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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, September 15, 2008

Kailua throws a party

Photo gallery: Re-Discover Kailua Festival

By Suzanne Roig
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Isabel Easley-Allen, 5, left, and her sister, Samantha, 3, enjoyed themselves yesterday at the Rediscover Kailua Family Festival at Kailua District Park. The two-day festival included food, entertainment, games, rides and movies.

REBECCA BREYER | The Honolulu Advertiser

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KAILUA — There was much to see in Kailua yesterday, from old acquaintances to crafts to Pop Warner football.

Sherryl Buecher kept bumping into Windward acquaintances while she wandered around the food booths, listened to the entertainment and watched the Mitey Mites play football at the Rediscover Kailua Family Festival at Kailua District Park. The two-day event was sponsored by the Kailua Mustangs Pop Warner Association and the city.

"I realized I knew a lot of people," said the Kane'ohe resident. "I saw some friends that I hadn't seen in awhile."

A big draw was the Kailua High School Alumni Association booth, where yearbooks dating back to the 1960s could be examined. Want to see what your spouse looked like in the fall of 1976? Donna Fouts was there to help.

"We're getting new alumni, and the yearbooks here are a great draw," Fouts said. "A number of people coming up are rediscovering Kailua High School."

The event was expected to draw about 5,000 people each day. On Saturday, rain dampened the festivities, but not spirits, said Noela Napoleon, the Kailua Mustangs event coordinator.

Yesterday, however, neither the heat nor the vog kept people from tasting food, going on the rides, testing their swing in the batting cage or chancing games of skill for $1 to help students from Lanikai Elementary School get to the Big Island.

While the community party went on, two teams of tiny boys in full football regalia tackled each other and ran up and down an 80-yard gridiron. Yesterday, it was the Hawai'i Kai Tiny Mites against the Kapolei Tiny Mites, boys 5 to 7. That was the second of three games scheduled to be played at the park yesterday.

"We wanted to bring the Kailua community together," said Wayne Cazimero, president of the Kailua Mustangs Pop Warner Association. "We wanted to show those who have just moved here and those who have lived here for a long time how tight our community is and what we have to offer."

Aiming the Nerf dart gun at the three balloons, Sean Garcia thought he'd try his luck. While each dart missed its target, Sean wasn't fazed. He still got to choose two pieces of candy from a basket.

"I think this is really cool," said Sean, 11. "It's got jumpers, food and it's in Kailua. You don't have to go far to do things."

Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com.