Just when you thought LavaKids couldn’t possibly add any more fun keiki events to their already stacked, year-round schedule, here comes four exciting days you won’t want your kids to miss.
On Sunday, LavaKids and Bike Works Kona team up to present the Inaugural Kona Bike Fest at the Old Airport Park playing fields located behind the Kona Aquatic Community Center.
Much like the popular Waimea Bike Fest, the free event will include a jam-packed morning of cycling and running activities that are sure to keep your kids highly entertained from start to finish.
Participants can look forward to the grassy fields playing host to LavaKids fun runs of varying distances, a PATH Bike Rodeo that will enable kids to learn about bicycle safety, riding and handling skills, Strider Keiki Races with bike laps based upon age, a Keiki 100-yard dash and even a Fourth of July Hunt.
But the fun doesn’t stop there.
On Monday and Tuesday (July 2-3), LavaKids will return to the Old Airport’s lower soccer fields for the second annual Fun in the Sun Camp. The three-hour keiki camp held each day from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. will be geared to promote a healthier and more active lifestyle through running events and games, all while educating kids on the importance of nutrition and a balanced diet.
And finally, LavaKids will cap off an action-packed four days by celebrating Independence Day with a sizzling, 1-Mile LavaKids Liberty Fun Run on Wednesday.
For Claudia Kane, who is the co-director of LavaKids alongside her husband, Ted Spitaleri, it’s all about getting kids out and active, having some fun in the sun, and maybe, giving their parents a little break.
“I think people are really excited about having it here in Kona,” Kane said about the Kona Bike Fest. “This is a sister event — to the Waimea Bike Fest — to target more of the people who live here in Kona and the South Kona area. And we are actually pretty lucky as we have been able to secure all of the fields at Old Airport. So we have tons of room and it’s a flat area so it will be different from Waimea, but just as exciting.”
Kane said that while they are still formulating some ideas to add to the schedule of activities for the Kona Bike Fest, it will be based on the success of the Waimea Bike Fest that became an instant hit during its first two years.
Registration for the free event begins at 7:30 a.m. and will be limited to 200 kids. And all that is required is for children to BYOBH — bring your own bike and helmet.
“We are going to have an obstacle course on the bike and Grant Miller will also be putting on another hunt for the kids but based on the Fourth of July,” Kane said. “In addition to the Keiki Dash, we will also have longer runs for the older kids that will probably be run on the perimeter of the fields, and we will also have some refreshments.”
Unlike the Kona Bike Fest, the Fun in the Sun two-day camp will be limited to just 50 registrants with race organizers adding an invigorating twist by offering a swim element in the pool and some hula dancing. Cost for the Keiki camp will be by donation.
“Last year the Fun in the Sun was three days because we had a bike element on the third day,” Kane said. “But this year, we are duck-tailing off of the Bike Fest so the bike portion of it will be on Sunday. Then on Monday and Tuesday, in addition to what we did last year, we will be having running, hula and swimming.”
On Wednesday, Keiki are encouraged to don their favorite red, white and blue for the Fourth of July LavaKids Liberty Fun Run.
“This gives the Keiki the opportunity to lead off the Fourth of July Parade with a 1-mile run,” Kane said.
The run will start at 5:50 p.m. at Big Island Honda and keiki will run on the parade route. The run will end at Huggo’s on the Rocks.
Registration starts at 5 p.m. and the cost is for people to bring something keiki related that can be donated to the Puna Relief.
And through all of the fun, Kane hopes that these LavaKids events will inspire kids at the most vulnerable ages to take control over their own health and fitness while building upon a positive self-image that will help them throughout their entire life.
“I think if we can instill this idea of being healthy and active at this young age, we hope that it can carry on to the activities that are available to them as they get older, whether it’s a high school sport, or maybe a marathon or triathlon. We hope to give them a good foundation by participating in the LavaKids events before they get into those venues.”
So don’t miss out on an exciting opportunity to have your kids enjoy some sunshine and playtime with LavaKids.
For more information and to register on-line visit lavakids.org or email eventinfo@lavakids.org.
Coming Up
Saturday: Kona Aquatics will host the 24th annual King’s Swim in Kailua Bay.
Start time for the 1.2-mile swim is 8 a.m. with race day registration between 6:30–7:30 a.m.
The mass swim start begins at Kaiakeakua Beach and ends at Kamakahonu Beach.
For more info and registration details contact Steve Borowski at 334-0083.
