Aloha Festivals events go ahead despite struggle
| • | Falsetto contest high point for festival organizer |
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer
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| O'ahu's Aloha Festivals royal court includes Prince Zachary-James Koamakamaekamauhokuola Santos; Princess Shantell Makanaonalani Recca; King Marc Keau Keahiolalo-Ioane; Queen Kimberly Ululalani Kaahanui; Princess Kawena Lani Kealaonaonakaawapuhi Wreeth Kawainui; and Prince Salvatore B. Keli'ikinaiahi Recca IV.
Advertiser library photos |
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| The annual floral parade, which represents all the islands except Kaho'olawe, will feature eight floats, marching units, pa'u riders and plenty of spectators. |
Simply put, with less on the festival plate, there's more time to sample and do and explore, from the participant viewpoint.
"We've had deficits due to lack of sponsorships," said Charlian Wright, a former Festivals president who is one of the volunteer kingpins determined to make it all work this year.
With lingering effects of a down economy (though looking up), and so-so ribbon sales last year, Festivals folks were breathing heavily at one point, even thinking of pulling the plug on the event.
Worse, the Aloha Festivals lost its executive director's post — a paid position — because of a funding shortfall. A lone paid staffer, Moana Yee, remains on board, but the burden of planning and organizing all facets of the festival has been absorbed by non-salaried volunteers.
"But Hawaiian Airlines came in to provide us with more breathing space," said Wright. "They helped us make up the deficit we had."
Sheraton has agreed to be the presenting sponsor for three years, through the Festivals' 60th anniversary. This year's is the 58th.
And so the planners march forward — optimistic that the Aloha Festivals tradition will survive amid the cutbacks. They are looking increasingly to festival fans to buy and wear the ribbons that support all these "free" events.
Tomorrow's Aloha Festivals Floral Parade, traveling along the usual route from the 'ewa end of Ala Moana Park, down Kalakaua Avenue, by Kapi'olani Park and winding up at Monsarrat Avenue, also has been pruned a bit.
"We have 60 entries, down from about 100 in most recent years, and we only have eight floats, including two sponsored floats — one by the Outrigger, which will carry the royal court, and the other by the Hilton Hawaiian Village," said Yee. In a rosier past, there were as many as 20 floats.
Rising costs are affecting the pa'u riders, most of whom have to rent the horses because few own their own mounts. "We'll have 10 riders, but the cost of renting a horse really is up and continuing to rise," said Yee. All riders provide or pay for their own costumes; all but Kaho'olawe island will be represented in the parade.
The good news is that 'Olelo will televise the parade live, with the reviewing stand situated at the Marriott Waikiki Beach Hotel; Joe Recca and Cha Thompson will host. Coverage is expected to begin at 10 a.m. Saturday for three hours on Channel 53; the time could vary, depending on when the parade reaches the Waikiki reviewing stand.
The parade, which has been taped and beamed to a national audience watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, won't be broadcast this fall. "We were too late to make arrangements with the networks," Wright said.
Last year, a bus strike threatened the downtown block party, making it a challenge for visitors to find their way to the celebration from Waikiki hotels. While the crowds may not have reached the anticipated level of 100,000, the ho'olaule'a still drew eager fans.
In its prime, the downtown celebration, centered along the Bishop Street and Fort Street mall corridors, stretched from Beretania Street to the Aloha Tower Marketplace. In recent years, the stages have been situated only between Beretania and Ala Moana.
Next weekend's Waikiki Ho'olaule'a, which turns Kalakaua Avenue between Lewers Street and Kapahulu Avenue into a mammoth mecca of music, food and crafts booths, will include eight main stages. In seasons past, there have been 10, and crowd estimates have peaked at 200,000.
Fewer stages this year will allow space for inflatables and other kiddie attractions, incorporating this year's Festivals theme, "No Na Kamali'i (For the Children)," said Wright.
With the Sheraton sponsorship this year comes a first-time activity: a royal tea from 3 to 5 p.m. Sept. 17, at the Banyan Court of the Moana-Surfrider Hotel. The tea will include this year's Aloha Festivals royal court, and those from the past, said Wright. All will gather and enjoy the sounds of Pa'ahana. There is an admission charge, but wearers of Aloha Festivals ribbons get a discount.
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O'AHU FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
Today
- 5:30 p.m. — Opening ceremony, 'Iolani Palace
- 6:30-10 p.m. — Downtown Ho'olaule'a, Bishop Street
Saturday
- 9 a.m.-noon — Floral parade, Ala Moana Park to Kalakaua Avenue
- 7 p.m. — Falsetto contest, Sheraton Waikiki Hotel's Hawai'i Ballroom
Sept. 17
- 3-6 p.m. — Royal Tea, Sheraton Moana Surfrider Hotel
- 7-10:30 p.m. — Waikiki Ho'olaule'a, Kalakaua Avenue, between Lewers Street and Kapahulu Avenue
Sept. 18
- 10 a.m.-4 p.m. — First Keiki Ho'olaule'a, Pearlridge Center Downtown Ho'olaule'a:
• • •
Entertainment on four stages will be featured at tonight's celebration.
