KEALAKEKUA — There was a little something for everyone Monday at the 14th annual UpCountry Faire in Kealakekua, hosted by Christ Church Episcopal in honor of both Labor Day and the church’s sesquicentennial.
When British missionary Charles Williamson built the church with three laborers 150 years ago, he likely couldn’t have imagined the scene around his mission Monday. But he probably would have appreciated its spirit.
Hundreds of people filtered in and out of the site throughout the day, where they played carnival games, got tours of Hawaii Fire Department vehicles and took rides on Bebe the pony. Food, a silent auction and even a magic show rounded out a variety of activities that drew visitors of all ages.
While the pony rides appeared to be the crowd favorite, many attendees had trouble picking just one activity as the most enjoyable of the day.
When Kaleigha Van Dyke, 6, was asked what she enjoyed most, she responded enthusiastically, “Everything!”
Her all-inclusive answer was fitting considering the history of one of Hawaii Island’s oldest churches.
Christ Church Episcopal was a Red Cross Center during World War I and served as the island’s USO Center during World War II.
Nancy Cline, who wrote a book about the church, explained that the area was about 90 percent Japanese when Japan struck the United States at Pearl Harbor in December 1941, marking America’s entrance into the war.
“There was a sincere belief the island would be invaded,” Cline explained. “So white people evacuated their daughters and wives to the mainland but, obviously, the Japanese couldn’t evacuate their daughters.”
This made for interesting dance partners at USO events over the next four years, as the only women on the island to accompany soldiers were of Japanese descent.
At that time, the United States ushered more than 100,000 of its Japanese-American citizens into internment camps to “protect” the country from possible sympathizers with Japan’s cause.
“The soldiers were fighting on the Japanese front, but they came back here and all the Japanese girls from Holualoa would come and dance with them,” Cline said.
“To me, that’s a beautiful irony,” she continued. “Those are the stories I really love about this church. It’s always been a multicultural church. You can walk through the cemetery and see the British names, the Hawaiian names, the Portuguese names, the Chinese names, the Japanese names. They’re all there.”
Christ Church Episcopal was also the chosen place of worship for Queen Emma, who used to ride her horse to services there, drawing huge Hawaiian crowds that spilled out of the church and surrounded the building so as to be in the Queen’s presence.
And the Merrie Monarch himself, King David Kalakaua, is said to have celebrated at least one Easter there.
Hawaiian values remain strong at the church. A third of the profits from Monday’s UpCountry Faire will go to support Punana Leo, a Hawaiian immersion preschool located there.
Another third of the money raised will fund efforts to re-side the church structure itself, while the final third will be donated to Family Support Hawaii, a nonprofit dedicated to serving the health and education of more than 3,500 people and families across Hawaii Island every year.
Parents in attendance Monday expressed gratitude for the event’s value.
“We only live a few minutes away,” said Racheal Tradewell, who attended the UpCountry Faire with her 3-year-old son Greyson. “Normally, for everything else, we have to drive all the way down to Kona. Everyone has been so nice, and he loved the horseback riding and all of the games. It’s been an easy and affordable day.”
Hiroko Tateishi, whose 8-year-old daughter Abigail proved formidable at the ring toss, echoed Tradewell’s sentiments.
“It’s just fun, with family-oriented activities we can all enjoy,” she said.