Consider it an opportunity to celebrate summer or just the fact it’s the weekend.
Consider it an opportunity to celebrate summer or just the fact it’s the weekend.
Hawaii County will host a “Family Fun Fest” on Saturday on the Hilo Bayfront that will include a fireworks show, live music and activities for keiki.
The event was organized to make up for a disappointing Independence Day fireworks show in the bay.
The fireworks show, musical performances and other festivities have been donated to the county free of charge, said Roxcie Waltjen, culture education administrator with county Parks and Recreation.
The event is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. at the Mooheau park.
Musical performances will begin at 3 p.m. at the park’s bandstand. Braddah Waltah & Friends, Colt Cabana, the Michael Strand Band and Girls Night Out are scheduled to perform.
A fireworks show by Hawaii Explosives and Pyrotechnics will begin at 8 p.m.
The Mountain View-based company offered to provide the display for free after its July 4 show was struck by glitches that delayed the event by 40 minutes and caused it to finish prior to the finale.
Donald Pascual, pyrotechnician, said his company is largely planning the same performance, minus the glitches.
“What it was last time was not the show, just a small portion of what the show normally would have been,” Pascual said. “What you are going to see this time is a complete show. That’s what we’re after.”
Waltjen said the county was initially thinking about hosting the event for Labor Day, but the company already was booked for other events at the time.
Bayfront Highway will be closed from 6-10 p.m. to allow for better viewing of the fireworks.
Waltjen said the county has been announcing the event through print, radio and TV media.
She said the county wanted to add other festivities in addition to the fireworks show, but noted it is trying to avoid competing with the downtown farmers market or other events happening that day.
“We just wanted to enhance what’s going on instead of creating something that takes away business from them,” Waltjen said.
Since it’s not a holiday, she said she wouldn’t expect as large a turnout as on July 4. But the event will provide festivities for the whole family to enjoy, she said.
“We just want to invite everyone to come down for a great day of fun, fellowship and sparkle,” Waltjen said.
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.