Late Ferry Added for Lānaʻi 5th Friday Town Party

5th Friday Town Party on Lānaʻi. Photo: County of Maui.

By Maui Now Staff

The Mayor’s Office of Economic Development today announced a special late ferry package to urge Maui residents and visitors to support Lānaʻi businesses by attending the upcoming 5th Friday Town Party on Lānaʻi on Friday, May 29, 2015.

The round-trip ferry and ground transportation between Maui and Lānaʻi includes a special late-night ferry that leaves Mānele Harbor at 9:30 p.m.

Expeditions’ last ferry to Maui on a regular day is at 6:45 p.m.

The Economic Development office teamed up with the Expeditions Maui-Lānaʻi Ferry and the Lānaʻi Chamber of Commerce to provide service for the upcoming event.

The 5th Friday Lānaʻi Package costs $60 per adult and $50 per child, and includes a round-trip ferry ride between Lahaina Harbor and Mānele Harbor, round-trip ground transportation between Mānele Harbor and Lānaʻi City, and an event “passport.” The 5th Friday Lanai Package will be available for all 5th Friday Town Parties in 2015.

Visitors may collect passport stamps from participating businesses to enter a free prize drawing.

Residents and visitors may choose to depart from Lahaina at any of Expeditions’ scheduled departure times (6:45 a.m., 9:15 a.m., 12:45 p.m., 3:15 p.m. and 5:45 p.m.); however, the return departure from Mānele Harbor to Maui is limited to 9:30 p.m. only.

All businesses will be open throughout the Friday Town Party event, which runs from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The event includes food booths and restaurants serving up special local favorites as well as several music and entertainment venues. Additionally, visitors will be able to tour the newly renovated Lānaʻi Theater and the Lānaʻi Culture and Heritage Center.

“Our Friday Town Parties are very popular and it is with great pleasure that we extend this community celebration to the Island of Lānaʻi,” said Mayor Alan Arakawa in a press release statement. “I encourage our Maui residents to take the ferry ride over so they can experience Fifth Friday Lanai for themselves and support our sister island’s community at the same time.”

Teena Rasmussen, OED Director, noted that Lānaʻi businesses are facing a very challenging time. “In June, both major hotels on the island will be closed for renovations so we are doing everything we can to urge Maui residents and visitors to help our neighboring island by taking a day trip to Lānaʻi.”

***A discounted price is also available for kamaʻāina who already have a ticket booklet from Expeditions; please visit the website for more details.