5th Friday Returns to Lānaʻi for July Town Party

Photo, Carriage Rides on Lānaʻi. Credit: County of Maui.

By Maui Now Staff

The Mayor’s Office of Economic Development today announced a special incentive to urge Maui residents and visitors to support Lānaʻi businesses by attending the upcoming 5th Friday Town Party in Lānaʻi City on Friday, July 31, 2015.

To accommodate the special Friday event, OED has teamed up with Expeditions Ferry and the Lānaʻi Chamber of Commerce to provide round-trip ferry and ground transportation between Maui and Lānaʻi, including a special late-night ferry that departs Mānele Harbor at 9:45 p.m. Expeditions’ last ferry to Maui on a regular day is at 6:45 p.m.

The last bus will leave for Mānele Small Boat Harbor from Hotel Lānaʻi at 9:20 p.m. for a 9:45 p.m. ferry departure.

The 5th Friday Lānaʻi Package 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 cost for the package is $60 per adult and $50 per child and may be booked online. A discounted price is also available for kamaʻāina who already have a ticket booklet from Expeditions.  Details are available at the same web link above.

Package participants have the option of departing from Lahaina on the Expeditions ferry at the following times — 9:15 a.m., 12:45 p.m. or 3:15 p.m.; however, the return departure from Mānele Harbor is limited to 9:30 p.m. only.

All businesses will be open throughout the Friday Town Party event, which runs from 5 to 8 p.m.

The event features food booths and restaurants serving up special local favorites; several music and entertainment venues; a special ‘80s double-feature movie screening of “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” and “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark,” part of Pūlama Lānaʻi’s Summer Family Park Film Series; as well as a number of classic and custom cars on display. Visitors will also be able to tour and watch movies at the newly renovated Lānaʻi Theater, and can visit the Lānaʻi Culture and Heritage Center.

County officials say that after offering the package deal as a trail, the 5th Friday Lānaʻi Package will be available for all 5th Friday Town Parties in 2015.

“Our Mayor’s Office of Economic Development is diligently working to assist the businesses of Lānaʻi while the island’s hotels are closed for renovation,” said Teena Rasmussen, the department director. “During the 5th Friday party in May, the late-night ferry we chartered was completely full of happy people that thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon and evening on Lānaʻi,” she said.

“Lānaʻi City is such a special place, and has a treasure trove of small shops with friendly staff. We encourage our residents to support these businesses by attending these great 5th Friday events,” said Rasmussen.

The deadline for booking online is now 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 30, 2015.