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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, November 27, 2001

Drive Time
It's a big year for parades

 •  Upcoming parades

By Mike Leidemann
Advertiser Transportation Writer

Everybody loves a parade — but this is getting ridiculous.

More than 16 Christmas parades and street celebrations are planned throughout Honolulu, beginning Friday. That's more than one every other day from now to Christmas Day.

And that doesn't include at least three Christmas parades held Thanksgiving weekend.

Christmas parades are like mothers and apple pie and the old Columbia Inn — you can't really be against them. They thrill the kids and fill up the merchant tills. That's why nearly every shopping area of any size wants its own; one big, centralized parade just doesn't cut it.

This year's parades range from big traditional ones, like the 55th annual Kaimuki Parade (2,000 marchers, 25 vehicles, three floats, five bands), to fledgling upstarts like the Ko'olauloa Lions North Shore parade (five vehicles along Kamehameha Highway between Pupukea and Swanzy Beach Park). You can find a parade everywhere from Waimanalo to Wai'anae, Hawai'i Kai to Liliha.

With all those moving festivals, you'd think it would be easy to put on a parade, right?

"It gets bigger and more complicated all the time," said Cyrus Robinson, branch manager at Territorial Savings & Loan, who has been helping with the Kaimuki parade for nine years. The parade has a budget of about $4,000, but receives hundreds of helping hands and donations from Wai'alae businesses.

Then there are the hoops. You know, the ones you have to jump through.

The city requires a permit for any activity on a public street, sidewalk or alley that doesn't comply with normal traffic use. To get one from the Department of Transportation Services, parade organizers need clearance from the city's events coordinator, Planning Department and Facilities Maintenance Department, which goes out to fix potholes along the parade route.

Then there's the not-so-small matter of insurance.

Parade organizers have to buy at least $500,000 worth, and include the city as an insured party. The list of other restrictions and duties covers two printed pages.

Even if you get through all that, there's always a grinch. Everybody loves a parade, it seems, unless they are driving behind it.

Honolulu police are always on hand to minimize traffic disruptions (and thrill the crowds with the roar of their motorcycles), but someone is still bound to complain.

So why bother?

The Manoa Lions Club asked itself that question, and for a couple of years canceled its annual Manoa Christmas parade. But this year the event is making a comeback.

"We're trying to keep it small and a community event," said Miyuki Matsuno, who has been involved in the parade planning for more than 20 years. "We're doing it for the kids."

• • •

Upcoming parades

Information as supplied to Honolulu city officials.

• Wahiawa Christmas Parade, 6:30 -8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30. Wahiawa Community and Business Association. From Ka'ala Elementary school to Center Street. 621-8442.

• Mililani Christmas Parade, 9-11 a.m. Saturday. Mililani Shopping Center. Shopping center to Town Center of Mililani. 593-1533.

• Kane'ohe Christmas parade, 9-11 a.m. Saturday. Kane'ohe Business Group/Kane'ohe Christmas Parade Committee. Windward Mall to Castle High School. 239-9003.

• Gentry Waipi'o Christmas parade, 3-4:30 p.m. Saturday. Gentry Waipi'o Community Association. Starts and ends at Gentry Waipi'o Shopping Center.

• Mayor's annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony/parade, 6-11 p.m. Saturday. Official event sponsored by the Honolulu city government. Beretania/ Richards Street to closed-off section of King Street. 523-4740.

• Street Bikers United Toys for Tots parade, 4-5:30 p.m. Sunday. Street Bikers United. Hawai'i Convention Center to Waikiki Shell lot. 528-7388.

• Kaimuki Christmas Parade, 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6. Kaimuki Business & Professional Association. St. Louis High School to Kaimuki Municipal Parking Lot. 732-5544.

• 'Ewa Beach Christmas Parade, 9-10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 8. 'Ewa Beach Community Association. Starts and ends at 'Ilima Intermediate School. 689-1311.

• Hale'iwa Christmas Ho'olaule'a Parade, 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 8. Hale'iwa Main Street. Weed Circle roundabout to Hale'iwa Beach Park. Participants still being sought. 638-8173.

• Wai'anae Coast Christmas parade, 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Dec. 8. Rotary Club of Wai'anae Coast. Wai'anae Boat Harbor parking lot to Wai'anae Mall.

• Ko'olauloa Lions North Shore Christmas parade, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8. Ko'olauloa Lions Club. Pupu Road to Swanzy Beach Park. 293-8050.

• Pearl City Christmas Parade, 4-5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9. Pearl City Shopping Center. Momilani Elementary School to Pearl City Shopping Center. 593-1533.

• Waimanalo Christmas parade, 10 a.m.-noon, Saturday, Dec. 15. Waimanalo Construction Coalition. Waimanalo District Park to Waimanalo Beach Park. 259-7342.

• Jingle Bell Fun Run/Walk, 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15. Hawai'i Special Olympics/Honolulu Advertiser. King and Alapa'i streets to Aloha Tower Marketplace. 527-5040.

• Manoa Community Christmas Parade, 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15. East Manoa Lions Club. Noelani School to Manoa Park. 834-3603.

• Makakilo Kapolei Christmas Parade, 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15. Makakilo Kapolei Lions Club. Umena Street/Kik- aha Street to Fort Barrette Road. 672-4765.

Every Tuesday, Drive Time addresses the most pressing, and irritating, question of modern life: Why do we spend so much time driving around in circles?

Send questions, complaints and suggestions to transportation writer Mike Leidemann at mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-5460.