By Nancy Daniels
The 8th Annual Duke’s OceanFest is being held this month, August 23 – 29, 2009, with a full array of events and activities scheduled. Once again, Outrigger Hotels & Resorts is lending its support. Two special events that commemorate the legendary waterman Duke Kahanamoku are being held by Outrigger, and the public is welcome. The first is a free poolside screening of the Hawaii-produced film “The Ride” on Thursday, August 27, at the Outrigger Reef on the Beach. On Saturday, August 29, Outrigger Hotels & Resorts continues its tradition of coordinating the Waikiki Lei Procession and Lei Draping at the Duke Kahanamoku statue.
The Ride
Imagine wiping out on an unusually large wave while surfing off Waikiki, then opening your eyes to find yourself transported back in time to the year 1911 with a young Hawaiian beach boy named Duke Kahanamoku taking you under his wings. That is the storyline behind the movie “The Ride,” written, produced, and directed by local boy Nathan Kurosawa, and winner of the 2003 Hawaii International Film Festival Audience Award for Best Feature.
This 93-minute movie will be shown poolside at the Outrigger Reef starting at 8:15 p.m. on August 27, with Nathan Kurosawa and several cast members available for autographs prior to the film (currently confirmed are Mary Pa`alani and Weldon Kekauoha). Chef Harold Beltran at Kani Ka Pila Grille will be offering a special barbecue menu in the restaurant that night for moviegoers who want to make an evening of it.
You really can’t beat the venue for this special showing — under the stars and around the pool; or those who want to get wet can enjoy the movie, while floating in the pool. Local residents, as well as visitors, are sure to enjoy this fun and memorable way to celebrate the surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku.
Waikiki Lei Procession and Lei Draping
Each year, Duke’s OceanFest comes to a close with the Waikiki Lei Procession and Lei Draping of the Duke Kahanamoku statue in Waikiki, a tradition started by the staff of the Outrigger Waikiki in 2002. Residents and visitors are invited to the Outrigger Waikiki on Saturday, August 29, beginning at 10 a.m. to help string the six-foot lei needed for the draping. At 4:45 p.m., the lei will be placed on surfboards and carried by Waikiki beach boys and surfers along Kalakaua Avenue to the Duke Kahanamoku statue, where it will be draped in honor of Hawaii’s number-one beach boy and consummate waterman.
Outrigger Hotels & Resorts is proud to again be a sponsor of this noteworthy event that celebrates the life of one of Hawaii’s most beloved citizens. For a full schedule of Duke’s OceanFest events and activities, log onto www.dukefoundation.org.
