Saturday, October 7th, was a beautiful day in Hawaiʻi nei, especially if you were lucky enough to be in Hāwī. The winds were light, the clouds were billowy, and of course, the sunshine was just right! All the elements made it perfect weather for the return of Kohalaʻs County Fair!
Held from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the backfield of the Kohala Resilience Hub in Hāwī, fairgoers were treated to offerings by talented musicians and dancers, special activities for the children, various tasty treats to eat, and a variety of items for sale by vendors.
Children were provided a “keiki zone” where, for a small fee to cover supplies, they were able to paint a pumpkin, have their face painted, play games and do various arts and crafts activities. Christine Hustace and her 4-H clubʻs Alpaca petting area was a big hit as well. The first 100 keiki to enter also received a Halloween gift bag filled with multiple trinkets and treats.
Shay Van Zandt and members of the Kohala Ride Wild Club were there as well, and they did some fundraising for their project by providing “pony rides” for a minimal fee.
Under the big tent, the community was seen relaxing and connecting with friends and family while being entertained by the sweet sounds of Ana B, Hamajang, and Ku Maʻemaʻe. The event opened with Waikā Unu, a hālau hula under the direction of Kūwalu Anakalea. The crowd was also treated to a few numbers by Na Kupuna ʻO Kohala, North Kohalaʻs own senior hālau hula under the direction of Kumu Kaui Nakamura.
Thank you to Sustainable Kohala, who staffed a zero waste collection area. They hope to make every gathering in Kohala a zero-waste event.
A special mahalo is extended to Brad and Aikane Nursery who really came through by providing free mulch to help reduce dust in the entranceway.
It takes funding and an incredible amount of work to plan, coordinate, set up, and clean up a celebration like this. Itʻs appreciated that Cheri Atkins stepped up to help with coordinating the fair along with a couple of community members.
As with all volunteer work, support is key, so with a little help from their friends, the Kohala Country Fair was rebirthed! Mahalo nunui is extended to the many folks who volunteered their time and energy to do all the behind-the-scenes work needed to provide this community experience.
Help is needed to keep these special celebrations running each year. A few more volunteers who like to get things done and have roots in Kohala would be helpful for the planning committee. With more manpower, a longer event could be offered and some of the activities and contests from past Country Fairs could be re-established.
Financial support is also welcomed. Donations can be made at www.northkohala.org. Contact the Resource Center staff at info@northkohala.org or call 808-889-5523 to find out how you can support these special events that enhance life in North Kohala.
Pictured: Randee Golden and Emily DeWitt preparing goodie bags for keiki!
