Waimanalo festival continues
By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward O'ahu Writer
WAIMANALO — Coordinators of the first Waimanalo concert and festival barely had time to savor their success before turning their attention to next weekend and calling for more volunteers, vendors and musicians to make it even better.
The first of three free weekend events, held Saturday and Sunday, grossed about $60,000 a day and attracted 300 to 500 people an hour, organizers said.
"There was a steady stream of people, pulling in, walking around, listening to music and shopping," said Manuel Menendez III, the city's executive director of the Office of Economic Development.
Merchants made money, he said. "I went to each booth and asked them if this was worthwhile, and they said it was great."
But planners want to do better and have called a community meeting for 6:30 p.m. today at Sea Life Park for anyone from any part of the island who is interested in participating, planning or helping at the event next weekend and the final, bigger ho'olaulea Dec. 14 that will follow the Waimanalo Christmas Parade.
The next two weekend events will offer greater variety, and more people are needed to get all of the work done, Menendez said yesterday. School groups and community organizations should attend as well, and anyone who can help set up and take down equipment, Menendez said.
The next event will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Honolulu Polo Club field, across the street from Bellows Air Force Station.
Setup begins at 4 p.m. Friday at the polo field; take-down will begin at 4 p.m. Sunday.
The city and community are coordinating the weekend festivals to help rejuvenate businesses in Waimanalo that suffered financial setbacks because of a rockfall project that closed one of two accesses to the area for three weeks beginning Nov. 6.
Construction took a break over the Thanksgiving weekend but continues this week with the contractor preparing to hang wire mesh from the hillside above Makapu'u Beach to make it safer when rocks and debris fall. Kalaniana'ole Highway will remain open, but beginning Dec. 9 one lane will be closed so a helicopter can ferry the mesh to the cliff.
Joe Ryan, whose nonprofit Envirowatch Inc. asked the city to help with the event, estimated that the 40 vendors grossed about $60,000 a day.
Point Break surf shop owner Toni Blanchard said while she was busy, she grossed only about $400 for the two days. Still, being there was good for business, said Blanchard.
"For me these events are more (public relations) than profitable," Blanchard said, adding that people from all over the island showed up on the festival's second day.
Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com or 234-5266.
