HILO — A Hilo couple is transforming their 7-acre Panaewa property into a Halloween pumpkin patch and fall extravaganza.
Pomai and Brandon Bartolome are hosting The Purpose Pumpkin Party, a first-ever pumpkin patch/maze/family event in Hilo scheduled for the weekend of Oct. 21-22.
The event is a fundraiser for Pomai’s new youth talent enhancement and enrichment company called Dream Hawaii Studio.
“The holiday is right around the corner, and we just thought, ‘Why not do a pumpkin party?’” said Pomai, a former radio host who said she left in May to start Dream Hawaii Studio. “It’s something my husband and I had been thinking to do for a couple years now, but we never pursued it. … (This year) we just thought, ‘Why not?’ We have the property and the land and the resources, and we’re just looking for fun things for the community to do, especially during the holiday season.”
The Bartolomes’ decision to start the event coincidentally happened around the same time Kohala Mountain Educational Farm announced it had permanently closed.
The Kohala farm was well-known to many island residents for its annual fall pumpkin patch and corn maze. It was one of only a few places on the island where visitors could “pick” pumpkins. However, this year the Waimea Preservation Association also is hosting a pumpkin patch event Oct. 14.
Pomai said their pumpkin party is self-funded with help from local donors and sponsors. About 500 pumpkins are being donated by Hawaii Farmers &Ranchers United, she said, and several local businesses are donating raffle items.
She said her husband has been working around-the-clock in recent weeks to plow and maintain a “maze” through a one-acre portion of their property.
“With Miracle-Gro and a lot of prayers, we’re hoping it will be at least knee high or waist high by the pumpkin party,” Pomai said.
“At the extent of what we’re doing, I can tell you this is the only thing that will be happening like this on this side of the island,” she continued. “I can promise you it’s going to be on a scale we’ve never seen here in Hilo before.”
A roster of volunteers are slated to help facilitate the event, and “back-up plans” are also in place to help in the event they need additional parking or manpower, Pomai said.
She said she’d like to continue the event in future years, contingent on how things go this year.
“It’s definitely something we’re looking to do annually,” she said. “But it’s depending on volunteers, because on this scale, for everything to run smoothly and organized and to be able to get those lines passing through as quickly as possible, it takes a whole village. So this will be a test trial run to see. But I know once people do it and they see and experience it, they will know it’s something they want to see continue.”
Email Kirsten Johnson at kjohnson@hawaiitribune-herald.com.