Returning to the pre-pandemic format, the 28th Annual Kona Brewers Festival took place Saturday at the King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel Luau Grounds.
The sold out festival featured brews from 17 breweries with pupu selections from 16 chefs and restaurants.
The zero waste event also featured live music and the signature trash fashion show. The show is the epitome of upcycling and creative reuse. Models walked the catwalk wearing elaborate gowns and outfits made entirely out of discarded and recycled materials.
The event was made possible thanks to the efforts of 400 volunteers who did everything from pour beer to oversee operations to ensure zero waste.
As part of a zero waste commitment, over 90% of festival waste created by the 1,200 attendees was diverted from landfills by converting waste into composted soil for local school gardens.
Over the past 27 years, the Kona Brewers Festival has become one of Kailua-Kona’s premier events and raised $1.5 million for well-deserving non-profit organizations. This year, 10 nonprofit beneficiaries will share in proceeds from the event, estimated to be $50,000.