KAILUA-KONA — Ask a Kona coffee lover how they take their coffee, and they’ll reply, ‘Seriously, very seriously.” ADVERTISING KAILUA-KONA — Ask a Kona coffee lover how they take their coffee, and they’ll reply, ‘Seriously, very seriously.” Things are definitely
KAILUA-KONA — Ask a Kona coffee lover how they take their coffee, and they’ll reply, ‘Seriously, very seriously.”
Things are definitely perking up in Kona this week as Kona’s world renowned coffee revels in the spotlight at the 46th annual Kona Coffee Cultural Festival. Starting today and running though Nov. 13, locals and visitors come together to celebrate Kona’s cultural heritage and recognize the accomplishments of Kona coffee pioneers, farmers and artisans.
“What would Kona be without coffee?” Valerie Corcoran, Festival President, said. “And what would coffee be without Kona?”
The two go hand in hand.
The celebration is one of the oldest and most successful food festivals in Hawaii. The 10-day schedule is packed with nearly 50 events to celebrate the harvest, including several coffee and food events, tastings, farm tours, art exhibitions, a lantern parade, best coffee competitions, and a scholarship pageant.
“This festival celebrates all the traditions brought here by those who chose to come and put in the hard work of growing coffee,” Corcoran said. “There is a legacy here in Kona we can all be proud of— a legacy that honors the traditions of the many different ethnic groups who have helped to make our coffee world famous.”
But the legacy grew from humble beginnings.
Coffee trees were first introduced to Kona in 1828 by missionary Samuel Ruggles. The introduction of the coffee bean forever altered Kona’s agricultural landscape. Kona’s landscape and topography made it perfect for growing coffee. It wasn’t long before the community embarked on an economic journey fueled by hard work and caffeine.
“Our journey as Kona coffee farmers starts as a seed in the palm of our farmer,” said Malia Bolton, festival vice president and Kona coffee farmer, adding that a goal of the festival is to share that history. “It is important to always educate our visitors about the nearly 200 years of coffee growing history here but also to help us look ahead to the future.”
Kona coffee farms are in full harvest production during the autumn event. Festival-goers can talk story with experts, pick coffee cherries, and taste sweet and savory appetizers created with Kona coffee. The festival offers a variety of ways to participate, so there’s no shortage of ways to become immersed in local coffee culture.
While it’s packed with activities, the slower visitor month of November makes it an ideal time to take everything without summertime crowds.
“People can take a few more moments and really dig down into learning about our coffee as the harvest nears,” Bolton said.
Learning is all part of the festival experience. People can go beyond the cup to learn how Kona coffee is grown, milled and roasted on one of the many Kona coffee farm tours.
“You can drive anywhere along our Kona Coffee Belt and see farmers working hard to bring a quality bean to harvest,” said Corcoran. “Where different nuances of growing are evident are in the final cup. During the festival the cupping competition coffee, judges really scrutinize each farm’s entry to see who presents the ideal Kona characteristics in the cup. The winning farm in this competition, influences other farms and growing styles. It’s an exciting part of Kona’s coffee industry.”
Praised for its fine, light and memorable taste, Kona coffee is an important part of Hawaii Island’s unique culture, and the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival’s hopes to preserve, perpetuate and promote this unique coffee heritage.
“People come to Kona and to our festival from all parts of the world – kamaaina from around the corner, new residents who have just begun to call Kona home, visitors from the US mainland and from afar,” said Corcoran. “How special it is to share in the celebration of our unique and nearly 200-year coffee history?”
2016 Festival Schedule of Events
Click here to see the Big Island Entertainment Scene for highlights of the artistic coffee events.
Friday, Nov. 4
Kona Historical Society’s Kona Coffee Living History Farm Tour
Kona Coffee Living History Farm 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Hands on History at 11 a.m.
Special $10 rate with Festival button, available for purchase on-site.
Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Art Exhibit
Donkey Mill Art Center 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Lauhala Weaving Workshop
Donkey Mill Art Center 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Sugai Kona Coffee Talent Night
Aloha Theater
6:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 5
Holualoa Village Coffee & Art Stroll 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
UCC Kona Coffee Picking & Farm Experience
UCC Hawaii Kona Coffee Estate 10 a.m. – Noon & 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Art Exhibit
Donkey Mill Art Center 10 a.m. – 4 p.m
Parent & Child Paper Making Workshop
Donkey Mill Art Center 10 a.m. – 1 p.m
Parent & Child Weaving Workshop
Donkey Mill Art Center 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Art Exhibit Opening Reception & Awards
Donkey Mill Art Center 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
UCC Ueshima Coffee Co., Ltd. Miss Kona Coffee Scholarship Pageant
Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa – Kaleiopapa Convention Center
Doors 5:30 p.m. Pageant starts at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets $30 plus Festival button.
