Coffee Fest Lantern Parade Returns to Kailua Village

The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Lantern Parade winds its way through Historic Kailua Village with its glowing procession of light, music and color that culminates with an evening of song and dance at Hale Hallway. Courtesy photo.

The popular Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Lantern Parade will return to Kailua Village on Friday, Nov. 11, starting at 6 p.m.

With its glowing procession of light, music and color, the Kona Coffee Lantern Parade winds through Historic Kailua Village and culminates with an evening of song and dance at Hale Halawai County Pavilion.

Colorful ethnic costumes, chochin lanterns, music and dance create a festive family atmosphere.

Chochin lanterns, from the important Japanese tradition of obon, signal the time for family gathering and honoring of ancestors.

Local Kona coffee community members, civic and ethnic groups and special guests from Kona Kohala Chamber of Commerce sister chamber Hatsukaichi Chamber from Hiroshima, Japan, will participate in Friday’s Lantern Parade.

Then, starting at 7 p.m., the Hawai‘i County Band will perform a free November Harvest Concert at Hale Halawai. The band members are Kona residents from all walks of life who are joined together by their love of music.

46th Annual Kona Coffee Cultural Festival runs through Sunday, Nov. 13.

Festival Weekend Event

Saturday’s Ho‘olaulea
Ethnic food booths, arts and crafts, lei contest, ikebana and all-day live entertainment featuring one of Hawaii’s most popular entertainers Robi Kahakalau.

Sunday’s Aloha Makahiki Concert
Makahiki blessing in an ancient hula style by Kumu Hula Mika Keale-Goto with Halau Keale from Kona and Japan. Award-winning Hawaiian traditional slack key music and hula.

Miss Kona Coffee Scholarship Fundraising Bowling Party
A great evening for family fun, team building or a friends night out. Three hours of unlimited cosmic bowling, no bowling experience necessary and lots of prize giveaways.

For a complete listing of 46th Annual Kona Coffee Cultural Festival events or for more information, go online.

The award-winning Kona Coffee Cultural Festival is recognized as the oldest and one of the most successful food festivals in Hawaii. The 2016 Festival includes 10 days of events that promote Hawaii’s unique culture and diversity and supports the Festival’s mission to preserve, perpetuate and promote Kona’s unique coffee heritage.

The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival is supported as a Signature Event of the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority and is made possible through the support of UCC Ueshima Coffee Co., Ltd., Kamehameha Schools, Alaska Airlines, Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union, Kawakami Family of Captain Cook Fund of the Hawaii Community Foundation, KTA Super Stores and numerous other corporate and community donors.

The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Lantern Parade organized by many volunteers who have worked hard to gather participants, organizations and community participation.

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46th Annual Kona Coffee Cultural Festival