2nd Annual Farm Festival at Hāmākua Harvest, May 21

The 2nd annual Farm Festival at Hāmākua Harvest will take place Sunday, May 21, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hāmākua Harvest site at the intersection of Māmāne Street and Māmalahoa Highway 19.

2016 Hāmākua Harvest event. PC: Hāmākua Harvest

The free event will feature live entertainment from local musicians, food from local farmers, a keiki activity area, silent auctions, cooking demonstrations and more.

Last year, nearly 1,700 people attended the event. Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn something new at one of the educational events.

More than 40 vendors will feature locally grown or produced goods including: fresh fruits and vegetables, honey, jams and jellies, Artisan baked goods, nursery plants and orchids, jewelry, crafts, clothing, and lots of ono food.

Businesses that will be at the 2nd Annual Event include:

• Aha Honey House
• Akaka Falls Farms
• Aunty Gellee’s Jams, Jellies and Scrubs
• Big Island Palani Bakery
• Big Island Soap
• The Chocolate Wave
• Elemental Plants
• Hāmākua Agricultural Cooperative
• Hāmākua Coffee and Bagels
• Hawai’i Island Goat Dairy
• Hawai’i Ulu Producers Cooperative
• Hawaiian Cultural Center of Hāmākua
• Honoka’a Jewelers
• Honoka’a Seed Exchange
• Mai Bacon
• Mauna Kea Tea
• National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)
• Ola Design Group
• Ono Gelato
• Orchid Isle Traders
• Papaloa Joe
• Real Fresh Cooking
• Red Barn Gourmet Grilled Cheese
• Roy’s Thai Food
• Same Canoe Local Food Challenge
• Tess’s Vegetables
• The Kohala Center
• Tropic Tacos

SNAP/EBT purchases will be welcomed. Attendees are asked to purchase “Harvest Bucks” at the Welcome Booth.

Live entertainment will last throughout the day with Dominic Yagong emceeing the festival.

Entertainment Schedule:

• Joshua Lanakila Mangauil will be back this year to open the celebration with one of his heart-felt pule.
• James Lowe will kick the morning off with his acoustic guitar to welcome the first festival-goers from 8 to 9 a.m.
• The Hawaiian Cultural Center of Hāmākua will be back with their Hula Halau from 9 to 9:45 a.m.
• The Rachael Scott Band will also be back with their contemporary, rock and folk music from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
• Ben Ka’ili, slack-key master and prestigious Nā Hōkū Hanohano award nominee, will be playing traditional Hawaiian music from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
• Market favorites Dennis Padilla and Friends will also join the festivities to share their music from 1:30 to 3 p.m.

Festival Education Schedule

9 a.m. – Composting and Soil Health
Noah Dodd and Sam Robinson of Hawai’i Green Earth
Prepare to get your hands dirty as you learn basic composting principles, and the importance of soil health.

10:15 a.m. – Grafting Fruit Trees
Ty MacDonald, UH CTAHR
Learn basic grafting skills from one of the masters.

11:30 a.m. – Maximizing Your Benefits of Green Tea
Tako Ino of Mauna Kea Tea
Talk story, try samples, and learn tricks to get the most benefit and enjoyment from your green tea.

12:45 p.m. – Preserving Your Harvest
Raven Hanna, Master Food Preserver
Preserve your fresh harvest -dehydrating, canning, and fermenting, will be covered with food safety in mind.

2 p.m. – Sustainable Pasture Management
Jill Ficke-Beaton, NRCS, Rangeland Management Certified
Learn about good grazing and pasture management techniques to keep your land productive and soil healthy.

Cooking Demonstrations using local ingredients will be a conducted by local chefs.

Keiki activities will be held in the Keiki learning garden and will feature fun, interactive activities including hands-on juggling lessons with Cirque Ohana from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Silent Auction

The silent auction will offer opportunities to bid on everything from fancy dinners and accommodations to services and products.

If you have anything to donate, please e-mail: info@hamakuaharvest.org. All donations are tax deductible.

For more information, click here.