Island of Oahu Princess Keola Dalire and her unit rode past spectactors yesterday at the 88th Annual King Kamehameha Celebration Floral Parade on Kalakaua Avenue. The parade featured floats, mounted and walking units, marching bands, decorated vehicles with distinguished guests in honor of Hawaiian king who unified the islands.
Parade achieves
colorful victoryDespite uncertainties last
week, floats and riders pass
through Waikiki as planned
Though its future had been uncertain last week, the King Kamehameha Celebration Floral Parade passed through Waikiki yesterday, as it has all but one of the last 88 years.
The Honolulu Police Department provided 66 officers to work the parade, which included six floats and 39 entries of decorated vehicles, pau rider groups or marching bands, said Police Sgt. Stan Aquino.
The cost of the police labor will be absorbed by the department, after Mayor Jeremy Harris approved an 11th-hour waiver of a new city policy of charging for parade assistance.
Mo'i Rocco Keoni Keola portrayed King Kamehameha I at the 88th Annual King Kamehameha Celebration Floral Parade yesterday. The parade featured floats, mounted and walking units, marching bands, decorated vehicles with distinguished guests in honor of the Hawaiian king who unified the islands.
Before Harris' decision, police officers had been organizing to volunteer their time so the historic parade celebrating King Kamehameha I's uniting of the Hawaiian Islands could go on. Police Department spokeswoman Michelle Yu said last week that the cost would be less than $10,000.
California visitors Ian Gee and Mario Usher said they didn't mind waiting about two hours in the sun on Kalakaua Avenue for the parade to reach them. During a two-night stay on Oahu after visiting the Big Island, "We were going to visit the Polynesian Cultural Center," Lee said, "but we figured this would be just as cultural."
"The costumes are spectacular," Gee said as flower-decorated pau riders in brightly colored dresses passed by.
Students from Camdenton High School, Mo., twirled their flags in unison with the Laker Band at the 88th Annual King Kamehameha Celebration Floral Parade yesterday.
"It's really nice, so colorful," Usher said. "It's nice to know that we have a royal family in America."
Gee was intrigued by the Hawaiian language chant offered by Kalama Cabigon, a member of the Order of Kamehameha, before the parade passed by that group's reviewing stand.
The nonprofit order, which supports a restoration of the Hawaiian Kingdom, may get involved in making sure the parade continues next year, Cabigon said.
Proud father Fred Barbosa's favorite part of the parade was when his 16-year-old son, Sheldon, marched by as part of the National Guard Youth Challenge Academy entry.
Island of Hawaii Princess Denise Ramento, center, and her unit rode past spectators.
The black beret-clad group of 95 performed a precision military marching routine and a Pacific Island-inspired warrior chant. The boys and girls graduate next week from a five-and-a-half month program that combines training in military discipline with studying for high school equivalency diplomas, Barbosa said.
"It's really turned his life around," Barbosa said of his son's participation in the voluntary program.
