Fun Fest, more events set to engage, entertain keiki

By Karen A. Iwamoto, Hawaii Army Weekly, U.S. Army Garrison-HawaiiApril 3, 2015

Fun Fest, more events set to engage, entertain keiki
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii -- The 2015 Fun Fest, Earth Day and Leisure Travel Service Travel Fair have something for everyone.

The family-friendly events celebrate three important occasions in April: Easter, Earth Day and the Month of the Military Child.

It runs from 8:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 4, at Weyand Field on Schofield Barracks.

-- Fun Fest

Fun Fest kicks off with a child mile run at 8:45 a.m. All other activities begin at 9 a.m.

This year's Easter egg hunt will be the event's largest, with more than 20,000 eggs hidden around the field.

Children in age groups 2-4, 5-8 and 9-12 will have the chance to hunt for the eggs, which will contain a small prize or a slip that they can redeem for a larger prize, according to Deanna Lein, special events coordinator for the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation.

Food trucks from Wing Hut, Flo's Kitchen, Ohana Espresso, Off the Grid, Charlie's, Flavor of the World, and Island Finest Shave Ice will serve up everything from Filipino food and chicken wings to lemonade and smoothies.

There will also be games, rides and craft booths. "It's a not-to-miss family event with great entertainment," Lein said.

-- LTS Travel Fair

The LTS Travel Fair tent will connect families to entertainment and destination activities in the state, according to Joselynn Mitsuda, LTS program manager.

More than 40 vendors, including representatives from hotels and tour companies will be in attendance.

To encourage attendees to visit the vendors, LTS will be holding drawings and giving away prizes, including a $500 grand prize gift certificate that can be used toward a travel or leisure activity through LTS.

"We want to encourage families to visit the vendors," Mitsuda said. "A lot of families are interested in doing things in Hawaii, whether it be staying at some of the hotels or attending a luau. (The festival) enables them to find out what is available."

She added that May is Military Appreciation Month, so many of the vendors will be offering promotional packages geared toward this.

While the emphasis of many of the vendors may be on family-friendly activities, there will also be activities for single Soldiers.

"The single Soldiers tend to like a lot of adventure activities," Mitsuda said, adding that representatives from Extreme Parasail and Pacific Watersports will also be there.

-- Online photo apps

As in previous years, children will have the opportunity to have their photo taken with the Easter bunny from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The photos will be made available on the DFMWR Facebook page, www.facebook.com/fmwr.hawaii.

-- Earth Day

Earth Day activities are designed to encourage participates to upcycle items that might otherwise be considered trash.

Children and their parents can learn to create shopping bags out of used tank tops and notebooks out of recycled material, among other things.

There will also be an emphasis on nature and education that allow viewers to learn more about endangered species, the threats they face and the controls that are implemented to protect them. Entomological displays will allow viewers to get an up-close look at insects and anthropoids.

Visitors may also immerse themselves in hands-on activities, such as drawing petroglyphs, building stone tools and contributing to a collective Earth Month-themed mural canvas painting.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will have its own exhibit featuring a tornado box and a video display.

-- Earth Month

U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii will be hosting its fourth annual Earth Month celebration.

What began as a single day has evolved into a monthlong celebration with a wide variety of events for Soldiers and families to enjoy.

> April 4, 8-11:30 a.m., Pearl City Bike Path and Stream Clean-up, Waipahu. Organized by the 9th Mission Support Command as a kick off to Earth Month, volunteers are sought for this annual bike path clean up.

Rally point is on Waipahu Depot Road, across from the Police Academy (look for tent), between Kapakahi Stream and Waipahu High School. Work will include picking up and throwing away trash and debris along the bike path and Pouhala Marsh. All participants must complete a release form prior to the event. Call (808) 438-1600, ext. 3307.

> April 4, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Fun Fest and Earth Day 2014, Weyand Field. This collaboration between the Directorate of Public Works (DPW) Environmental Division and Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation features exhibitors, games, environmental learning activities and live entertainment.

•At 8:45 a.m. Military Child Mile Fun Run to kick off the event; no registration required.

•At 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Games, activities, rides, inflatables and pictures with the Easter bunny with egg hunts as follows: ages 2-4 at 11:30 a.m., ages 5-8 at 12 p.m., and ages 9-12 at 12:30 p.m.

Enjoy entertainment provided by SKIES. Participate in "upcycling," crafts and coloring activities, artifacts search, sustainability and natural resources educational activities. Dine on seven food truck options. Enter to win the Leisure, Travel and Services' $500 gift card. Call (808) 655-0002.

> April 22, 2-5 p.m. Island Palm Communities and DPW Environmental Division team up on Earth Day at the Kalakaua Community Center, Schofield Barracks, for cool exhibits and fun activities while learning about the environment. Also, back by demand, is the Earth Day Passport Challenge.

> April 22, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Pohakuloa Training Area, on the island of Hawaii, is hosting an Earth Day event that is open to the public. It will showcase the work of the Natural Resources Office, the Cultural/Archeological Resources Office and Fire/Emergency Services. Also, there will be a static display of military equipment. Call (808) 969-2403.

> April 25, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. The Fort Shafter Flats parade field will serve as the location for the Earth Day Festival, hosted by the 9th MSC and 9th Theater Support Groups' DPW Environmental Division. Call 438-1600, extension 3307.

Related Links:

U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii

Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii