By PETER SUR
By PETER SUR
Tribune-Herald staff writer
The United States turns 236 years old Wednesday, and Americans are celebrating Independence Day the way they do best — with barbecues, car shows and rockets.
The anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence is being celebrated around the island, and all are welcome to participate in these events, many of which are sponsored by the county Department of Parks and Recreation. Here’s a roundup of what’s going on during this busy mid-week holiday.
HILO
A major highlight of the July 4 festivities is the Hilo Bay BBQ Cookoff, the state championship of barbecue. This is serious business, with teams coming from across the state and as far away as Texas to compete in a contest that starts Tuesday morning at the Hilo bayfront off Kamehameha Avenue.
Café Pesto is the defending champion and is looking to get back to the high temple of smoked meats, the World Championship International Barbecue competition in Lynchburg, Tenn. But with 17 teams this year, it’s going to be tough.
“They (Team Café Pesto) are all nervous because now they’ve got real competition,” said Rick Frederick, organizer of the cookoff. Teams are flying in from across the state. There’s also Slap Yo’ Daddy BBQ, a renowned California team led by Harry Soo and featured in the TLC series BBQ Pitmasters.
Entrants are being judged in poke, chicken, pork spare ribs, pork and brisket. At noon Tuesday is the People’s Choice chili competition, where for $2 the public can taste all the chili entries and vote for their favorite; the winner receives the jackpot. Winners are announced at 5 p.m. Wednesday; for more information go to www.hilobaybbq.com.
At 7 a.m. Wednesday is a 3.1-mile run/walk sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 3830 in Pahoa. The race starts and ends at Liliuokalani Gardens; for online registration go to www.vfwpost3830.com.
Hundreds of antique and classic cars will participate in the Hawaii Classic Cruisers’ July Fourth Car Show & Shine from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Hilo Bayfront Park canoe landing area. Vehicles from as far away as Texas and Florida are being driven around the island before and after the show during a series of public displays and islandwide runs. TV personality Dennis Gage will be in Hilo to film a new episode of his “My Classic Car” show and meet with fans.
From 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. near the car show will be live entertainment, including Hula Halau O Na Pua Uluhaimalama, the Tapiti Tahitian Group, Esther Zamora, Bonnie and Doug, Randy Lorenzo and Friends, Ol’ School Band and the Tomi Isobe Blues Band.
At the Mo‘oheau baseball field will be a variety of children’s games and contests, a water slide and a jumping castle. Mo‘oheau Bandstand will feature Zumba, line dancing and special performances by local musical groups.
From noon to 5 p.m the Hilo Skate Plaza Coalition will host a “Street Seen” team skateboarding competition in the bayfront park, on the mauka lane of the former highway near the Pauahi Street intersection.
The Hawaii County Band’s annual Independence Day concert begins at 7 p.m. with a selection of patriotic songs.
From 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. the Bayfront Highway will be closed to traffic to allow the public to view the fireworks display. Gates will be opened along the fence line to allow pedestrian access to the shore. The popular fireworks show, a longtime tradition, kicks off at 8 p.m. from Coconut Island. The use of personal fireworks is prohibited in all public spaces, including beaches, parks and roadways.
VOLCANO
The family-friendly Volcano Community Fourth of July celebration starts with a fun parade at 9 a.m. from the Volcano Post Office to Cooper Community Center on Wright Road. Then, at Cooper Center will be food vendors, a silent auction, a craft fair, local musicians such as Komakakino, playing Hawaiian music, and an ukulele band from Pahoa. As the finale, the cast of the KDEN summer production, Cinderella, will be belting out their show tunes.
This drug-free and alcohol-free event is sponsored by the Cooper Center Council and the Volcano Community Association.
WAIMEA
The 50th annual Parker Ranch horse races and rodeo runs from 9 a.m. to noon at the Parker Ranch Rodeo Arena. Tickets are $5 pre-sale or $6 at the gate; children ages 10 and under are free. Call 885-7311 for details or visit www.parkerranch.com.
KAILUA-KONA
Vietnam War-era veterans from each of the military branches will share honors as the grand marshals of Kailua-Kona’s annual Independence Day Parade, which starts at 5:30 p.m. Gov. Neil Abercrombie will be among the many political leaders participating in the town’s usual route, which begins near Kekuaokalani Gym and heads down Alii Drive to Walua Road.
