Nearly three years after wildfires destroyed much of Lahaina town, a new three-day celebration will bring more than 100 former residents back.
The inaugural Lahaina Homecoming — set for July 17 to 19 — will welcome 103 former residents home and offer a handful of community events.
It's an initiative of Maui Economic Recovery Commission's Healing Journey Team, coordinated by nonprofit Festivals of Aloha and is sponsored by the Maui County Office of Recovery, Hawaiian Council, Hawai‘i Community Foundation and Hawaiian Airlines, along with other local organizations and private donors, a recent announcement from Maui County noted.
It was created "from deep listening, lived experience and community need," the homecoming website states. "The idea grew from ongoing healing work with Lahaina families and a shared understanding that coming home — together — is an essential part of recovery."
On Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires driven by high winds ravaged parts of the Valley Isle. One blaze destroyed much of Lahaina and killed more than 100 people.
The homecoming centers on the people, stories, culture and the future of Lahaina, the site says, and is a "space to heal together, to honor what was lost and to invest in what comes next."
“The inaugural Lahaina Homecoming represents a crucial investment in the belief that although many families have been displaced, Lahaina remains their home,” Maui Economic Recovery Commission Chairman Layne Silva said in the announcement. “The event welcomes former residents and the community at large to take part in cultural experiences, storytelling, resource sharing and community-focused programming that honors Lahaina’s rich heritage and strengthens connections among residents, families and supporters as Lahaina continues its recovery.”
Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen told Aloha State Daily last week that he thought the homecoming was a "great idea," and the event was driven by the community's interest.
For Bissen, the residents returning, many of whom left after the fire, is the coolest part.
"The whole idea was to let them know your town is vibrant, your town is alive, your town is coming back and come and see it. Come and see your friends and family and reconnect," he says.
According to the announcement, organizers had initially hoped to sponsor airfare for 80 individuals but, "as applications continued to arrive, they found it impossible to turn away so many people with deep roots in Lahaina." Instead, 103 former residents representing 20 families will return for the weekend.
Here's what's on deck:
Friday, July 17
- Lahaina Homecoming Career Fair, 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Lahaina Cannery Mall. Job seekers can connect with employers offering immediate opportunities, the announcement notes. Participating businesses will conduct on-site interviews and recruit for positions across multiple industries.
- Kaibigan Ng Lahaina's Palengke Night, 5 to 9 p.m. at Campbell Park. Catch local food, vendors, family activities and live entertainment featuring international dance music artist Jocelyn Enriquez.
Saturday, July 18
- Lahaina Third Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lahaina United Methodist Church. Features community resources and entertainment by Reiko Fukino, Pono Murray, Alyssa Ah Yuen and Max Kincaid.
- Lahaina Ho‘olaule‘a, 5 to 9 p.m. at Campbell Park. Celebrate Lahaina through music, hula, food and local businesses. Entertainment includes Kamehameha Hawaiian Ensemble; Hālau O Ka Hanu Lehua, under the direction of Kumu Hula Kamaka Kukona, and Nuff Sedd.
Sunday, July 19
- Lahaina Homecoming Kanikapila, 5 to 9 p.m. at Campbell Park. Join the Mana Maoli Collective — featuring John Cruz, Brother Noland, Eli-Mac, Chardonnay, vocalists from Ooklah the Moc, Natural Vibrations and Kanaka Fyah, and other guests — to end the weekend with a traditional-style kanikapila.
According to the announcement, complimentary parking will be available at the Lahaina Aquatic Center, with continuous shuttle service to and from Campbell Park each evening. Those who plan to attend are encouraged to carpool and allow extra travel time. A dedicated kūpuna drop-off and pick-up area will be available at the corner of Front and Prison streets.
Additional parking will be available at Lahaina Hongwanji Mission, Waiola Church and Lahaina Baptist Church.
Trilogy Excursions also is offering complimentary community cruises for Homecoming participants.
The homecoming also serves an opportunity for the community to reconnect with the area before Front Street reopens to the public.
County officials told ASD that the county aims to reopen Front Street to through traffic before the third anniversary of the fire.
Currently, Front Street is closed from Papalaua to Dickenson streets, while the portion from Dickenson to Shaw streets is partially open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily., a county spokesperson confirmed in a follow-up email.
Details of the reopening are still being discussed and will be announced soon.
Office of Recovery Administrator John Smith noted that the area is a "kuleana in progress place."
"We will continue to have construction and limited road closures based on all of the work that's going down there," he told ASD. "But we just finished the railing project, we just finished a paving project on Front Street, and it's just really good timing. So when the festivities are over and after everything's cleaned up, it's going to be the right time to allow traffic on Front Street."
For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up here for our free Daily Edition newsletter.
Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
