23rd Taste of the Hawaiian Range Festival Announced

Aline Braga Rodrigues staffed the Kawamata Farms booth at last year’s Taste of the Hawaiian Range Agriculture Festival in Waimea. PC: Ken Jackson.

The 23rd Taste of Hawaiian Range will offer a daytime agriculture festival capped off by an evening gala when the event convenes on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019.

According to a press release, the island’s largest agricultural showcase will host activities from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., which include a free, outdoor agriculture festival with family fun and educational presentations at the YMCA Minuke Ole Park behind Parker Ranch Center.

The ticketed evening Taste Gala is 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and will sprawl indoors and outdoors at the adjacent Old Kahilu Town Hall.

The daytime festival, which runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., offers livestock displays, an interactive Keiki Farm Hands Tent sponsored by the Hawai‘i Farm Bureau, educational exhibits and scheduled presentations, local product sampling and sales, food trucks and beverages, the release continued.

“Keiki can enjoy hands-on agricultural-themed activities and games,” said Jeri Moniz, event chair. “Plus, pony rides will be available for a nominal fee by the Hawai‘i High School Rodeo Association.”

Agricultural and culinary-themed presentations starting 10:30 a.m. include topics like mushroom cultivation, tree grafting, home food preservation and hydroponics.

The 2019 installment of Cooking Pasture-Raised Beef 101 is 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the classrooms behind the Old Kahilu Town Hall, adjacent to Minuke Ole Park. This year’s Cooking 101 is presented by Chef Jacqueline Lau, culinary specialist for HFM FoodService, a Sysco Company. Lau, who grew up on a ranch in Northern California, will demonstrate how to prepare beef tongue, which she calls “lengua.”

The evening Taste Gala offers culinary stations preparing pasture-raised meats and local produce inside and outside of the Old Kahilu Town Hall.

Culinary participants include Annie’s Island Fresh Burgers, Daylight Mind Coffee Company, Fairmont Orchid’s Brown’s Beach House, Four Season Resort’s Hualalai Grille, Ippy’s Hawaiian BBQ, Laulima Food Patch, Mai Grille, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Merriman’s, Red Water Café, Royal Kona Resort, Roy’s Waikoloa Bar & Grill, Sam Choy’s Kai Lanai, Village Burger/Noodle Club, The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort, plus Hawai‘i Community College in both Hilo and Pālamanui.

Gala tickets are $50 online, at Parker Ranch Store and during the Taste Ag Fest. They will sell for $60 at the door if available, as attendance is limited to 500. For ticket information and the full list of activities and presentations, visit www.tasteofthehawaiianrange.com.

The Old Kahilu Town Hall (Mana Christian ‘Ohana) is located behind Parker Ranch Center at 67-1182 Lindsey Road in Waimea. For more event information, visit www.TasteoftheHawaiianRange.com or phone Susan 808-969-8258.

Stay connected via Facebook at TasteoftheHawaiianRange and at @TasteHI on Twitter and Instagram. Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication or a modification of policies and procedures to participate in this event should contact Susan at 808-969-8258 no later then Aug. 7, 2019.

Taste of the Hawaiian Range and Agriculture Festival provides a venue for sustainable agricultural education, plus encouragement and support of locally produced ag products. The quality and growth of this event are rooted in business participation, sponsorship and in-kind donations, the release stated.