With a little help from the Hawaii Visitors and Conventions Bureau (HVCB), Travel Agent highlights the hottest upcoming events for Hawaii-bound foodies.
Here’s what you need to know about each:
Calling All Lovers of SPAM
“Waikiki SPAM Jam,” which has become one of the Aloha State’s most popular annual food festivals, offers up a fun twist on a simple food.
Clients who want to experience firsthand Hawaii's love for the canned luncheon meat SPAM should attend the annual Waikiki SPAM Jam on April 28, 2018 on Oahu.
This lively streets of Waikiki are packed with multiple entertainment stages and SPAM-inspired culinary creations from a variety of Honolulu restaurants.
Visit www.spamjamhawaii.com
Celebrate Kona Coffee This November
Coffee aficionados are recommended to check out some of the strongest coffee Travel Agent has ever sipped at the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, taking place November 3-12.
Recognized as one of the oldest food festivals in Hawaii, according to the festival’s website, the 10-day annual celebration honors the unique coffee heritage of Island of Hawaii's Kona district and features a variety of coffee-inspired activities.
Attendees can satisfy their fix for Kona java while checking out sipping competitions in search of the best area coffees, farm tours, coffee demos, a Kona town lantern parade and Miss Kona Coffee Pageant, and snacks from coffee-inspired food vendors.
The first coffee was planted in Kona by missionary Samuel Ruggles in 1828 or 1829, according to the festival’s website.
Visit www.konacoffeefest.com
Annual Coconut Festival Kicks Off in October
Clients looking for a unique festival celebrating one of Hawaii's most iconic fruits should head to Kauai for this year's 21st annual Coconut Festival, taking place October 7-8.
The event includes everything from coconut cook-offs and pie-eating contests to cultural activities and coconut-inspired dishes from some of Kauai’s most talented chefs.
Visit www.kauaifestivals.com/festival/20th-annual-coconut-festival
Learn About Hawaii’s Most Valuable Crops
If your clients are looking to taste and learn more about one of the most important staple crops of the Hawaiian diet and culture, incorporate the East Maui Taro Festival, taking place April 21, 2018, into their itinerary.
The annual event, held in the East Maui coastal town of Hana, features a variety of food showcasing kalo (taro) and its many different varieties and uses, as well as the agricultural and ocean bounty of the region.
Clients can participate in taro-pounding demonstrations, check out music and hula performances, and, of course, enjoy lots of locally grown taro.
Visit www.tarofestival.org and www.gohawaii.com. And keep visiting www.travelagentcentral.com for all your latest travel news. Be sure to follow Travel Agent’s Joe Pike on Twitter @TravelPike and Instagram @pike5260.
Related Stories
Selling Hawaii to First-Timers, Island by Island
The St. Regis Princeville Resort Names New Director of Sales, Marketing