Kilohana School Spring Bazaar

Event organizers and the Baldwin Street Kids at Kilohana School Spring Bazaar. Photo by Léo Azambuja

By Léo Azambuja

For many years, the Kilohana School Spring Bazaar has been the main fundraiser for this charming elementary school in Manaʻe. Aside from that, it’s a really fun and popular family event attended by hundreds of people each year.

“This is the Kilohana School Spring Bazaar. It’s been going on for about 40 years,” said Lacey Phifer, a Kilohana School alumni, tutor and the head organizer for this year’s bazaar May 9. “It’s my first year doing it. This is to fundraise for our school’s activities.”

The proceeds, she said, go toward the school’s supplies, field trips, bus services, Christmas program and other holidays, and the bazaar itself.

Musicians Jusin and Ito, Kala and Uncle Raymond, and the band Da Jukes performed on the stage shaded by a giant tree while roughly a thousand people checked out the Spring Bazaar vendors spread out on the large lawn area from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The bazaar had a little for everyone, including 10 craft vendors, plus baked goods, plants, resource booths, poi-making demonstrations, children’s activities, games and food. 

The lau lau plates from Kalaupapa’s Baldwin Street Kids were a hit. But there were many other ono foods vendors, such as chili dogs, nachos and a plate with different varieties of fish.

Besides a little for everyone, there was a lot for someone. The $2 raffle tickets had three main prizes. The third-place winner walked away with a camping set. The second-place ticket won a $400 voucher from Mokulele Airlines. The grand-prize winner took home $1,000 in cash.

Kilohana School was founded in 1935. It has less than 100 students and less than 50 staff members. The bazaar is entirely put together by volunteers. Each department is tasked with a different portion of the event, which is traditionally held on the day before Mother’s Day.

“This is my community and my village, and I love them,” said Phifer, who is also the school’s PTA president. “We’re a very small school. We’re generational. Our grandparents came to the school. Our great-grandparents came to the school.”