Parade restores spirit of festival
By Dan Nakaso
Advertiser Staff Writer
The Aloha Festivals Floral Parade returned yesterday after it was canceled last year for the first time in 54 years because of Sept. 11. And neither sporadic showers nor the occasional stalled float could dampen its comeback.
Cory Lum • The Honolulu Advertiser
Andrew Nix and his girlfriend, Jessica Kienholz, sat on a concrete planter on the makai side of Kalakaua Avenue and wouldn't let the periodic rain detract from the sight of pa'u riders, high school marching bands and Mrs. America contestants.
The Sheraton Hotels float yesterday headed down Kalakaua Avenue in the 55th Annual Aloha Festivals Floral Parade. The float won the Governor's Prize, while the Hilton Hawaiian Village float received the grand prize award .
"We're from western Washington and when it rains it's 55 degrees and really cold," Nix said. "So this is nothing. We knew the parade was canceled last year and so we thought it would be pretty good this year. It's great."
Aloha Festivals organizers last year struggled over whether to continue the parade just four days after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. They ended up canceling their plans after dozens of entrants pulled out on their own, which cost an estimated $100,000 mostly in flowers for the floats and and lei for the horses.
The organizers also postponed the separate Waikiki and Downtown Ho'olaule'a that are part of the Aloha Festivals. When the Ho'olaule'a finally occurred, attendance at both events was off by about half.
The Hilton Hawaiian Village's parade committee was among the entries that canceled its spot in the parade.
• Grand Sweepstakes Award: Hilton Hawaiian Village • Floats: • PA'U Riders: • PA'U Princess: • Pooper Scoopers:
"There was just so much going on and we felt it was the right thing to do," said Eileen Nepomuceno, director of quality training at Hilton Hawaiian Village who helps organize the hotel's entry. "People weren't in the spirit. It was a more solemn time, and we thought it was the right decision."
Winners of the Aloha Festivals Floral Parade
But this year was different.
"Everyone's just really excited," Nepomuceno said before the parade.
At the end of the day, Hilton's entry ended up winning the Grand Sweepstakes Award.
Hilton's float carried 65,000 flowers, including a rotating display of an 8-foot by 5-foot Hawaiian flag on one side and an American flag on the other — all made of red, white and blue carnations bordered by mums.
The parade included 67 groups in all — including seven floats, 16 high school marching bands, five military bands, Shriners playing jazz and pa'u riders representing each county.
The people lining the streets of Waikiki to watch included firefighters from Station 7 wearing turnout gear and tanks of compressed air on their backs.
They had responded to a false activated alarm then took a few moments to soak in the sight of pa'u riders and the sounds of marching bands playing patriotic songs.
"It still doesn't look like they have a whole lot of people here," said Capt. Keith Nakanelua, looking over the scattered crowd along Kalakaua Avenue.
But Aloha Festivals organizers were ecstatic that their parade was back.
"This is beautiful," said Leolani Kini, a member of the festivals board of directors, as Mrs. America contestants rode past. "This is just really beautiful."
Kienholz agreed.
She came on vacation with her grandmother, who had been to the parade in years past.
"She said it would be something we would never forget," Kienholz said. "She was right."
Reach Dan Nakaso at dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8085.
