Wailuku First Friday Holiday Edition: With Santa & Guerrero

By Wendy Osher

Wailuku First Friday, Maui Thing Stage. Courtesy Photo.

Wailuku Town rings in the holiday season on Friday, December 2nd, with the monthly Wailuku First Friday town party.

Santa is scheduled to appear in a parade on Market Street from Vineyard to Main Street at 6 p.m.

The parade will be led by the Maui Cheer Babes, who will be joined by Wailuku council member Mike Victorino and his ‘ohana who will be spreading the holiday cheer.

Santa will also be available for photos at Kama‘aina Properties, at the corner of Main and Market streets.  Photos are $10 each, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting a local non-profit.

This month, Wailuku First Friday will be giving special recognition to those individuals and organizations that helped start and build the event over the past four years.

Certificates will be presented by council member Victorino and Wailuku First Friday coordinators to a host of honorees including the first organizers of Wailuku First Friday— Teri Edmonds, Stan Rippy, Bob Horcajo, Darla Palmer, Kainoa Horcajo, the County of Maui and the Hawaii Tourism Authority, Stuart Funke-d’Egnuff, Tri-Isle RC&D, Inc., and Wailuku Community Association.

Na Leo Lani O Maui, Choir. Courtesy photo.

December’s headliner is Na Leo Lani O Maui, a community choir under the direction of Gale Wisehart and Uluwehi Guerrero.

Since its inception in 2007, the choir has grown to 85 members. The mission of Na Leo Lani O Maui, in partnership with Halau Hula Kauluokala, is to perpetuate the Hawaiian culture and language through the gift of song and dance, and to share these gifts with the community.

The group’s Wailuku First Friday performance will be a pre-show to the choir’s planned 3rd Annual Christmas Concert at Wailuku’s historic Iao Theater on Dec. 17, 2011.

The Na Leo O Lani choir will perform on the Maui Thing Stage at 6:30 p.m., followed by falsetto award-winner Dane Fujiwara at 8 p.m.

Other WFF entertainment begins at 6 p.m., including Gene Argel and ‘ohana performing in front of Café ‘O Lei, and Joel Katz with his Hawaiian steel guitar at Wailuku Banyan Tree Park.  Also enjoy live Christmas Carolers from Victorian England in front of Iao Theater from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. as a sneak preview of Maui OnStage’s “A Christmas Carol,” playing at Iao Theater at 7:30 p.m.

Wailuku First Friday, Maui Cattle Company. Courtesy Photo.

Back by popular demand are the high school rockers, Visibly Shaken, performing at 6:30 p.m. at the Main Street Promenade stage fronting Gianotto’s Pizzeria.

Wailuku First Friday (WFF) is a free event that is open to the public. Market Street closes at 5:30 p.m., with parking available off Main Street in the Maui Medical Group parking lot, and throughout Wailuku Town.

On-street highlights include the following:

VINEYARD STREET

• Gift basket giveaways and WFF keiki activities.
• luggage tag-making and Pono tattoos- at the Pono…Do What Is Right store!
• Meet-the-Artists holiday party at Swan Interiors.
• Sweet and savory crepes and delicious WFF specials at Maui Bake Shop! BYOB too.

MAIN STREET

• Special WFF discount on Bailey House Museum tours: $5 adults; kids 12 and under are free!
• Exhale at Body Alive Yoga WFF Christmas card arts how, holiday treats and belly dancing.

Uluwehi Guerrero. Courtesy photo.

MARKET STREET

• Christmas drink specials at Wailuku Coffee Company, including Candy Cane Mocha.
• Hawaiian Christmas wreath sale at Native Intelligence, plus Hawaiian food- kulolo, Keanae poi and ‘awa bar- and a special book-signing by Victor Pellegrino of his book, Uncle Kawaiola’s Dream.
• Special sale on T-shirts at Rinko Maui store: Buy one and get 50% off second shirt.
• Artisans, crafters, sidewalk vendors and a rainbow of local cuisine can all be enjoyed street-side along Market Street.
• View Wailuku First Friday live on www.WailukuCam.com courtesy of Kamaaina Loan Cash for Gold
• Beer Garden: Na Leo Kako`o, benefiting Hawaiian Immersion program Kula Kaiapuni

Wailuku First Friday is a Community Street Party and part of the Maui Friday Town Parties initiative.  More information on other Friday events is available at www.MauiFridays.com.