Hawaii's oldest food festival - celebrating 50 years - is back!

The year was 1970, the first Earth Day was celebrated, the average price of a gallon of gas was $.36 and an average house in the US costs just over $23,000. Here in Kona, Hawaii, the local Chamber of Commerce joined a small group of business people to develop community events that would attract visitors to the Kona coast during the Fall shoulder season, the period between the high and low seasons of travel. Some suggested a day-long Kona Moon Festival, but the group settled on making the festival about Kona's iconic agricultural product, coffee.

Fifty years ago, the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival was born. Kona has been brewing with excitement every November since that celebrated start. 

In the early days, the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival was a weekend event. Just a short two years later Festival organizers expanded the concept and the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival secured its place as a 10-day long, two week celebration. Hawaii's oldest food festival continues today to tell the story of Kona's rich coffee history and celebrates the fall harvest season.

Celebrating 50 Years of Festival Fun

Since 1970, as the fall season approaches, Kona's world-famous coffee takes center stage. Some of the events on the schedule have been a part of the Festival for fifty years including the famed Lantern Parade, Miss Kona Coffee Pageant, Kona Coffee Inspired Art Displays, Farm Fair and of course, Kona Coffee Cupping Competition and Tastings. 

Honoring Kona Coffee's Heritage Traditions

By 1900, Kona coffee was mainly grown by tenant farmers, mainly of Japanese descent, picking by hand with all family members and cultivating their family Kona coffee farms. These immigrant farmers were committed to cultivating a dream for a better life. Immigrants to Hawaii from China, Portugal, Japan, Philippines, Korea and Puerto Rico along with Hawaiians and Caucasians endured endless hours of hard farm work, planting and picking the choicest coffee berries by hand.

These Kona coffee pioneers added cultural diversity and a mix of ethnic traditions as they embraced Hawaii's aloha and foods as a shared values. These early Kona coffee pioneers tell the story behind the cup, sharing their customs, heritage traditions and ingenuity that can still be seen today. This cultural heritage is the foundation of the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival.

Kona Coffee farms offer tours and a firsthand look at growing this world-famous crop. The coffee art scene fills galleries with inspiration with music and dance enriching cultural exchanges. 

Kona Coffee and food events offer tastings, and participants are offered a hands-on cultural experience. 

America's 50th Anniversary Events

Kona Coffee Farm Tours: Spread out over the ten days of Festival, here are some of the many events that celebrate Kona's unique cultural heritage. Only living history Kona coffee farm reveals the story of Kona coffee farmers in the era 1926-1945. 

Lantern Parade and Bon Dance: The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival's Lantern Parade lights the way as parade participants in colorful ethnic costumes carry lighted Japanese Chochin paper lanterns creating a festive family ambience in the backdrop of Historic Kailua Village. 

The evening continues with a traditional Japanese Bon Dance. Hawaii's Bon Dances are cultural events that perpetuate the Japanese tradition of honoring family ancestors. This cherished Japanese custom, with vibrantly colored hanging lanterns, invites dancers to make their way in a circle around yagura platforms to the sound of taiko drums. 

Ho'olaule'a: Kona Coffee Cultural Festival's Hoolaulea event showcases artisans, cultural practitioners, Hawaiian musicians, Kona coffee farmers and crafters.  Hawaii's talented lei makers create and display one-of-a-kind beauties with Kona coffee blossoms, beans and leaves at the Kona Coffee Lei Contest. Lots of Instagram moments await.

Holualoa Village Coffee & Art Stroll: Stroll through the quaint art district, visit galleries and choose from over 30 Kona coffee farms offering tastings and coffee for purchase.

Aloha Makahiki Concert: A traditional Hawaiian music concert with authentic hula. 

#coffeelover: A Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Exhibition & Juried Art Show. Adults and youth art celebrate Kona coffee culture through handmade coffee-themed works.

Seed to Cup Tour: Offered by Greenwell Farms, festival-goers are taken on a fascinating journey into the history, farming, processing and of course, tasting of 100% pure Kona Coffee. 

UCC Hawaii opens its farm with a coffee picking and farm experience tour. Festival-goers can try their hand at picking ripe coffee cherry and witness the processing of coffee. 

Kona Coffee Cupping Competition: An international panel of professional cupping judges conduct blind tastings as they sniff, slurp and taste their way through 50+ entries to crown the ultimate winner. 

Brewing Up a Recipe: The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival is not just about sipping the best coffee in the world. It's about the food too! The KTA Super Stores Kona Coffee Recipe Contest is where signature dishes feature - you guessed it - Kona's world famous coffee. Sweet and savory recipes twist and turn, tempting expert judges as each entry is scored on presentation, harmony of ingredients, craftsmanship and design. 

UCC Hawaii Miss Kona Coffee Scholarship Competition: As an official preliminary pageant for the Miss Hawaii and Miss America Scholarship Competition, candidates compete in interview, evening gown, talent, and a social impact statement. 

Kona Coffee Latte Art Throwdown: Bringing the barista community together, this friendly competition gives participants a chance to apply their skills in a fun, high-energy environment. Winner takes all as local baristas work their magic in their cup of 100% Kona Coffee. 

Follow the Festival on social media @konacoffeefest

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The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival is made possible through the strong support of Hawaii Tourism and the generous sponsorship of UCC Ueshima Coffee Co., Ltd., Kamehameha Schools, Alaska Airlines, Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union and numerous other corporate and community donors.

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Keep up-to-date with the plans....