Rice and Lantern Festival

CHITO RIBAO shows a lantern made of recycled
soda cans and plastic bottles. The lantern is
a gift of Metodio Patacsil to Rey and
Cecille Piros.

Rice and Lantern Festival

at the Binhi at Ani Center

KAHULUI, Maui- The 2^nd Rice Festival and 1^st Annual Lantern Festival will be held on December 18 at the Binhi at Ani Maui Filipino Community Center.

In an interview with Binhi at Ani president Cecille Piros, she said that the  rice festival will be a dry run of next year’s Barrio Fiesta. “Because of the high cost of  setting up or renting booths and lack of manpower, we are looking at the possibility of holding  the Barrio Fiesta at the Binhi at Ani area complex,” she added.

With that said, there will be food concessions which will open at 10:00 am. Unit organizations have been invited and some have signed up for the event.  The organizing committee anticipates more organizations to participate. There will also be  Filipino games such as the pabitin.

Highlights of the festival evening program include the ringing of the centennial bell at 6:00 pm  by the Sakadas in recognition of the anniversary of the arrival to Hawaii of the first Sakadas; the awarding of the “Ama at Ina” (Outstanding Father and Mother), awarding of winners from the lantern festival, and  announcing of the winners of the rice dish or delicacy contest.

Last year’s Ama and Ina were Elpidio Cachero Cabalo and Alejandra Cabudoy Cabalo. The “Ama and Ina” award is an affirmation of the Filipinos tradition of respect for parents and elders, and the importance of family.

Considering that the “parol” or lantern is  iconic to Philippine Christmas tradition,   Binhi at Ani joined forces with  KPMW Wild 105.5 FM in launching the lantern festival.   “This is a lantern contest which promotes the awareness of recycling to students and parents as well,” Piros adds.

Lanterns must use recycled materials such as soda cans, straws, plastic cups or bottles, candy wrappers, fast food containers, and anything that can be recycled. For  detailed guidelines about  the contest, you may visit  www.wild105.net. 

Individuals or groups who are interested to join the contest must register first either on line at the above mentioned website or may drop the  form at the KPMW Business Office at 230 Hana Hwy Ste. #2 in Kahului on or before December 15. There’s an entry fee of $ 10.00 for every lantern submitted.  All lanterns to be entered into the festival must be turned in on December 17 at 1:00 pm at the Binhi at Ani Community Center. Lanterns will be judged according to originality, creativity, and resourcefulness.

Prizes at stake are: $ 500.00 for the first place, $ 300.00 for the second place, and $ 150.00 for the third place. All non-winning contestants will receive a consolation prize valued at $ 20.00.

For further information about the festival, contact Cecille Piros at 283-3739 or Flor Garcia at 281-2304.