Kona Brewers Festival Pairs Brews, Island Cuisine

An overhead view of a previous Kona Brewers Festival event. File courtesy photo.

For over two decades, the Kona Brewers Festival has fused great food from island chefs with top brews from breweries in Hawai’i and on the mainland.

The festival, which is a fundraiser for various non-profit organizations, will return on Saturday, March 12 with two different sessions at the Courtyard by Marriott King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel.

A total of 36 chefs from around the state will prepare various courses, some sweet and some filling. Those offerings can be paired with one of 72 different styles of ales and lagers from a wide selection of breweries and enjoyed with a beautiful oceanfront setting overlooking Kamakahonu Bay Beach.

There will be two different opportunities to enjoy the food, brew, and setting. A lunch session will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., while the dinner session will take place between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Attendees at each of the sessions receives a commemorative mug, seven four-ounce brew tasting coupons, unlimited cuisine samples, and afternoon entertainment.

Tickets can only be bought in advance by visiting Kona Brewing Company locations on Oahu and in Kona. Tickets are also available at the Kona Brewers Festival website. Each ticket costs $70, and there is a $5 added fee for tickets purchased online.

Other events that are part of the festival include the “Run for the Hops” 5K/10K run/walk, which starts and ends at the BMW of Hawai’i dealership in Kona. It starts at 7:30 a.m. on the day of the festival. Also, a homebrew competition will judge local brews on 20 different styles of beers, meads, and ciders.

A total of $850,000 has been raised through the events, benefiting local charities that work with youth, environmental conservation, and cultural traditions.

For more information on all Kona Brewers Festival functions, visit the event’s website.