The parade will feature about 70 entrants, including belly dancers, floats and many community groups, said organizer Stone Wolfsong. The order of the parade units will be available that afternoon at www.paradesinkona.com.
Food booths and a bouncing castle will be offered at Hale Halawai Park beginning at 3 p.m., and live entertainment starts at 6:30 p.m. The park is a good place to view both the parade and the nighttime fireworks show. The fireworks display starts at 8 p.m. from a barge in Kailua Bay.
WAIKOLOA
Green sea turtles, ages 3 and 4, will get their first taste of freedom, dubbed “Turtle Independence Day,” at Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows. The turtles will be gathered at 10:30 a.m. from the saltwater ponds, where they have been raised, paraded to the beach and released into the sea.
This annual celebration honors the honu and helps educate the public about the Hawaiian green sea turtle. There will be live entertainment, a Fourth of July barbecue and an educational display on green sea turtles.
Other major events in Waikoloa are the 3 p.m. Rubber Duckie Race and the 8 p.m. fireworks extravaganza, but there’s a whole slew of events and concerts from morning until evening.
The Kings’ Shops and the Queens’ Marketplace are holding simultaneous events before the fireworks show.
At the Queens’ Marketplace, the lineup includes the Honokaa High School Legacy Band, Salsa Latinos, I’land Boiz, Life in Pursuit, Vizion 20/20 and Full Circle.
At the Kings’ Shops, ‘A‘oia! performs at 10 a.m., followed by a demonstration by Chef Ippy Aiona at 11:45 a.m.
The watermelon eating contest is at 1 p.m., and Hui Ho‘okani performs at 2 p.m.
Proceeds from the 21st annual Rubber Duckie Race benefit the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Hawaii and the Food Basket.
“Last year over $30,000 was raised and this year we hope to raise even more with the public’s help,” said Steven Schwartz, general manager of Kings’ Shops, in a statement.
This year, adopted ducks will be tagged with a waterproof ticket and adoption number with the name of the adoptee. They will be placed in a giant starting cage which is suspended over the Kings’ Lake. At exactly 3 p.m. they will be released. The first 50 duckies to cross the finish line will win more than $24,000 in prizes.
Kahulanui performs at 3:30 p.m., and at 4:30 p.m. is a duck waddling contest and a duck calling contest. There will also be a special appearance by Koloa the Duck from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Doors open at the Waikoloa Band at 5 p.m. with performances by “Don’t Sit Down” and “Johnny Shot” before the 8 p.m. fireworks show.
Kings’ Shops is located at 250 Waikoloa Beach Drive in the Waikoloa Beach Resort. For more information call the Adoption Headquarters, Kings’ Shops Management Office at 886-8811 or visit www.kingsshops.com.
FIREWORKS INFO
Fireworks are on sale now at certain retailers through 8 p.m. Wednesday. By law, firecrackers and fireworks may be set off from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday only, the Fire Department said.
Those who wish to use firecrackers must buy a $25 permit and will entitle the holder to purchase up to 5,000 individual firecrackers. The non-transferable, non-refundable permits will be issued to persons 18 years or older. The Fire Department recommends people ask vendors whether they have firecrackers in stock prior to the purchase of permits.
Permits are being issued from the Fire Administration Office in the Hawaii County Building; the Fire Prevention Kona Office in the West Hawaii Civic Center; Pinky’s 5 Eight in Papa‘ikou, Thunder Fireworks, 75-1022 Henry St., in Kailua-Kona, and Rodney Freitas Fireworks, the old Chevron station, on Kamani Street in Pahala. The county fire offices will be open 8 a.m. Monday and Tuesday.
All the usual restrictions on fireworks are in effect. It is illegal to remove the powder from any fireworks, to throw fireworks from a vehicle, to set off the fireworks within 1,000 feet of any hospital, nursing home, elderly care home or animal hospital, in or an any school building or property, on any roadway or park. It is illegal for minors to set off fireworks except under the immediate supervision of an adult.
Email Peter Sur at psur@hawaiitribune-herald.com.