Maui Matsuri canceled amid fears over virus; other events continue
Passengers sailing on cruise ship off Lahaina had OK to disembark
Students and instructors from the Maui Karate Association perform during the Maui Matsuri at the University of Hawaii Maui College in Kahului in May 2017. The event is being canceled this year due to travel difficulties and concerns over COVID-19. MAUI MATSURI photo
Princess Cruise Lines’ Star Princess is anchored off Lahaina on Thursday morning. A state Department of Transportation official said that cruise ships are screening passengers for possible COVID-19 symptoms prior to boarding. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photos
With a cruise ship in town Thursday, the sidewalks of Lahaina bustle with activity. Concerns were raised this week about a ship that anchored off of Lahaina on Feb. 28. Passengers who’d been on the ship during a previous leg were later found to have COVID-19, though they were no longer aboard when the ship came to Maui.
Students and instructors from the Maui Karate Association perform during the Maui Matsuri at the University of Hawaii Maui College in Kahului in May 2017. The event is being canceled this year due to travel difficulties and concerns over COVID-19. MAUI MATSURI photo
Princess Cruise Lines’ Star Princess is anchored off Lahaina on Thursday morning. A state Department of Transportation official said that cruise ships are screening passengers for possible COVID-19 symptoms prior to boarding. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photos
With a cruise ship in town Thursday, the sidewalks of Lahaina bustle with activity. Concerns were raised this week about a ship that anchored off of Lahaina on Feb. 28. Passengers who’d been on the ship during a previous leg were later found to have COVID-19, though they were no longer aboard when the ship came to Maui.
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A popular local festival celebrating Japanese culture has canceled its 20th annual event due to travel and health concerns for local and visiting participants from Japan and the Mainland.
Organizers of Maui Matsuri, which draws thousands of people to the University of Hawaii Maui College every May, announced the decision Thursday. Public events on other islands and around the world have been canceled as COVID-19 continues to spread.
"Out of an abundance of caution, and out of respect for the many entertainers, vendors and sponsors, the planning committee felt it was important to make this decision early in order to prevent future fiscal and travel difficulties," a news release said Thursday.
Brian Nagami, a co-chairman of the festival, said that the decision was difficult, especially since the 2020 festival would have been the 20th anniversary.
Festival highlights every year include food booths, Japanese cultural demonstrations, cosplay and a bon dance on the UHMC lawn, along with other events, including karaoke.
For this year's celebration, the festival had invited taiko groups from off-island, including Japan and the Mainland. Crafters also come from Oahu.
But with travel advisories and the status of the virus constantly changing, Nagami said they didn't want to take a chance and have folks be impacted financially and healthwise.
"It would have been great," he said.
But Nagami added, "who knows" what will happen, and that maybe they could hold a smaller event. Regardless, the group plans to gear up and be back for a 2021 festival.
Other Maui events appear to be proceeding as planned.
The annual Seabury Hall Craft Fair on May 9 is "going forward," Gayle Hart, the school representative for the fair, said Thursday morning.
Preparations for the financial aid program fundraiser are in full swing, with new crafters being selected.
The Maui Arts & Cultural Center is also monitoring the virus, but so far there has been little impact, said MACC Marketing Director Bob Burrichter.
The Merwin Green Room event on March 20 at the MACC has been postponed due to travel concerns, according to the Merwin Conservancy website.
Meanwhile, a spokeswoman with the state Department of Education said there were no event cancellations they were aware of as of Thursday morning.
"The department continues to work closely with state health officials to monitor the threat and potential impact of the COVID-19 virus in our public schools," DOE Communications Director Lindsay Chambers said.
There continue to be no cases of COVID-19 identified in Hawaii, according to a daily media update Thursday from the COVID-19 Joint Information Center.
A total of 72 people in Hawaii, including three on Maui, are self-monitoring with public health supervision.
On Thursday, state Department of Transportation spokesman Tim Sakahara said that passengers from the Grand Princess cruise ship linked to cases of COVID-19 did have privileges to disembark while in Lahaina on Feb. 28.
The cruise ship had carried at least three passengers on a previous voyage to Mexico who tested positive for COVID-19 after disembarking in California. The ship then traveled to several Hawaii ports, including Lahaina.
Sakahara could not confirm if the Mexico cruise passengers who had later tested positive had any contact with specific crew or the 62 holdover passengers who continued on to Hawaii.
However, he noted that those who tested positive had already left the ship before it embarked on its Hawaii voyage.
Sakahara pointed out that the Centers for Disease Control and the federal government noted there "wasn't any risk" for anyone on Maui.
A different vessel, the Star Princess, arrived in Lahaina at 7 a.m. Thursday and was scheduled to leave at 6 p.m., according to the state DOT Harbors Division web-based vessel scheduling system.
Sakahara said any illnesses aboard the ship will be reported to the U.S. Coast Guard.
He added that the cruise lines themselves are screening passengers and are not letting on those who have recently traveled in high-risk countries.
Cruise ships are also screening for symptoms and are vetting passengers before they are allowed on the vessels, Sakahara said.
Other state and federal agencies continue to take precautions. The Hawaii State Judiciary said Thursday it is taking steps to reduce the need for interisland travel by attorneys and self-represented litigants during this time.
Those scheduled to appear on a different island than the one they live on may ask to appear by telephone or by video conference as permitted by court rules.
These requests will be liberally granted while the COVID-19 situation is ongoing, the judiciary said.
Maui County residents who are in self-quarantine for possible COVID-19 exposure and will not be cleared by the Department of Health to resume normal activities before reporting to court for a case, jury duty or any court services, should contact the 2nd Circuit Court at 244-2929.
* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.
** There is a correction to the story published Friday, March 6, 2020.