About Town 1-31

Cherry blossom festival is Saturday

The 19th annual Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival has a full lineup of multicultural performing arts, hands-on demonstrations, more than 100 crafters, a quilt show and food booths from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at various venues in Waimea. Those attending should look for pink banners identifying site locations.

Organized by members of the community and the county’s Department of Parks and Recreation, the festival marks 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.

This year’s festival is part of the nationwide 100-year anniversary that marks the 1912 planting of cherry trees along the Potomac River in Washington. The Japan-U.S. Cherry Blossom Centennial celebration features the planting of cherry trees across the nation as a continued symbol of friendship between the two countries.

Using seeds presented from the Embassy of Japan suited to Hawaii’s climate, seedlings were cultivated last fall for planting at the festival. One seedling, Cerasus jamasakura Cv. Sendaiya, will be planted 10:30 a.m. in Church Row Park by Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi; Yoshihiko Kamo, Consul General of Japan in Honolulu; and Dr. Tetsuo Koyama, director of the Kochi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden,

This year’s festival also commemorates three paniolo: Charles T. Kimura, Charles T. Onaka and Jamie Dowsett. The Big Isle residents will be recognized by Kenoi during opening festivities on the entertainment stage behind Parker Ranch Center.

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 Highway 190, Parker Ranch Center’s back parking lot and Church Row Park.

The festival is produced by the Hawaii County Parks and Recreation Department. Overseen by the park’s culture education administrator, Roxcie Waltjen, the festival is a community-wide effort by a team of volunteers. Call 961-8706 for more information.

Flea market revenue benefits gymnasium

The indoor flea market at New Hope Waimea Gym takes place from 8 a.. to 2 p.m. Feb. 4. The gym is located at Church Row in Waimea. Many schools, groups and individuals use the gym and proceeds from the monthly market benefit the Gymnasium Improvement Fund.

Antiques, collectibles, crafts, plants, Hawaiiana, clothes, books, food, art, rummage sale items, jewelry, rare bottles, toys and other items are offered.

Vendor space is available. Call 885-5510.

Hospital staff wears red to bring attention to heart health

To raise awareness among local women that heart disease is their No. 1 health threat, Kona Community Hospital will organize a “We Care to Wear Red” day for all hospital employees. The event will take place on National Wear Red Day on Friday and will illustrate the support the hospital has for heart health awareness.

National Wear Red Day is a day when Americans nationwide wear red to show their support for women’s heart disease awareness.

For more information about women and heart disease, visit hearttruth.gov or call the local chapter of the American Heart Association at 961-2825.

Healthy eating program planned

Curious about healthy eating? Come enjoy a free local raw food recipe potluck and film might scheduled from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Feb. 7 at the One Island Sustainable Living Center in Honaunau.

Around the world, raw food restaurants, food groups and households are trying out recipes and at the Feb. 7 potluck, those attending can gather ideas for ways to use fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds that give them the protein and nutrition a body craves.

A tour of the center is available. For reservations or directions to the center, email info@one-island.org or call 328-2452.