Pineapples are not from Hawaii, but don’t tell that to the residents of Wahiawa. In our town, this transplant is royalty. Every year, people gather to celebrate this South American fruit, and it’s close relationship with Wahiawa for more than 100 years.
The name Wahiawa means “place of noise” in Hawaiian, and people certainly made some noise for the “Chee Hoo” competition, paper airplane throw, and other events. The Wahiawa Pineapple Festival has a very different feel than a Waikiki festival marketed to tourists. This is a goofy, small town event that shows off our town spirit.
Some say Wahiawa is nothing but tattoo shops, pawn shops, and smoke shops. They think of our town as a place of chain link fences and big dogs. Yet, when I look out at my street, I see the neighborhood kids playing. My mailman knows me as the weird duck lady. I’ve never had a package stolen off my porch. To me, Wahiawa is a safe place full of good people, and that is what you see on parade at the Pineapple Festival. Good -if mischievous and silly- people having fun.
The Pineapple Festival organizers hope to raise money so that our town can build it’s own museum. This land has been grazed by cattle, settled by strangers, used by royalty for battle training, and been appropriated by the United States federal government for military bases. We’re known for the Dole Pineapple plantation, but this place of noise has a long history that should be preserved.
If you ask me, the main reason to go to the pineapple festival is for the food. I’ll be honest: I don’t like pineapples. (Sacrilege, I know.) However, Wahiawa has some of the best lunch wagons and restaurants on island. Our population is very diverse, and that means our food is the best of everywhere rolled up together from Japanese cakes to tacos.
Of course, we also have everything pineapple.
The Dole Whip is the star of the show. The popular confection is sold all year at the Dole tourist attraction.
Dole used to farm huge tracts of land so that pineapple fields stretched from the mountains almost all the way to the sea. Dole sold most of this land to farm pineapples in more cost-effective places. These days, they only farm enough land to support the tourist attraction, which is very popular with visitors.
It may be a small festival in a small town, but the Wahiawa Pineapple Festival really is a good time every year. I’d recommend it to anyone -islanders and tourists alike. The small-town feel is reminiscent of old Hawaii and echoes back to a simpler time when people got together to eat, laugh, and have a nice day with their families. There are things to buy, but that’s not what it’s all about. It’s about the games, the baking competition, and the local high school drama club doing interpretive dances (in full Goth regalia in spite of the heat). My family actually comes from Maui, in the Makawao area. But, I love living in Wahiawa and -if you ask me- it’s the hidden gem of Hawaii.
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