Lahaina Halloween: Street Closures, Transportation, Enforcement

Halloween in Lahaina, Maui Now file photo.

By Wendy Osher

Authorities are projecting an increase in attendance at tonight’s Halloween events in Lahaina, with thousands more expected to participate in this year’s event.

Maui police will have 140 officers on duty for the Lahaina festivities, in anticipation of a crowd projected to be between 30,000 and 35,000, up from the 28,000 revelers who attended last year.

Police will be closing Front Street from Baker Street to Prison Street at 3:30 p.m. and anticipate on re-opening Front Street at approximately 10:30 p.m.

Participants and spectators are reminded of the following safeguards that will be employed during the Halloween festivities:

No-Parking Street Closures

Parking will be prohibited in the following areas between the hours of 3:30 p.m., Oct. 31, 2013 and 2 a.m., Nov. 1, 2013:

• Front Street, from Prison Street to Baker Street
• Dickenson Street, from Front Street to Baldwin House Parking Lot
• Lahainaluna Road, from Front Street to Waineʻe Street
• Pāpalaua Street, from Front Street to the entrance of the Lahaina Center

Taxi cab companies are reminded to not obstruct traffic for dropping off and picking fairs. Authorities say violators will be cited and towed at their own expense.

Transportation Options:

Ticket sales close at noon on Thursday, Oct. 31, for the Halloween Express Shuttle, with any remaining return tickets available at Campbell Park on Front Street on Halloween night.

The shuttle is offered for individuals who have purchased tickets in advance with departures available at War Memorial parking lot in Wailuku, and at the Kīhei Aquatic Center parking lot in South Maui.

Aside from the Halloween Express shuttle, the Maui Bus is offering an extended bus schedule that is available at the normal rate of $2 each way, or $4 for an unlimited day pass.

The Maui Bus schedule includes the Kāʻanapali Islander Route 25, which will run on a regular schedule until 3:30 p.m., then every 30 minutes from the Wharf Cinema Center, with stops at Pāpalaua/Waineʻe, Lahaina Cannery Mall, and Whaler’s Village.

The last bus on this route will be Whaler’s Village bound at 10:30 p.m. Officials say the regular Pāpalaua/Front Street stop will be moved to Pāpalaua/Waineʻe Street beginning at 3:30 p.m. due to heavy foot traffic on Front Street.

The Nāpili Island Route 30 will run on a regular schedule until 9 p.m., then every half-hour from Whaler’s Village. The last bus on this route will be Nāpili bound, departing at 11 p.m.

Organizers of the Halloween in Lahaina event also advise guests of the Westin Kāʻanapali Ocean Resorts, Sheraton Maui, and Westin Maui Resort and Spa to seek information about free shuttle service from their respective concierge.

Another transportation option being offered is via vessel by some of Maui’s cruise companies, as a way to avoid the heavy traffic anticipated on the Honoapiʻilani Highway on Halloween.

The Pacific Whale Foundation is offering a Halloween Cocktail Cruise, with departures planned at 6 and 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 31, from Mā’alaea Harbor.

Upon arrival in Lahaina, guests disembark for two hours to take part in the Halloween festivities, then re-join the Pacific Whale Foundation vessel for a cruise back to Mā’alaea. The total trip time, including the Lahaina stopover, is about four-and-a-half hours.

Cost is $79.95 for adults and $59.95 for children ages 12 and under, with a 10% discount offered to individuals who book online, and 20% discount to Pacific Whale Foundation Members who book online.

The Halloween in Lahaina event is hosted by the Lahaina Town Action Committee and the County of Maui, Office of Economic Development.

Enforcement of Rules and Law

Officials say the Maui Police Department will be on special alert for the following violations:

• Drinking of alcoholic beverages will not be allowed or tolerated in public areas. The use of plastic cups, water bottles, or any other drinking container to conceal liquor consumption is prohibited.
• Open lewdness will not be allowed or tolerated.
• Toy replicas of guns, knives, swords, or other types of weapons utilized as part of one’s costume will be inspected by the police. If found to be real or utilized in a dangerous manner, they will be confiscated and proper charges initiated.
• Throwing eggs, stink bombs or firecrackers may seem funny or amusing, however, it is dangerous and violators will be prosecuted.
• Although creativity is encouraged, costumes that pose a hazard to public safety due to their size or construction will be evaluated and will banned if deemed inappropriate. Please keep mobility and safety, especially the safety of the pedestrian population at the event, in mind when designing your costume.
• Dogs will not be allowed in the area with the exception of registered service animals.
• Stationary performances within the event area will not be allowed. For example, no stopping to play music or putting on a skit. No drums or other percussion instruments will be allowed on Front Street.

The increase in the crowd size comes as organizers host a full-return of the event for the third consecutive year after a lull in activity between 2008 and 2010 due to a dispute over festivities in the Lahaina Historic District.

When the event was re-introduced in 2011, it was marketed as a more family-friendly festivity, as organizers and sponsors tried to rid the event of its reputation and nickname from Halloween’s past as the “Mardi Gras of the Pacific.”

The crowd growth is also projected to be larger this year because Halloween falls on a Thursday, which is closer to the weekend.