Categorized | Entertainment, Featured

Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival (Feb 5)

CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES, VENUES

The 18th annual Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival has a full lineup of multi-cultural performing arts, hands-on demonstrations, craft fairs and food booths 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 5 at various venues sprawling through town—look for pink banners identifying site locations.

This year’s festival commemorates lei and kapa making kupuna Marie McDonald and agricultural researcher Milton Yamasaki. The Waimea residents will be recognized by Mayor Billy Kenoi during opening festivities on the entertainment stage behind Parker Ranch Center.

The free Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival celebrates the blooming of the historic cherry trees at Church Row Park and celebrates the age-old Japanese tradition of hanami, which translates to “cherry blossom viewing party.” After a seasonal winter chill, the trees typically are blooming in February.

The official festival program will be included just prior to the event in the North Hawaii News, West Hawaii Today and also distributed at festival venues. It includes a map with activity locations and details on the presenting organizations.

Festival parking is available at Parker Ranch Center and the soccer field across Church Row Park. A free shuttle offers transportation among festival venues with stops at Parker Ranch Historic Homes on Hwy. 190, Parker Ranch Center’s back parking lot and Church Row Park. A quick rundown of festival activities at various locations follows (times are 9 a.m.-3 p.m. unless specified otherwise).

At Church Row Park

* Historical Cherry Tree Display: Waimea Lions’ Club offers a pictorial history of the cherry trees and serves as the festival’s official Lost and Found station. The Lions will also collect used eyeglasses, offer vision screening and sell pancake breakfast tickets

* Bonsai: The Waimea Bonyu Kai Bonsai Club offers bonsai sales, demonstrations and plant doctor consultations

* Cooking Demos at Kamuela Hongwanji: Resort chefs offer cooking demonstrations with free samples

* Japanese Cultural Demos at Kamuela Hongwanji: Learn the time-honored art of origami by Kikuko Kibe and the game of hanafuda

* Asian Collectibles/Food Sales at Kamuela Hongwanji: Church organizations sell Asian-themed collectibles, cherry blossom note cards, crafts made from recycled items, cherry tree seedlings and cherry blossoms in mugs. Ethnic foods: sekihan, sushi, doburi, chili with rice, pie crust manju, andagi, chichi mochi, prune mui

* Martial Arts Demonstrations throughout the day

* Save Our Seal: SOS, the Hawaiian Monk Seal Campaign display

* Puukapu Pottery: Sales and exhibit of Japanese Jomon Period-inspired ceramics by award-winning artist Fumi Bonk

* Arts, Crafts and Food Sales at Imiola Church: Saimin, BBQ beef, chicken, shrimp, steak and mahimahi plate lunches.

At Parker Ranch Center

* Festival Entertainment Stage: In the back parking lot. Opening ceremonies at 9 a.m. kick off continuous entertainment until 3 p.m.: bon dance presentation, Kumu Hula Michael Pang and Hula Halau Ka Noeau, Hawaii County Band, Cyril Pahinui, Kuhao Kawaauhau Case on keyboard and Tai Shoji Taiko drummers

* Craft Fair: Inside and in the back parking lot of Parker Ranch Center. Cherry tree sales outside.

* Mochi Tsuki Pounding: Help pound mochi using 500 pounds of rice with the Kona Hongwanji Mission outside the Fireside Food Court; free samples

At Waimea Historic Corner of Highways 19/190 intersection

* Firehouse Gallery Art Demos/Exhibition: Waimea Arts Council (WAC) presents a members’ invitational show with a cherry blossom theme. WAC members demonstrate papermaking, graphite and character drawing, mosaic and stained glass. Arts and crafts, Shakespeare readings by Waimea Community Theatre and chalk drawings outside for keiki

At Waimea Thelma Parker Gym-Highway190

* Ka Hui Kapa Apana O Waimea 19th Biennial Hawaiian Quilt Show: Show by club members, free lessons to make a quilt pattern, arts and crafts sale. Open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 5-6

At Parker School-Hwy. 19

* Waimea Town Market/Performing Arts: Farmers Market opens 8 a.m.-1 p.m. with a performance by Ryukyukoku Matsuri Daiko Hawaii-Kohala at 9:30 and 10:30 a.m.
At Parker Ranch Historic Homes-Hwy. 190

* Cultural Demos/Performing Arts: Enjoy ritual Japanese tea ceremony by Emi Wakayama. The Sakura Ensemble will perform on shakuhachi, gold flutes and piano. Oriental art display
At Kuhio Hale-Hwy. 19

* Farmer’s Market: More than 20 members of the Hawaiian Homestead Market offer a variety of products 7 a.m.-noon

At Topstitch-Holomua Center, Kamamalu St.

* Quilt Exhibit: by the Mauna Kea Quilters Guild and Topstich Fabric & Needlecraft. Make It and Take It free activity.

At Kamuela Liquors-Highway 19

* Sake Tasting: Noon-3 p.m.

The Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival is produced by the Hawaii County Parks and Recreation Department. Overseen by the park’s Roxcie Waltjen, the festival is a community-wide effort by a dedicated team of volunteers.

For information, phone 961-8706.

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