Wailuku Maui, (May 27, 2011) EKOLU Live at Wailuku First Friday, June 3 from 6 pm to 8:30 pm. Street closes on Market Street and stroll through Vineyard and Main Street. This free event is open to the community!
June 3 is the grand opening of Pride Ink – Tattoo on Main Street. Owners Boze and Karey Oura Kapoi celebrate this opening by bringing to Wailuku, for the first time, the much acclaimed group Ekolu! Ekolu’s website says, “Island music, Reggae, Soul, Cotemporary, and Hip Hop by the group Ekolu has touched the hearts of music lovers from all over the world. People of all ages share the same delight when they experience Ekolu’s beautiful musical harmony. Enter a journey with this very special group of Hawaiian music artists, as they present you with a treasure of sounds and lyrics that you will cherish for the rest of your life. As their verification of CD sales, Awards, and Billboard Hits keep coming, this isn’t just any group – this is Ekolu.” Wailuku welcomes them to a night under the Maui moon t of music and friends.
Ekolu’s Lukela Keala, ukulele player is a Maui boy whose bio says Lukela never forgets how great God has been to him. On every CD that he has completed you will find a church song on it. This is his way of expressing how thankful he is of the blessings that only GOD can give. 
Through all the success that has come his way, he takes no credit for the talent God has blessed him with, but in return gives God all the glory. What a blessing to Wailuku! Also part of the group are Makapu Ho`opii and Big Island’s own Kamakoa Lindsey-Asing to the Ekolu ohana.
The music continues with high school sensation, Visibly Shaken at the Wailuku Banyan Tree Park; Joel Kaatz steel guitar music at Maui Time stage at 33 N. Market Street; Gene and Shea Argel live music at Café O Lei. EXHALE first appearance at Wailuku First Friday at the Body Alive Yoga and Movement Studio on Main Street.
The Hawaii Jaycees, 3rd annual free concert at the Iao Theater with Derick Sebastian and Roots Judgment, free concert from 6:30 to 8 pm. And stop by the beer garden and enjoy meeting with friends under the Maui moon! Proceeds benefit Na Leo Kako`o, Hawaiian Immersion Kula Kaiapuni.
Get glammed in Wailuku! Shuga Salan and on the other side of Market Street, Grand Opening of Salon 253 (formerly Elaine’s Beauty Shop, across from Iao Intermediate). Don’t forget a Wailuku institution Stephanie’s Beauty Salon at 32 N. Market Street! Or get a massage at Green Ti at 40 N. Market! Artisans, crafters and local cuisine enjoyed with the sidewalk vendors on Market Street. Zip up to Vineyard and see Lori Koprowski the featured artist at Swan Interiors too!
Enjoy Wailuku and Maui’s special people and things to do~! Come To Wailuku First Friday. And we want to give a shout-out to the Maui Hotel and Lodging Association, Hawaii Tourism Authority, County of Maui, Tri-Isle RC&D, Inc. and Maui Visitors Bureau for your continued support! We could not do this without you! We also have a new sponsor the Maui Redevelopment Agency who has planning jurisdiction over the historic commercial core of Wailuku Town.
We are asking the community to participate with NO PARK cars on Market Street during the event. Cars parked on the street during the event will be ticketed. Event planners have posted signs, given warning and tried to “ask nicely” to keep cars off the street. As you can guess, this is for the safety of the 100’s of participants who are cruising the event. Please note vendors, merchants, entertainers and the community that the streets close at 6 pm. For the safety of participants, your kokua is appreciated. Maui Medical Group is opening their community spirit and allowing Wailuku First Friday participants to park in their lot, enter from Main Street and parking is free.
Wailuku First Friday is sponsored by the Hawaii Tourism Authority, County of Maui, Tri-Isle RC&D, Inc., Sae Design, Maui Thing, Maui Redevelopment Agency, KPOA, 93.5 FM, Fist Hawaiian Bank, Kamaaina Properties, Wailuku Community Association, Maui Time, IBEW Local 1186, Hawaii Carpenters Union, Maui, Young Brothers, Café O Lei, If the Shoe Fits and Connec, LLC.
The Wailuku First Friday event showcases artisans, handmade crafters and food vendors. A fee of $40 for food vendors with Health Permit, $25 table space for non-food vendors and $20 for non-profits will be assessed each accepted vendor. Contact Teri Edmonds at 249-9710 at If the Shoe Fits on Market Street.
For questions on the event contact 878-1888 or 1stFridayWailuku@gmail.com. Become a fan on Facebook at “Wailuku First Friday” to see what is happening!
I heard the news on a Launiapoko girl who had a tragic accident at Kipahulu on Tuesday. I was shocked. I was saddened. I did not tweet about it. I did not post the news on my Facebook wall. I was weighing it out. The news hit me hard in a couple spots. It hit me hard as a mother. The pain and sorrow that her parents are feeling right now is beyond description. It’s a horrible accident, one that we hope would only occur in nightmares and not in real life. And to know that she is their only child … ugh, the sorrow is hard to comprehend. Then it also hit me a s a Maui resident, and as local who loves hiking at Kipahulu. We were just there a couple months ago and enjoyed our hike at the Pipiwai Trail, the Bamboo Forrest to the Waimoku Falls. Who would have thought that a sudden rock slide there would take the life of a beautiful young girl. Oh, it’s sad. it’s very sad.
