Perk up Hawaii Island — the 44th annual Kona Coffee Cultural Festival begins Friday and runs through Nov. 16.
Perk up Hawaii Island — the 44th annual Kona Coffee Cultural Festival begins Friday and runs through Nov. 16.
This year’s theme is “Bringing Kona Together,” and the 2014 installment of the festival is full to the rim with special events for residents and visitors to experience the Kona coffee lifestyle, savor Kona coffee and connect with the farmers who produce it.
Recognized as the oldest and one of the most successful food festivals in Hawaii, the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival continues to brew interest and attract approximately 17,000 fans each year, said Melvin Morimoto, festival president. It combines a modern-day infatuation with coffee with Kona’s history and rich multicultural heritage while saluting the famous beans and those involved.
“This year’s theme reminds me of long ago, when nearly everyone in Kona shared the common goal of growing coffee,” Morimoto said. “It was a time when family values and life lessons were taught outdoors, day after day, in Kona’s mauka farming communities. Those of us who were fortunate enough to be raised here on a coffee farm remember when coffee brought everyone together.”
Every cup of Kona coffee shares a story of traditions that produced this legacy, which has been percolating on the island’s leeward coast since 1828. Early on, coffee was grown throughout the island, but by the second half of the 19th century, production centered in Kona, where rich volcanic soil, bright sunny mornings, afternoon cloud cover, ample rainfall and higher elevation exists.
Large coffee plantations flourished in Kona until the world coffee market crashed in 1899. Immigrants from Japan seized an entrepreneurial opportunity and leased the failing lands in 3- to 5-acre parcels for $30 a year and a portion of their cultivated coffee. These family-operated farms kept Kona coffee alive during tough times.
The Kona coffee story is one heard throughout America. Morimoto said that story speaks of traditions, life lessons, hard work, sacrifice and a strong commitment to cultivate a better life. It’s also a story many can relate to or appreciate, he added.
Today, fifth- and sixth-generation Kona coffee farmers work alongside newcomers to cultivate more than 4,000 acres in coffee production. Approximately 600 independent Kona coffee farms continue to uphold the quality that has made Kona coffee a success.
Coffee also remains an important part of Hawaii’s agriculture sector and a highly valued commodity in the economy. While the total farm revenues generated statewide is approximately $30 million, the Hawaii agricultural statistics service estimates the value of these farm’s agricultural tourism activities to be nearly $40 million. Hawaii remains the only state in the nation where coffee is grown commercially.
Morimoto said the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival is more than an entertaining and educational 10-day celebration; it provides a sense of place, helping “define who we are as a community.” He added, the goal this year is to “bridge the old and new” while also generating more interest and support for Kona coffee.
Festival Operations Director Matt Carter mentioned how the festival is unique because it offers deeper connections to people with incredible knowledge, stories, life lessons, aloha and heart. That’s the reason he thinks people return year after year.
Each year, the committee looks at ways in which the festival can grow. Organizers of the Kona Coffee Picking Contest added another component to this event at the Ueshima Coffee Co. farm in Holualoa. After experiencing the thrill of picking, children ages 8 to 12 in teams of six will compete in the first-ever Coffee Games to win money for their community organization. A barbecue will follow.
Also new this year are the Kona Coffee Belt Tour; Celebrate Kona Day; a beer, wine and coffee pairing event at Kona Coffee &Tea Co.; and a coffee talk, covering everything from seed to cup, at Daylight Mind Coffee Co., Carter said.
The approximately 25-mile piece of land, stretching from Holualoa south to Honaunau, is the Kona Coffee Belt. For coffee devotees, it’s their Napa Valley, and the new guided tour gives them exactly want they want: coffee roasting and picking experiences, a locally sourced farm-to-table-lunch, opportunities to learn about organic farming, and a tea tasting. Reservations are required for the $150 Kona Coffee Belt Tour, and spots are filling up quickly, Carter said.
Celebrate Kona Day builds on the success of the Kokua Kailua Village Stroll, a monthly event promoting Kailua Village businesses and community while encouraging all to shop, dine and buy local. As the festival’s finale, Celebrate Kona Day will feature numerous family-friendly events and entertainment from Kailua Pier to Waterfront Row.
The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival relies on donations and sponsorships, though a small percentage of money comes from the sale of festival buttons and other promotional items, and some funding is provided by the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s Major Festival’s Program. All proceeds generated during the festival go directly back into the event, Carter said.
A $3 festival button gains public entrance into numerous events. However, there are some events that require an additional fee.
Email Carolyn Lucas-Zenk at clucas-zenk@westhawaiitoday.com.