Hawai'i stages royal parade
| • | Open/closed for Kamehameha Day |
By Scott Ishikawa
Advertiser Staff Writer
For a moment yesterday, it seemed it was going to rain on everyone's parade — the 85th annual parade in honor of King Kamehameha I.
Cory Lum • The Honolulu Advertiser
But as if on cue, the sun melted away the clouds just as the floral parade began at 9:30 a.m. Spectators used their umbrellas to shelter themselves from the sun instead of rain.
The Hawaiian Airlines nene float makes its way down King Street in the King Kamehameha floral parade.
The parade traveled its traditional route from downtown Honolulu, along Ala Moana and ending in Waikiki.
While many work throughout the night before the parade to finish decorating the floral floats, Kamehameha Schools administrator Bonnie Abe said her students were able to finish theirs around midnight Friday.
"The kids have been working on it all week," Abe said. "A lot of the flowers for the float were dried flowers such as the marigold, so we didn't have to put them on all at one time.
"We did have to paste the chrysanthemum pedals on one-by-one to create that layer effect."
Lindsey Pollock was hired by Hawaiian Airlines to design its float of a flapping 20-foot-long n«n« and her two goslings.
The 55-year-old Kahuku resident traveled to the Volcano area on the Big Island to collect 'uki and Hawaiian sedge grass for the birds' "feathers." To contrast the rough material, he surrounded the rest of the float with roses.
Pollock, who designs special events such as parties, receptions and floats, compared creating floats to show-and-tell.
"It is kind of a feel-good accomplishment when it's complete," Pollock said. "It's even more of an honor when everyone gets to see the finished product."
