The four of us rushed up the side of Haleakala on a two-way road toward the Makawao Town July 4th parade. This town is cowboy country. In Hawaiian, cowboys are called paniolos. Makawao is only one-block long, but it’s dripping with red, white, and blue flags, banners, clothes, and cars.
The parade began at 9 a.m. and we were a little late. Mostly, Hawaiians are on the kind of lax time that my Jewish heritage has accustomed me to. Not so for parades, apparently. The horses started walking and the politicians started waving at 9 a.m. exactly.
Favorite parts for the kids: collecting candy from the floats. My man and I enjoy the respite and the creativity. Only in Hawaii would people hula or zip line through a parade.
For my girl, the highlight was the pink horses with ribbon-braided manes and rear sides sporting sparkle-glitter hearts. My youngest, who had just finished a Pirate-themed week at summer camp, was wowed by the “real-life pirate.”
