Local stories and information about Kauai events, music festivals, kids activities, arts culture and more.

Waimea Historic Walking Tour

Waimea Hawaiian ChurchWhat a treat to learn more about the historic town of Waimea from a woman who grew up in the area. This tour is available Mondays at 9:30am, and is about 3 hours long.  The first hour of the tour takes place inside the West Kauai Technology and Visitor’s Center, which is easy to find along the highway, at the corner of Waimea Canyon Road.  This is where you sign in and meet your guide.  The hour is spent going through artifacts and old photos.  There are chairs around the museum area, in case you need to sit for a bit.  The information would be fairly standard, except for Puna, the charming guide with a great sense of humor!

There is so much information in the fairly short session.  Who are the pioneers of the Waimea area?  What are the attitudes of the modern descendants of the ancient Hawaiian people? How did they regard the land, the aina? What happened when the native people encountered Western civilization through the sailing ships and missionaries who arrived Hawaii?

West side Waimea Pier KauaiThere were no mosquitoes on Kauai before the European sailors emptied their brackish water containing mosquitoes and larvae into the local rivers!

In case you were wondering about the strenuousness of the walking portion of the tour, our group included a spunky 91 year old lady from Chicago. She led the pack most of the way.

The walk took us past rebuilt churches and businesses damaged in hurricane Iniki.  The tour will take you through a garden of beautiful orchids and hibiscus in all the colors of a rainbow.

Old Waimea TheaterWe heard humorous stories to entertain us along the walk. The uncomplicated way of life Puna described made everyone wish they had grown up in the Waimea Valley of Kauai.

If you wish to take this Monday morning tour, it is free, but you have to call

808 338-1332 to make a reservation.

Don’t forget the  Waimea Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremonyand the  Waimea Town Christmas Parade

An Enriching Experience at The Princess Kaiulani Keiki Fest

I had the pleasure of attending the Princess Kaiulani Keiki Festival in Hanapepe on Saturday. While there are many festivals that cater to children on Kauai, most of them do so with bounce houses, face painting, and water slides. The Princess Kaiulani Festival was a little different as it provided a much more enriching experience for children. This could be because it was produced by Mark Jeffers of Storybook Theatre, who has countless years of experience in early childhood education.

Take the parade for example. At most parades, children line the streets to see the procession go by. This is never the case with a Storybook Parade, where all the children are invited to participate. Racks of costumes were set out in the park for the children to choose their characters. This year, there were a score of bird costumes available for the children (and adults) so that they could play the role of native forest birds. At the end of the parade, they were invited on stage to learn about each bird and their importance in the Hawaiian forest. The parade itself had historical significance as it commemorated Princess Kaiulani, who was known as Hawaii’s most courageous princess. I was really impressed by the participatory component of the parade as well as all the details that helped the children learn by doing.

The parade was just one of the many enjoyable activities available for children. Other festivities included Taiko drumming, hula performances, a talent contest and a special performance of The Magic Paint Box by artist and puppeteer, Margie Rex. This performance was also participatory as children were given pens and paper to draw along with Margie as they delighted in the puppet show. Local author and performer Mark Huff and his daughter Theresa invited children to sing along as they performed children’s songs and read from his book. Several other local children’s authors read from their books including Carol Peacock , who read her bed-time story, Bennie the Beetle.

According to Storybook’s director, the purpose of the festival was to celebrate the health and happiness of children. As such, numerous organizations were on hand to provide health information and services including hearing tests. Kamehameha Schools and Partners in Development Foundation offered additional enriching activities for children and provided information about services available to children of native Hawaiian descent. Representatives from other agencies like NOAA were available to answer questions about Hawaii’s wildlife. Overall, a fun time was had by the children and families that attended this annual Kauai event.

For information on this event or Story Book Theatre  Contact Mark Jeffers 808 335-0712