One of the best times Alberta de Jetley had in recent memory was dressing up as a witch for last year’s Fifth Friday Lanai, which fell on Halloween.

Her costume, a last-minute find at Savers, was a black satin dress with a long hoop skirt. Instead of a pointed hat, she wore long gauzy strips on her head that created a flowing black-and-white frame around her face.

A cosmetologist at Island Images Salon applied the finishing touches. “She asked if I wanted to be a pretty witch or an ugly witch,” said de Jetley, publisher and editor of Lanai Today, the island’s monthly newspaper. “I opted for pretty, and she piled on so much makeup no one recognized me. People who’ve known me for years did double takes! I just turned 70, but you’re never too old to have fun, right?”

De Jetley is a board member of the Lanai Chamber of Commerce, which launched Fifth Friday Lanai two years ago to showcase local businesses and to build a sense of community.

“We envisioned it as a way to draw residents away from their TVs and computers to enjoy quality family time,” de Jetley said. “Strolling on the sidewalks around Dole Park, you bump into friends and even neighbors that you haven’t seen in weeks, so it’s a great way to catch up.”

With the Four Seasons Resort Lanai at Manele Bay and the Lodge at Koele both closed for at least four more months because of renovation work, tourism on Lanai has come to a standstill. Fifth Friday Lanai is helping to keep residents’ spirits high during a challenging time and giving Maui residents and tourists a reason to visit Lanai for the day.

All of the establishments in Lanai City — including the Lanai Culture and Heritage Center and the recently renovated Lanai Theater — will remain open beyond normal hours for the event. Restaurants and food booths will sell local favorites (poke, sushi, saimin and venison nachos), and entertainment will be featured at several spots throughout the evening.

At sunset, Dole Park will transform into a cinema where the blockbusters “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” will be screened. Night owls can linger for the after-event party at Pele’s Other Garden from 9 p.m. to midnight.

An avid supporter of Fifth Friday, Jenna Majkus offers live music and discounts up to 30 percent on merchandise at her contemporary clothing boutique, the Local Gentry. She said she loves seeing Lanai City filled with people having a good time, including those who’ve never been to Lanai before.

“Fifth Friday is a great way for visitors to experience the best of Lanai,” Majkus said. “It’s a chance for them to see our little town sparkle.”

Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Star-Advertiser have won several Society of American Travel Writers awards.