MEDIA RELEASE

The Rotary Club of Kona, the Kailua Village Business Improvement District, the Kailua-Kona Community Parade Association, and the County of Hawaii are sponsoring the Kailua-Kona Fireworks Celebration, Saturday, July 4, 8:30 p.m. over Kailua bay.

Preceding the fireworks will be the Fourth of July parade, starting 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Kekua’okalani Gym (Old Airport) on Kuakini Highway. The parade will take Palani Road to Alii Drive and end at Coconut Grove Marketplace.

The theme of the parade is “Celebrate Freedom.” Grand Marshal is Judge Ronald Ibarra. A Hawai‘i County float featuring Mayor Billy Kenoi also will join the parade.

At the parade’s conclusion, Hawaii Explosives Pyrotechnics, Inc., promises a spectacular 10-minute fireworks display from a barge located in Kailua Bay.

Announcing stations during the parade will be at West Hawaii Today, King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel, Life Church of Kona, Pancho and Lefty’s, Kimo’s Family Buffet, Waterfront Row, Island Lava Java and Coconut Grove Marketplace.

Awards will be given to parade entries in the following categories: Keiki, Floats, Patriotic, Marching, Best Lights, Judge’s Special, Best Use of Theme and Best Crowd Pleaser.

Sponsors are continuing to raise funds for the event.Online donations may be made at the Independence Day Parade website, www.konaparades.com.

For questions regarding the fireworks and the parade, call Barbara Kossow, 327-3603.