Kapolei Commons puts big trucks within keiki’s reach

Big trucks like fire engines and cement mixers capture many a wee one’s imagination, but for most keiki, they are completely out of reach.

That all changes Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Kapolei Commons, when the center stages Kapolei’s inaugural “Touch a Truck” event.

Kids of all ages will be able to touch and explore big trucks and meet the people who drive them for the Honolulu Fire Department, Honolulu Police Department, Emergency Medical Services, Hawaiian Electric Co., Aloha Petroleum, Island Ready-Mix Concrete, Windward Dodge and others. Affordable Towing will bring one of the biggest tow trucks on Oahu and will give away T-shirts to the first 150 children who come to look around.

Food trucks also will be part of the event, serving up hot dishes and cool treats. Vendors will include Chamorro Grindz, HI Cravings, Kona Ice, Ono Kettle Pop and Tin Hut BBQ.

Chamorro Grindz’ Guamanian favorites by Sonny and Nora Perez will include barbecued chicken and ribs, chicken kelaguen, finadene (a sauce); red rice; shrimp patties; Chamorro empanadas, or deep-fried masa harina filled with cream of rice and chicken; and latiya, a dessert made from pound cake, custard and cinnamon ($6 to $15).

HI Cravings is popular for its loaded acai and sorbet bowls, with a wide range of available healthy or indulgent toppings. For Saturday’s event it also will offer its colorful, flavorful stuffed strawberries ($2.25 to $11).

Tin Hut BBQ’s menu will include its signature grilled cheese sandwich with a blend of cheeses and choice of pulled pork or beef brisket and an additional choice of two side dishes; a smoked chicken plate, and its slightly spicy, bacon-wrapped smoked sausage sandwich served with a blend of sauteed onions and peppers on a toasted Hawaiian hoagie roll ($10 to $12).

Kona Ice is a shave ice truck with flavors on tap, as well as additional “hand-poured” flavors that are out-of-the-ordinary, such as wedding cake and French vanilla. Shave ice ranges from $3 for a 9-ounce kiddie size up to $6 for a 22-ounce Kowabunga size. Sugar-free options are also offered.

Ono Kettle Pop, a fixture at community events and farmers markets, will make an appearance at Touch a Truck selling its traditional and handcrafted flavors and combinations.

The Performing Arts Center of Kapolei will sell cold drinks as a fundraiser for the program.

The event will be an opportunity to donate school supplies for students at Waianae Elementary School. Those who donate $5 or more will receive a free, keiki-sized trucker hat.

Other activities include face painting; a Snapilly photo booth; twisty balloons; child IDs courtesy of New York Life Insurance; safety information from Walk Wise Hawaii; and oil change kits and education from Storm Water Hawaii.

The owners of Kapolei Commons organized the festivities based on the success of similar “Touch a Truck” events at sister property Kona Commons on Hawaii island, said Emily Porter, an executive vice president at the MacNaughton Group, one of Kapolei Commons’ owners.

“When we opened Kapolei Commons eight years ago, we made it our mission to give back to our communities by offering free events where keiki and their families can enjoy quality time together,” Porter said.