Sunday, Nov. 6
Kona Coffee Talk
Donkey Mill Art Center 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Lauhala Weaving Demonstration
Donkey Mill Art Center 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
KTA Super Stores Kona Coffee Recipe Contest & Big Island Showcase
Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa – Kaleiopapa Convention Center 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Daylight Mind Coffee Education Series
Daylight Mind Coffee Company
10 am – Coffee roast level and cup quality, a tasting seminar
12:00 pm – Kona coffee farmer panel discussion
2:00 pm –10% Kona blends: an exploration. A seminar and discussion led by Dr. Shawn Steiman
Monday, Nov. 7
Kona Historical Society’s Kona Coffee Living History Farm Tour
Kona Coffee Living History Farm, Captain Cook 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Special $10 rate with Festival button, available for purchase on-site.
Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Quilt Show
Quilt Passions Quilt and Needlework Shop 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 8
Kona Coffee Council Farm & Mill Tour
Meet at Keauhou Shopping Center 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Visit three working Kona coffee farms in North and South Kona. Fee of $75 includes transportation and box lunch. Pick up and drop off in front of Regal Keauhou Stadium 7 Theatres at Keauhou Shopping Center. Reservations required; book online at www.kona-coffee-council.com.
Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Art Exhibit
Donkey Mill Art Center 10 a.m. – 4 p.m
Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Quilt Show
Quilt Passions Quilt and Needlework Shop
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Kona Historical Society’s Kona Coffee Living History Farm Tour
Kona Coffee Living History Farm, Captain Cook 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Special $10 rate with Festival button, available for purchase on-site.
Wednesday, Nov. 9
Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Cupping Competition–Preliminaries
Keauhou Shopping Center, Center Stage 8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Art Exhibit
Donkey Mill Art Center 10 a.m. – 4 p.m
Kona Historical Society’s Kona Coffee Living History Farm Tour
Kona Coffee Living History Farm, Captain Cook 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Hands on History at 11 a.m.
Special $10 rate with Festival button, available for purchase on-site.
Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Quilt Show
Quilt Passions Quilt and Needlework Shop
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Kona Coffee, Beer, Wine and Coffee Pairing
Kona Coffee and Tea Company 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Tickets are $50 and can be purchased by calling 808-365-5340.
Intercultural Concert with Japan’s Pop Singer Hiromitsu Kagawa
Makaeo County Pavilion (Old Airport) 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 10
Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Cupping Competition – Finals
Keauhou Shopping Center, Center Stage 8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Kona Coffee Farmers Market Place
Makaeo County Pavilion (Old Airport) 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Art Exhibit
Donkey Mill Art Center 10 a.m. – 4 p.m
Kona Historical Society’s Kona Coffee Living History Farm Tour
Kona Coffee Living History Farm, Captain Cook 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Special $10 rate with Festival button, available for purchase on-site.
Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Quilt Show
Quilt Passions Quilt and Needlework Shop 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Kona Coffee Council Dinner & Benefit Auction
Kona Country Club
No Host cocktails at 6 p.m. Buffet dinner at 7 p.m.
Dinner $35.00 with a Festival button and can be purchased online at www.kona-coffee-
council.com
Friday, Nov. 11
Kona Coffee Council Farm & Mill Tour
Meet at Keauhou Shopping Center 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Visit three working Kona coffee farms in North and South Kona. Fee of $75 includes transportation and box lunch. Pick up and drop off in front of Regal Keauhou Stadium 7 Theatres at Keauhou Shopping Center. Reservations required; book online at www.kona-coffee-council.com.
Kona Coffee Farmers Market Place
Makaeo County Pavilion (Old Airport) 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Art Exhibit
Donkey Mill Art Center 10 a.m. – 4 p.m
Kona Historical Society’s Kona Coffee Living History Farm Tour
Kona Coffee Living History Farm, Captain Cook 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Hands on History at 11a.m.
Special $10 rate with Festival button, available for purchase on-site.
Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Quilt Show
Quilt Passions Quilt and Needlework Shop 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Lantern Parade
Alii Drive, Kailua Pier to Hale Halawai County Pavilion 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
West Hawaii County Band November Harvest Concert
Hale Halawai County Pavilion 7 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 12
Kona Coffee Farmers Market Place
Makaeo County Pavilion (Old Airport) 9:30 am – 3 pm
Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Ho‘olaule‘a
Makaeo County Pavilion (Old Airport), Kailua-Kona 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Lei Contest 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Art Exhibit
Donkey Mill Art Center 10 a.m. – 4 p.m
Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Quilt Show
Quilt Passions Quilt and Needlework Shop 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 13
Kona Coffee 101 Seminar
Makaeo County Pavilion (Old Airport) 1 p.m. – 2 p.m
Aloha Makahiki Concert
Makaeo County Pavilion (Old Airport) 2:30 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Miss Kona Coffee Scholarship Fundraising Bowling Party
KBXtreme, Kailua-Kona 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
KBXtreme Front Desk or download entry form at www.konacoffeefest and email info@kbxtreme.com.
