Community Parades

[Pomai]

What do you folks think about community parades? Enjoy them? They're OK? Boring? Do you or have you ever participated in any?

Today is the Aloha Festivals Floral Parade (http://www.alohafestivals.com) (happening as I write), and it's a pretty big one with lots of floats and group participants. Sorry though, I'm not providing much pictures as I'm one who is utterly BORED watching parades, and refuse to sit on the sidewalk to watch this, or any other parade.

Living in Waikiki, I have the opportunity to watch one practically on a monthly basis; sometimes more often than that. Actually too often IMO, becoming a burden (albeit temporary) on local traffic and the police.

Maybe I'm missing out on some cool costumes, floats or performances. I dunno, don't care. Sitting on a sidewalk watching people walk by in formation, waving in cars or on horseback just isn't my thing.

The Honolulu Festival's Matsuri (http://starbulletin.com/2003/03/14/features/story1.html) (those massive lantern things) are fun to watch, but even that I can only watch so much.

I guess when I have kids, I'll have to change my mind.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1316/1387673949_5c813eefc1_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=1387673949&size=o)
2007 Aloha Festivals Floral Parade

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1155/1387674167_581ff47947_o.jpg
2007 Aloha Festivals Floral Parade

[tutusue]

I'm kinda with you when it comes to parades, Pomai. The difference this year is I'm now located in a building that's along the parade route so it was fun to view it from the pool deck or lower within our parking garage and not have to hassle with crowds or traffic. Still, my interest waned after a half hour or so of taking pictures for my grandsons.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1087/1388667316_5891ff7265_o.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1158/1387771535_69b8004cff_o.jpg

[liberty]

I used to participate in the Waianae Christmas parade -- I'd help hold up one of the sponsor banners.

My sister was in yesterday's Waianae High School homecoming parade. She plays the flute in the high school band. From what I understand, it was the first homecoming parade Waianae High School's had in a long time. Honolulu Advertiser article here (http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Sep/15/ln/hawaii709150343.html).

[ploal5333]

Moanalua High is having their parade this Friday. It's very heartwarming to see the students marching and cheering with pride. It creates a traffic jam, but hey, it's only once a year. It's probably my favorite parade to watch.

[scrivener]

I like them, but I won't watch them on television and I won't go out of my way to see one, and I won't wait around for one to pass me by. When I lived in Waipahu, I loved the Christmas parade there (free candy) and if I still lived there, I'd probably wait for that one, if it passed in front of my house.

In all, nothing to get excited about but nothing to feel antipathy toward.

[tutusue]

I used to participate in the Waianae Christmas parade -- I'd help hold up one of the sponsor banners.[...]
When EJ's was still open I wouldn't miss the Waianae Christmas Parade. It was the most wonderful, small town, low/no budget parade that was so full of heart. Bands were playing out of tune, horses were pooping, decorations were falling off the floats, PA systems were failing! Love that parade! I'm just not one to stand or sit on the side of the road so friends and I would gather at EJ's for breakfast and parade cheering. Without exception, every year the WHS band would stop in front of the restaurant and lurch into their rendition of "Louie Louie"! Everyone in EJ's would hoot and holler. :D

[Pomai]

When EJ's was still open I wouldn't miss the Waianae Christmas Parade. It was the most wonderful, small town, low/no budget parade that was so full of heart. Bands were playing out of tune, horses were pooping, decorations were falling off the floats, PA systems were failing! Love that parade! I'm just not one to stand or sit on the side of the road so friends and I would gather at EJ's for breakfast and parade cheering. Without exception, every year the WHS band would stop in front of the restaurant and lurch into their rendition of "Louie Louie"! Everyone in EJ's would hoot and holler. :DWhat and where was EJ's? Sounds like it was an open-air restaurant where you could see perhaps enjoy the views of the west coast? Aside of the poverty and homeless issues there, that's one of the most beautiful coastlines in this state.

Kaimuki's Christmas Parade on Waialae avenue is a rather popular one too. It has that real "home town feel" to it, like the one Tutusue described above. At least from the little that I've glimpsed of it. :o

[GeckoGeek]

Usually I work the AWP. I didn't this year. Too busy. They're nice, but nothing I'd go out of my way to see, unless it was to show it to a visitor.

What the Indianapolis Police Motorcycle unit there? Now they're fun to watch.

[tutusue]

What and where was EJ's? Sounds like it was an open-air restaurant where you could see perhaps enjoy the views of the west coast?[...]
EJ's had inside and outside dining; a small, mom 'n pop cafe on the makai side of Farrington facing mauka. It was kind of across the street from McDonalds and W Hardware. Such a great spot to hang out...for the people, not the view! :D

[mel]

I go out of my way to see about 1 parade per year. This year it was Aloha Festivals... oK, last year I went to 2 of them.... Salute to the Troops and King Kamehameha Day.... they are good and easy photo ops.. but yes, I agree they are humbug for traffic and local people impacted by the parade route.

Councilman Djou I believe, proposed a limit on Waikiki parades as there are probably too many going through Kalakaua Ave. per year... and maybe per month.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1342/1394051892_3e8e10328e_o.jpg

Float in yesterday's Aloha Week parade. I watched and shot photos for about 45 minutes and left after the rain threat grew.

[AbsolutChaos]

Yikes--realized I was at 666 posts, so I wanted to change that number. :eek:

I've seen countless parades since I live in Waikiki too, but I still haven't gotten tired of them. As long as I know about them advance so I can schedule to do my errands ahead of time or afterward, I like to sit and watch all those parades. There's just so much positive human energy that comes from a parade--it's so rare these days to experience an event with so much positive energy anymore.

As for this parade, I actually happened to be in the Brew Moon location above Local Motion--and there happened to be a private party for BAE Systems, so it turned out to be a great location to view the parade, though not the best for taking pics. Here are some anyway...

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g143/AbsolutChaos808/Hawaii/IMG_0948.jpg
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[AbsolutChaos]

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[AbsolutChaos]

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g143/AbsolutChaos808/Hawaii/IMG_0991.jpg