Businesses Get Into Holiday Spirit with “Light Up Wailuku” Contest

Simply Soul won the contest for Most Beautiful store front window. Photo credit: Ashley Takitani Leahey.

Twenty merchants in Wailuku Town joined in the holiday spirit by participating in the first annual “Light Up Wailuku” storefront window decorating contest during the December edition of the monthly Wailuku First Friday Town Party event.

An ode to historic Wailuku, Sae Design and Maui Thing coordinated the contest for local businesses, with the goal of lighting up the town – just as it had been in the past.

“We’ve heard stories from our grandparents and other lifetime Wailuku residents about Christmas parades through Market Street, lights in every window and bustling small businesses throughout the holiday season. We wanted to bring that energy back,” said Ashley Takitani Leahey, one of the many Wailuku community volunteers.

Wailuku Town lights, Dec. 2015. Photo credit: Ashley Takitani Leahey

“Since it won’t ever snow in Wailuku, we took it upon ourselves to bring holiday spirit to First Friday in a different way,” said Takitani Leahey.

In addition to the window decorating contest, the County of Maui joined Maui Electric Company and a team of Wailuku supporters, by working into the wee hours on Thursday night to install a string of lights overhead.

To add to the Christmas spirit, Santa was on the street and Malino gathered a huge crowd for what organizers called “the biggest Electric Slide dance that Wailuku has ever seen.”

Winners of the first annual “Light Up Wailuku” contest. Photo credit: Ashley Takitani Leahey

Winners of the “Light Up Wailuku” contest included:

• Most Original: Green Ti;
• Most Beautiful: Simply Soul;
  Most Festive: Kamaʻāina Loan; and
• Best Window: Swan Interiors.

Judges included: Councilmember Michael Victorino, Managing Director Keith Regan and local celebrity Kathy Collins.

All winners received a free hour of financial consulting with Patrick Ing, CPA, a free banner from the Sign Source and a large poinsettia plant to add to their décor.  The winner of the Best Window category, Swan Interiors, received a gift certificate from 808 on Main as well.

Electric Slide on Market Street. Photo credit: Ashley Takitani Leahey

Best Window “Light Up Wailuku” contest. Photo credit: Ashley Takitani Leahey