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TheBuzz Erika Engle |
Kailua businesses defer
to higher authority
this weekendTHE Kailua Fourth of July Parade will be held on the third of July this year. Hah!? How come li'dat?
"The parade is on the third because there are so many churches on Kainalu Drive," the parade route, said Pohai Ryan, executive director of the Kailua Chamber of Commerce.
Ohhh! Duh! July 4 falls on a Sunday this year.
The Kailua chamber had to notify the U.S. Postal Service. Never mind rain, sleet or gloom of night -- mail carriers might have to dart between floats, gymnasts and politicians-in-borrowed-Corvettes to complete their appointed rounds. July 3 is not a federal holiday, after all.
Maj. Gen. Frank Steer, a 103-year-old World War I veteran will serve as grand marshal reflecting the theme, "Kailua Honors American Heroes." After the 10 a.m. parade, Kailua businesses and other organizations will stage a Freedom Festival at Kailua District Park from noon to 4 p.m., with food booths, free keiki activities and live entertainment.
"We're encouraging families to come out with blankets and umbrellas," Ryan said.
Freebies will include ice cream from the soon-to-open Kailua Cold Stone Creamery, bike tune-ups and bicycling tips from Bikefactory. Other attractions include a swimsuit fashion show and displays of military vehicles and Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Verbal fireworks may be provided by politicians at the festival, but the more traditional pyrotechnics will be on July 4.
Clint Churchill plans to thrill revelers with aerobatic stunts in his Extra 300 aircraft and hopes buddy Hank Bruckner will join in with his own plane for a 6 p.m. air show before the 8 p.m. fireworks over Kailua Bay.
"Chuck Cotton is the real hero behind the Kailua fireworks show and air show," said Mitch D'Olier, chief executive of Kaneohe Ranch Co. Cotton is general manager of the seven Hawaii radio stations owned by Clear Channel Communications Inc. Other sponsors include Hardware Hawaii, Papa John's Pizza, Longs Drug Stores, Foodland Super Market Ltd., Times Super Market, McKenna Motors and the ranch.
Bouncing bonanza
It's likely you won't pass a party this weekend without an inflatable, a jumper, or as they are commonly known among sophisticated grown-ups and children, a bouncy-house.Xtreme Fun Rentals Inc. has been booked solid and will be supplying a mix of inflatables, slides, games and rides for Fourth festivities at Schofield Barracks and Pearl Harbor and a large two-day celebration at Kapiolani Park.
Established in 1997, the company employs 67 workers, but weekends like the one ahead require additional resources, such as trucks to haul the big equipment. That is despite a burgeoning bouncy-house industry.
"There's probably 50 or so companies that have started after us," said Delbert Kim, Xtreme vice president.
The more equipment and vehicles a company has, the more storage they need. "Insurance is another challenge."
Conrad Cambra, owner of Bouncing Unlimited, agreed that bouncy-house renters need to beware.
"Not everybody is covered with insurance. That is the key right there," he said.
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin. Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached at: eengle@starbulletin.com