bulletin sports section with your first cup of coffee.
That means you have plenty of time to get yourself together and get down to the Fourth Annual Honolulu Harbor Festival, where things get started at 9 a.m. today.
In fact, this celebration of Hawaii's rich maritime history will go on until 4 p.m., so if the family's a bit slow getting out the door, don't worry, there will still be lots to see and do.
All of the activities will take place between the Aloha Tower Marketplace and the Hawaii Maritime Center, and according to festival organizers, their goal will be to enlighten, entertain and inform visitors and residents about Honolulu Harbor's long and colorful history, and its vital role in the community today.
To accomplish that goal, numerous events and demonstrations have been scheduled throughout the day.
There will be tugboat hulas (hard to imagine, but true), harbor tours and the annual Sand Island Challenge Outrigger Canoe Race.
Other activities will include demonstrations by the University of Hawaii's Sailing Team and the U.S. Coast Guard's Search and Rescue team, as well as a reenactment of the Boston Tea Party aboard the Falls of Clyde.
The Hawaii Maritime Center will also have activities for children and will present a special harbor photo exhibit themed "On the Waterfront."
The exhibit will feature reproduced and enlarged photos from Bishop Museum's collections that will be highlighted by a 40-foot panoramic photo of Honolulu Harbor.
The festivities in the Aloha Tower Marketplace will include daylong, live entertainment by the U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet Band, Kapena, Ka'ala Boys, Maunalua, Kanilau and Weldon Kekauoha and the Tapa Groove.
And of course, along with its outstanding restaurants, the Marketplace will provide food booths for every taste and budget.
Its organizers point out that the Honolulu Harbor Festival's objective is to remind the community of the harbor's presence and importance -- economically, culturally and historically.
Additionally, the Harbor Festival provides a look at the employment opportunities available on the waterfront and is underwritten by the local maritime industry, with the support of Bishop Museum's Hawaii Maritime Center and the Aloha Tower Marketplace.
"Honolulu Harbor is an essential part of Hawaii, and we are proud to share its story with the public every year through the Honolulu Harbor Festival," Honolulu Harbor Festival President Randy Grune said.
"The Harbor Festival celebrates the harbor's vibrant maritime past and provides a great opportunity for residents and visitors to experience what makes the waterfront work through harbor tours, demonstrations and vessel open houses," he added.
So go ahead, put off those chores you were planning on doing today and take the family down to the Honolulu Harbor Festival to have an educational and entertaining day.
There is no admission charge and parking is available on the makai side of Nimitz Hwy. and at nearby downtown parking garages, such as Harbor Court, Harbor Square, the TOPA Building (AMFAC), and Pacific Guardian Center (Grosvenor Center), for a $2 flat rate.
See you there.
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Ray Pendleton is a free-lance writer based in Honolulu.
His column runs Saturdays in the Star-Bulletin.
He can be reached by e-mail at raypendleton@mac.com.
