Lanikai residents plan to clamor and — this year — cry out in their neighborhood streets today for the annual Woes Parade, a play on the iconic Rose Parade.
The theme this year is "Lanikai Town Crier." Carrying lanterns and bells, adults and keiki decked out in funny hats will hang signs from their necks highlighting various news items, parade organizer Ted Rodgers said.
Someone labeled "neighborhood watch" will cloak himself in a costume complete with a Darth Vader mask.
Rodgers said the theme is tied to several neighborhood-related meanings, one of which is the fact that residents in this well-to-do Windward Oahu area are accused of frequent whining.
The parade also features float names sure to prompt chuckling, such as "Potholes Discourage Tourists," "New Child Left Behind," "Dead End Community" and the addition of "Soon" to the revival of a float from yesteryear titled "FasiAreaRapidTransit."
Rodgers said his son, Stephen, who now works as Bank of Hawaii’s chief investment officer, was young when he first served as conductor of the FART float and is excited to reclaim his title. The old float, named after former Honolulu Mayor Frank Fasi, was modeled after a San Francisco cable car and featured a giant rainbow. Fasi was mayor for 22 years, leaving the office in 1994.
"Then, as now, nothing had happened" regarding rapid transit, Rodgers joked, adding later, "That’s about as raucous as we get."
Rolling into its 46th year, the pun- and parody-packed festival will kick off with a "Jolly Joggery" race bright and early at 8 a.m., followed by the parade at 9 a.m. Breakfast will be served in the park for 150 to 200 people around 9:30 a.m.
Dixieland jazz, featuring the Swingin’ Tradewinds Jass Band, will play in the park, and local artist Mark Brown will paint a masterpiece worthy of auction for charity.
"It’s a jolly way to see people you haven’t seen maybe during the course of the year and reminisce over past events, years, parades," Rodgers said.