MANCHESTER – Some events are worth waiting for. The 5th Annual Manchester Hawaiian Luau was scheduled for Aug. 7 but Mother Nature didn’t cooperate so in fear of rain storms, it was pushed back a week.
That was a good decision because a little before 6 p.m. a large number of residents came out to clear skies, a pleasant temperature and were ready to hula for the event at Harry Wright Lake.
Attendees were in islands of their own, practicing social distancing. Sitting literally in white circles and wearing masks they enjoyed the performances of Tinos Hawaiian Entertainment.
Those performances included not only hula dancing and instruction, but also songs and a fire knife dance. No performance involving Hawaiian culture would be complete without a rendition of famous Hawaiian singer Don Ho’s signature song “Tiny Bubbles.”
A food vendor van and a Mr. Softee ice cream truck were also popular places to line up for food and a frozen treat.
This was another summer event sponsored by the Manchester Township Recreation Department which, like their summer concert series at the same location, has been receiving big crowds and loud applause.
Among those who attended the night’s event were Ron and Rebecca Coleman who sported Hawaiian shirts for the occasion. This marked their second event of the summer put on by the Recreation Dept.
“This is our first luau,” Rebecca Coleman said. It was more important than ever to get outside for an activity. The luau presented a chance to get out in the air with mild temperatures for a perfect Friday night escape from the pandemic.
“You have to do something that is organized and safe,” Ron Coleman said.
“We are seniors that have been locked inside and this is the first time we’ve been able to come out and listen in a night that isn’t humid. It is a beautiful night and it is relaxing Hawaiian music,” resident Joanne Diliberto said.
She added, “I used to come last year to a lot of the oldies dances but COVID changed a lot of things. This is the first one I’ve come to this summer.”
Originally the event was to be held at a different township lake according to Terry Blanar who said her neighbors attended several recreation events “and they said they were wonderful.”
“We are bored to death. We want to get out and if you were born in the 50s – especially if you were a teenager in the 50s – you love the music and dancing,” Blanar said. “I’ve been here 17 years and I used to come up here all the time.”
Kathy Frefolone was busy serving up and selling hot dogs and pulled pork sandwiches as part of her Howell-based business Frezzy’s Festival Foods. This was not a new experience for her or her business.
“We come out and participate in the concerts, the luau and Manchester Day. This is an annual event. Today, we have a special menu of pulled pork which is very popular for a Hawaiian get-together. We do the hot dogs for those who don’t want to do the pulled pork. The fresh cut fries are everyone’s favorite,” she added.
Frefolone said she’s been doing this for nine years. “We have three of us here today working. It is a nice crowd and the weather is great.”
“It is fun, fun, fun,” said her co-worker Julia Antonides of Freehold.
Councilman Robert Hudak brought along his young daughter who was busy dancing and doing cartwheels in the chalked off circle area for audience members.
Both were enjoying the event. “I’m glad to see so many people. Glad to see the township be able to put this on and glad to be part of it,” Hudak said.
“It is perfect weather. Not too hot and not too muggy. They (the Recreation Dept.) does a great job with this,” he added. “It is the same group (of performers) but they change up the act a bit. This year it is totally different due to COVID-19. They usually have a little more participation and they have people who come up front and all dance together.
“It is kind of fun for families and for everybody,” he added.
Upcoming Events
Recreation Dept. Administrative Assistant Caitlyn Sloan said “we are so glad that we got a great turn out.
Sloan added that on Sept. 2, “we have a rescheduled concert featuring “Stiletto & the Saxman” and “Stone Flower” beginning at 6 p.m. and on Sept. 9 we have a rescheduled concert featuring “Gerard Esposito” and “Emil Stucchio & The Classics” beginning at 6 p.m.”
The department will also screen “Movies at the Lake” events at Pine Lake on Sept. 18 and Oct. 9. The Sept. 18 movie will be announced and will begin at 7:30 p.m. while the Oct. 9 movie will be “Mary Poppins Returns” beginning at 6:45 p.m.
