Mardi Gras fest returning to Honolulu

By James Gonser
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer

The Mardi Gras celebration will return to downtown Honolulu this year, with streets closed off Feb. 12 for a parade, food booths and live entertainment. But because it will be held on a Tuesday, area residents want the noise cut off early.

	At a glance
•	What: Mardi Gras Hawai'i
•	Where: Nu'uanu Avenue (from Pauahi to King) and Hotel Street
•	When: 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. (tentatively) Feb. 12
•	Activities: Eight full bars on the sidewalks of Nu'uanu Avenue and Hotel Street. Music includes zydeco, blues, jazz and rock with the Northsiders and Enbious, followed by contemporary, disco, R&B and classic rock with Eight 0 Eight.
•	Food: Booths by 3660 On the Rise/Kakaako Kitchen, Side Street Inn, Tropic's Diner, Nalo Farms and Indigo Eurasian Cuisine featuring Cajun dishes such as jambalaya, seared catfish and gumbo.
•	Other: A costume contest for best Mardi Gras king and queen; sales of beads, masks and logo T-shirts; a walking parade at 7:15 p.m.; street performers and artists; and free trolley service to Waikiiki.

"We supported it, but said we want the sound shut off at 10 p.m.," said board chairwoman Lynne Matusow. "Anything held at the Waikiki Shell stops at 10 because of the noise. When you are going to have something right under apartment windows, especially on a work night, the sound travels — you have to have a balance.

"The residents are much closer downtown than the residents near the Shell," Matusow said, adding that a stage planned at Nu'uanu and Hotel streets is directly below apartments.

Organizer Lisa Kim of L.A.K. Enterprises said she hopes the city will allow her to have music just a half-hour longer, to 10:30 p.m., because it will raise more money for the Victoria Foundation, a clearinghouse for children's charities.

The event costs about $25,000 to stage, Kim said.

"Last year, it was lots of fun. We had families down there, we had a walking parade, a Brazilian dance club with all those beautiful costumes and it ended at 10:30 p.m.," Kim said. "The board vote was not unanimous about the closing time. Some people said, 'What is a half an hour?' They understand that is how we make our money."

Kim said she has applied for a city permit and will abide by the time limits set by the city.

Mardi Gras (French for Fat Tuesday) began in the early 1700s in New Orleans. Masked balls and parades have become a part of the tradition, along with Cajun and Creole food; blues, jazz and zydeco music and the royal colors of purple, green and gold. The date for the Mardi Gras differs from year to year, but it is always 47 days before Easter, a time when you're supposed to eat up all the rich things in the household (the fat) and prepare for sacrifice during Lent.

Kim said she was looking for an event that would draw people to charity events and realized there was no established Mardi Gras in Honolulu. More than 7,000 people showed up last year, and Kim expects even more this year if the weather is good.

"Downtown has the perfect atmosphere and it is manageable because it is not a big, big area," Kim said. "Waikiki would be too crazy ... I would worry about the liability."

Another complaint heard at the board meeting was about the cleanup after the event last year, so Kim has hired a crew to clean the streets this year.

Matusow said about 10 street events are held downtown every year, including Cinco De Mayo, Ho'olaule'a and Chinese New Year celebrations, and residents support them because they bring in customers.

"It brings in people from other areas, and the stores do (great) business," she said. But,"if they do these events too often, if it's every week or two weeks, you won't get the same crowds."