MAKIKI — The first-ever Rediscover Makiki: Sunset in the Park at Makiki District Park was a much-anticipated outdoor celebration in this densely populated urban neighborhood full of walk-ups and high-rises.

Resident Elizabeth Masaki, for one, was delighted with the activities. She said the most excitement at the park until now has been a regularly scheduled open market on Mondays.

"I can't remember many events like this," said Masaki, 85, as she strolled around the park in awe of all the people, rides, live stage entertainment, contests, games, books on sale, and numerous food, craft and information booths.

"And I've lived across the street for 30 years. I hope this will become an annual event. This is great!"

The park is an oasis of green space in the midst of the concrete of the neighborhood, at the foot of Mount Tantalus.

Other residents and city officials hope the two-day event, which ended last night, marks a new beginning for this community.

Organizers estimated the crowd would top 12,000 people.

Patty Teruya, special events coordinator for the city's Department of Customer Services, said residents appealed several weeks ago to sponsor a Sunset event as a way to revitalize the park.

"They said, 'We want a Sunset too — we haven't had one in this urban area,' " Teruya said.

She said the challenge was putting the event together on short notice.

Sunset events normally take three to four months to organize, she said.

Makiki's Sunset in The Park was arranged in about a month — largely through an enthusiastic assist from the Friends of Makiki Library volunteer group.

The festivities were in fact a fundraiser for the Friends group. That had its president, Norma Koenig, literally dancing with her pal, Jeanette Koga-Horen, who heads up Hui o Makiki, a community group dedicated to nurturing and beautifying Makiki.

The two kicked up their heels in response to the library doors being opened to the public on Friday for the first time since 2005, when it closed due to needed repairs and funding problems. The library is the only community public library in the state financed by donations and operated by volunteers.

It is not affiliated with the state library system. It is finishing up months of renovations, and expects to be fully operating again by the end of the year.

"We were operating on a thread before," said Koenig, who didn't miss the opportunity to put in an appeal for more volunteers and donations. "Now, we're operating on two threads."

Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann spoke at a panel discussion focused on the library's new Sustainability Resource Center, which, when completed in several months, will be the most comprehensive facility of its kind in the state.

The mayor said the center, along with the library renovations, will make a positive contribution to the Makiki community.

"It's a great day," Hannemann said. "We've been shut down for over three years. But people of Makiki, especially the Friends of Makiki Library, were very determined to get the city to help. And I'm very happy that we've done that. Today there is over $2 million in renovations that have gone into this building, thanks to the city's support."

Teruya added that over the years there have been few events at the park, and with this weekend's celebration comes the promise that that could change.