SUNDAY: BANANA POKA

From the Garden Island Newspaper:

The Banana Poka RoundUp returns for its 22nd annual celebration 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Koke‘e State Park’s Kanaloahuluhulu Meadow.

The event “rounds up” visitors and residents for a day of mountain music, workshops, exhibits and family-friendly activities, a press release states.

“The RoundUp is named for the resilient and spreading Banana poka vines that sport candy-pink blossoms that threatened to crowd out native Hawaiian plants and trees of the upland forest,” the press release states.

“The core message of the RoundUp is always in its array of educational exhibits, displayed by a variety of environmental agencies and organizations, with lively hands on exhibits attended by volunteers and agency representatives who can answer questions.”

This year’s festival features the Pedal to the Meadow bike race, workshops for basket weaving, miniature floral arrangements and oshibana cards, live music by Ilima Rivera, Paul Togioka, Second Nature Crew and The Happy Enchalatas.

To sign up for the basket workshop (the $15 fee makes you a member of Hui o Laka), call 335-9975, ext. 0. Oshibana card making will be offered from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. A free, family hike on the Berry Flats Loop will leave the RoundUp at 12:30 p.m. At noon, youngsters join “Russell da Rooster” and Mark Jeffers of Storybook Theatre of Hawai‘i for the annual children’s parade and “Crowing Contest” at 12:15 p.m., with child and adult categories.

The “festival with the funny name” is free and begins at 10 a.m. and winds down at 4 p.m. Carpooling is recommended, as parking is limited. Animals are not allowed in the meadow. Also, caution driving up – use the Wailua road – some byciclists may still be on the Pedal to the Meadow Race.

Don’t be fooled by the beauty of the Banana Poka Vine — just like we say don’t be fooled by the beauty of the ocean. We like to help save lives, which is why we urge caution and advance the saying, “If in doubt, don’t go out.” The  Kauai Beach Guide iPhone App is a handy tool to help you decide which beach is best for you each day.  The daily ocean report, the color-coded pins to denote the safety of beaches, GPS, weather report,  safety information, and the history, parking, and facilities at each beach, plus much more — makes this a 99¢ bargain in iTunes.

Category : Blog

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.