The September 11th attack
Aloha Festivals parade, street parties canceled

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Editor

For the first time in its 54-year history, the Aloha Festivals parade and two ho'olaule'a street parties — scheduled for this weekend and next — have been canceled, more fallout from the terrorist attacks on the Mainland.

"It's unprecedented," said Janet Hyrne, executive director of Aloha Festivals. As late as midmorning yesterday, planners had determined to go on with the parade. They had considered cancellation, Hyrne said, but felt there was a willingness on the part of participants, including military units, to go on.

By midafternoon, the committee had reversed itself.

The plan had been for the parade to take on a patriotic turn, paying tribute to the victims of Tuesday's terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington. "But after reconsidering safety and other issues, we decided the event could not reflect properly the tribute we intended," she said. There had been concern expressed by at least one caller to Aloha Festivals that the parade was inappropriate.

The Waikiki Ho'olaule'a that was upcoming on Friday also has been pulled from the schedule. Earlier, last night's Downtown Ho'olaule'a was postponed until Oct. 5, but that activity now could be canceled, Hyrne said.