Aloha Festivals Hawai'i's Military Family and KGMZ (at Dillingham Transportation Building)
- 6:30-7:05 p.m. — U.S. Pacific Fleet Navy Band
- 7:15-8:20 p.m. — 25th Infantry Division (Light) band
- 8:30-9:05 p.m. — Air Force band Hana Hou
- 9:15-9:50 p.m. — Marine Forces Pacific
Mayor's Office of Culture and the Arts/KRTR (at Davies Pacific Center)
- 6:30-7:15 p.m. — Roy Sakuma, featuring "The Super Keiki"
- 7:30-8:15 p.m. — Raiatea Helm
- 8:30-9:30 p.m. — Na Palapalai
Bank of Hawaii and FM 100 (Financial Plaza of the Pacific)
- 7-7:20 p.m. — Ka'ena
- 7:30-8:15 p.m. — Kekai Boyz
- 8:30- 9:15 p.m. — Nuff Sedd
- 9:30-10 p.m. — Natural Vibrations
Hawaiian Airlines and KINE (Tamarind Park/Bishop Square)
- 6-6:20 p.m. — Aloha and welcome by Hawaiian 105 KINE
- 6:20-6:30 p.m. — Presentation of the Aloha Festivals royal court
- 6:30-7 p.m. — Mi Nei Oliver (Miss Kaua'i) and Tahitian Dance Troupe
- 7:15-8 p.m. — Vaihi
- 8:15-8:45 p.m. — The Makaha Sons
- 9:15-9:50 p.m. — Ekolu
• • •
Aloha, ali'i
Introducing the Aloha Festivals royal courts.
O'ahu: King, Marc Keau Keahiolalo-Ioane; Queen, Kimberly Ululalani Kaahanui; Prince, Zachary-James Koamakamaekamauhokuola Santos; Princess, Shantell Makanaonalani Recca; Prince, Salvatore B. Keli'ikinaiahi Recca IV; Princess, Kawena Lani Kealaonaonakaawapuhi Wreeth Kawainui.
Kaua'i: King, Whitney Kahanuoka'aina Smith; Queen, Nalani Ka'auwai Brun.
Maui: King, Mark Lawrence Kahana Kama; Queen, Sandra Leinaala Hapakuka Lono; Prince, Henry Kahiwalani Pati Jeramiah Abad; Princess, Heather Kaheleonalani Akoi.
Big Island: King, Kahakai Souza; Queen, Leialoha Hurwitz.
Moloka'i: King, Michael Anthony Aliiloa Helm; Queen, Beatrice Leialoha Kaleikini.
Lana'i: King, Paul Woodward Horner; Queen, Evalina Noelani "Nani" Watanabe.
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Falsetto contest high point for festival organizer
| • | 10th Annual Frank B. Shaner Falsetto Contest
7 p.m. Saturday Hawai'i Ballroom, Sheraton Waikiki $25, $35, $45; tickets on sale at the Sheraton special- events desk 931-8178, 922-4422 |
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A year ago, he was a morning drive deejay on KINE Radio, and he could talk up the falsetto contest, an Aloha Festivals event that this year marks its milestone first decade.
But no more. His gig was terminated last January — and with it, his platform for some of the contest publicity.
"Sheraton Hotels, which has been with us from the beginning, picked up sponsorship, so we moved the event, normally held at the Hawai'i Theatre in August, to the Sheraton ballroom. But because we're not behind the (radio) microphone pounding away, we've had a late start," he said. Sheraton has bought $4,000 worth of advertising time on the station, so a bit of promotion is under way on the airwaves.
These challenges have forced Shaner to be creative, in more ways than one.
Fortunately, he's getting behind-the-scenes kokua from former Aloha Festivals executive director Janet Hyrne, who's now with the Hawaiian Humane Society. She's co-producing the falsetto event.
He's also got his corps of 20 volunteers from The Queen's Medical Center, who'll work backstage and literally "run" the contest.
With time on his hands, Shaner has been thinking up ways to expand this falsetto phenom into other turfs.
Japan, for one.
"I've been thinking of putting together falsetto singers of the past and organizing a tour to Japan, where Hawaiian music is big," said Shaner. "The folks there love Hawaiian music. Kahiko, 'auana; some of the groups like Maunalua are like rock stars over there. But we haven't really been marketing our falsetto singers, so it's something that I hope to do after this year's concert is over."
Shaner also has sprinkled a bit of stardust into this year's event.
"To keep with this year's Aloha Festivals theme ('No Na Kamali'i,' which means 'for the children'), we're adding the Honolulu Boy Choir to open the contest," said Shaner.
Last year's falsetto contest winner, Imipono Cabrinha, also is slated to perform, and special guest stars Hapa (Barry Flanagan and Nathan Aweau) will close the show. Another special guest will be Kamaka Fernandez, a Maui resident, who brings his winning style to the lineup.
"Kamaka is an African-American falsetto singer, hanae'd by the Robyn Naeole family of Maui, who took him in as a baby," said Shaner. "This kid grew up studying Hawaiian in an immersion program; he plays 'ukulele and speaks fluent Hawaiian."
Shaner encountered the performer when he and Auntie Genoa Keawe, a veteran who also is a specialist in falsetto singing, helped judge the Maui contest last year.
"Auntie Genoa dropped her jaws," said Shaner. "This kid is phenomenal."
Meanwhile, Shaner — who mixes comedy with falsetto singing when he hits the nightlife trail — is contemplating a return to club work.
"I'm thinking of putting together a band for myself, go out and do some comedy with falsetto. Could be fun, with a couple of Hawaiian guys fooling around with a haole guy," said Shaner. "At least, it would help pay the rent. I feel my KINE show was the last I'll do for radio; at least, it feels that way.
"Besides, I know three whole falsetto songs now (used to be one, he jokes) ... but I know 150 halves (half a song). What I could do is a long medley and segue from one song into another."
Reach Wayne Harada at 525-8067, wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com or fax 525-8055.
Correction: Hawaiian Airlines is the presenting sponsor of the Aloha Festivals. A previous version of this story did not mention the sponsorship.
