Categorized | Entertainment, Featured

Kona Coffee Cultural Festival kicks off (Nov. 6-15)

MEDIA RELEASE

The 2015 Kona Coffee Cultural Festival celebrates its 45th anniversary of Hawaii’s oldest food festival with 10 days of fan favorites and dynamic new events all starting Friday, Nov. 6 through Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015.

Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Events

After four decades, the question most often asked is “What’s New?” Festival organizers are excited to announce this year’s lineup of great events sure to bring a wonderful opportunity for visitors and residents to participate side-by-side as the story of Kona coffee’s harvest comes to life.

The return of the crowd favorite Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Lantern Parade through Historic Kailua Village is expected to generate a buzz with its glowing procession of light, music and color.

On Friday, Nov. 13 starting at 5:30 p.m., the Lantern Parade, open to the public, winds through Historic Kailua Village and culminates with a new floating lantern celebration at Kamakahonu Bay (fronting Courtyard By Marriott King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel).

Kona Coffee Inspirations

How does Kona coffee inspire artists? According to Donkey Mill Art Center “The process of cultivation, roasting, and brewing Kona coffee is itself a rich art. One that inspires artists with complexities of colors, form, and scents: the changing hues of coffee cherry, the snowlike quality of fragrant blossoms on verdant branches, the aromas of roasting beans and brewing coffee.”

Critically acclaimed artist and Kona resident Jing Jing Tsong, commissioned to create the official art piece for the 2015 Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, notes her source of inspiration for her coffee art is the silhouette of Mount Hualalai.

The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival is honored to showcase art at several events throughout the 10-day Festival:

* Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Art Show
11/6, 11/7, 11/10-11/14
Donkey Mill Art Center

* Holualoa Village Coffee & Art Stroll
11/7
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Historic Holualoa Village

* Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Quilt Show
11/9 – 11/12
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Quilt Passions Quilt and Needlework Shop

* The Art of Japanese Calligraphy
11/14
10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Kamehameha Schools Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Hoolaulea

Celebrating Kona Coffee History

On Thursday, Nov. 12 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Donkey Mill Art Center, noted filmmaker Walter “Trippy” Dods speaks about his first full length film documentary, ‘The Long Journey Home.’

This film follows the first three generations of Japanese in Kona, from the hardship of creating new coffee farms, to the discrimination they experienced during World War II. It also reveals the many triumphs the community has enjoyed, including Kona coffee’s being declared a gourmet item.

The story culminates with Ellison Onizuka, the world’s first Asian in space who came from the coffee land in Keopu.

Festival finale Sunday’s Kona Coffee Cultural Day will host “Kipuka” The Kona Way of Live exhibit. This interactive exhibit will tell the story of the strong, independent individuals who grew up in this community back when life was simple, and the mauka-makai lifestyle was a way of life.

The districts of North Kona and South Kona will be front and center, giving visitors a glimpse of the “Kipuka” or highlights of the many traditions, practices and customs of Kona’s agricultural lifestyle as likened to an area in Hawaii that withstood a lava flow, preserving the species and persisted over time.

“Kipuka” The Kona Way of Live exhibit, will open to the public at 1p.m. and is free with a $3 Festival button.

Highlights for Friday, Nov. 6

* Kona Historical Society Kona Coffee Living History Farm Tour
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Kona Coffee Living History Farm

The story of Kona coffee pioneers is told through educational and fun self-guided tours showcasing the lives of Japanese immigrant farmers between 1920 and 1945. Special $10 rate with Festival button, available for purchase on-site.

* Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Art Show
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Donkey Mill Art Center

Art that celebrates Kona coffee culture on display at this restored coffee mill, now the vibrant home of Holualoa Foundation for Arts and Culture.

* Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Art Show Opening Reception & Awards
6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Donkey Mill Art Center

Celebrate the arts with featured artists and enjoy a potluck dinner. Kona Brewing Company will be serving their Pipeline Porter, made with 100% Kona coffee. Winner of the Kona Coffee Art contest will be announced.

* Sugai Kona Coffee Talent Night
6:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Konawaena Elementary School

A perfect blend of Kona’s musical and dance talents, enjoy multi-cultural community performances throughout the evening.

Highlights for Saturday, Nov. 7

* Holualoa Village Coffee & Art Stroll
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Historic Holualoa Village

Enjoy art galleries that open their doors with unique treasures and over 30 Kona coffee farms sampling their best brews. Food and fun for all.

* Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Art Show
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Donkey Mill Art Center

* UCC Ueshima Coffee Co., Ltd. Miss Kona Coffee Scholarship Pageant
6 p.m.
Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa – Kaleiopapa Convention Center

Talented contestants from around the island compete for the coveted Miss Kona Coffee and Miss Aloha Hawaii titles. Tickets $30 plus Festival button.

Highlights for Sunday, Nov. 8

* Kona Coffee Picking Contest

UCC Ueshima Coffee Co., Ltd. Kona Coffee Picking Experience & Coffee Games
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
UCC Hawaii Kona Coffee Estate

Everyone’s invited to try their skills at picking Kona’s famous harvest. Then it’s play time for family fun. Keiki teams from local community organizations compete in coffee games.

* KTA Super Stores Kona Coffee Recipe Contest & Big Island Showcase
Big Island Showcase Opens at 10am
Recipe Contest Opens at Noon
Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa – Kaleiopapa Convention Center

Amateurs, culinary students, keiki (children) and professional chefs present their favorite entrée and dessert recipes featuring 100% Kona Coffee. The Big Island Showcase features Hawaii Island products, gifts, and an opportunity to buy farmer-direct Kona coffee.

Coffee’s Culinary Versatility

Every morning coffee lovers celebrate this drink. These connoisseurs know exactly how to craft their cup, but adding coffee to entrees and desserts becomes a platform for chefs, and food lovers everywhere.

Infuse coffee’s aroma and fragrance, flavor, acidity, body, balance and aftertaste into a pork tenderloin or dark chocolate truffle cake and suddenly the taste combination becomes complex and exciting. What would Creme Brulee or Cheescake taste like with 100% Kona coffee added? Biscuits with Kona coffee gravy? Don’t be afraid, Kona’s world famous coffee is the showcased ingredient featured at the 2015 KTA Super Stores Recipe Contest.

Festival fans will want to keep a fork handy. After the judging, contestants will serve up per-portioned tastings. Watch for exciting entries from defending champions like Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa, Four Seasons Hualalai and Daylight Mind Coffee Company. Amateurs know how to win too, so be sure to add this delicious event as a must.

A full program of Kona Coffee Farm Tours offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at coffee farm experiences visitors may otherwise miss. The prestigious Kona Coffee Cupping Competition crowns the winner of judged tastings from Kona’s best tasting coffee grown throughout the Kona Coffee Belt.

Among the 40-plus Kona Coffee Cultural Festival events are the Holualoa Village Coffee & Art Stroll, UCC Ueshima Coffee Co., Ltd. Miss Kona Coffee Scholarship pageant (a qualifying Miss Hawaii event), family fun at the Kona Coffee Picking Experience & Coffee Games and the Kona Coffee Heritage Celebration at Kealakekua Ranch Center.

— Find out more:
www.konacoffeefest.com

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