page 4
From page 3
saw an opportunity for growth;
one that could be collaboratively nurtured and was sustainable.
As Lee puts it, “It’s a community
thing,” with everybody helping out
however they can, be it by sending
out press releases, increasing buzz
on social media, talking to sponsors or producing fliers.
The result of their discussions
was Walkabout Wednesdays.
Walkabout Wednesdays shouldn’t
be thought of as another event
like First Friday or Eat the Street.
It’s not a street festival; there are
no road closures, nor will there
be stage sets erected in the middle of Hotel Street. Walkabout
Wednesdays can perhaps best be
described as a coordinated marketing push to showcase what the
area venues are doing on any given Wednesday.
The first Walkabout Wednesday
press release went out in early December, listing events at the aforementioned five establishments.
It featured info on what DJs and
bands were playing where, and
what drink specials were available. That extra oomph of having
the bars and their events listed
together has been invaluable in
raising the profile of these midweek events and generating a buzz
about Walkabout Wednesdays.
Hancock estimates that since the
press release went out, Wednesday
patronage has increased by about
20 percent, while other bars in the
area have been asking how they
can be added to the list.
“This started with five Hotel
Street bars. Now we have 12–15
that have expressed interest, based
on the press release,” says Lee.
All this attention, and Walkabout
Wednesday doesn’t even officially
01
04
01 We don’t know what she’s mixing, but we
know we want some.
02 The vibe at Manfiest is sophisticated-cool.
03 Nextdoor has provided some of the best
concerts on the island. Come see Machinedrum
here on January 25.
04 The cocktail beckons.
05 Bar 35 has great happy hour specials and
enough beers on tap to keep you busy trying
them all.
Justin Iyoki
02
start until Jan. 8.
While First Friday was initially
driven by art, and events in Kaka‘ako and elsewhere are driven
by food or other themes, there’s no
such qualifier for a bar to participate in Walkabout Wednesday.
“All we want to do is tell people
what the establishments are doing
on Wednesdays and let the people
decide,” explains Lee. “If you’ve got
music, if you’ve got performances,
if you’ve got drink specials, you’re
03
05
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