The community is invited to celebrate the bounty being grown in public spaces around historic downtown Hilo. The community is invited to celebrate the bounty being grown in public spaces around historic downtown Hilo. ADVERTISING Beginning in 2010, edible and
The community is invited to celebrate the bounty being grown in public spaces around historic downtown Hilo.
Beginning in 2010, edible and nonedible landscaping began appearing around downtown, part of a Hilo Downtown Improvement Association project called Let’s Grow Hilo.
“We are now ready to share this abundance with our community,” said project coordinator Samantha Robinson. “Let’s Grow Hilo is all about sharing with our community how easy it is to grow your own food anywhere.”
The first Hilo Harvest Festival will kick off from 2-6 p.m. on Saturday, March 10, on Mamo Street between Kilauea and Kinoole streets. This block of Mamo Street will be closed to traffic at 12 p.m. that day and lined with booths sharing information and wares.
The organizers of the free, zero-waste event hope to raise funds for the Let’s Grow Hilo project. “Come celebrate and support the Let’s Grow Hilo program, working to beautify our downtown and create edible landscaping in public spaces” said Alice Moon, executive director of the Hilo Downtown Improvement Association. All proceeds will be used to continue and expand the Let’s Grow Hilo program.
There will be a plant sale, free live entertainment with Ka ‘Umeke Ka‘eo Hawaiian Immersion Public Charter School, the Honokaa Jazz Band and others, vendor and information booths, keiki face painting, caricature drawing by Kathleen Kam and lots of space to visit friends and family and learn more about how to grow your own food.
The plant sale will allow people to purchase and take their plants with them or plant them in downtown Hilo as part of the Let’s Grow Hilo program.
“There is a $5 recommended donation, which will get you a pupu plate of the harvested and donated food. Or, bring your own dishware for a free pupu plate,” Robinson said.
The Let’s Grow Hilo project is the first project to earn support from the community through www.ourdowntownhilo.com. Let’s Grow Hilo is working with the Planning Department to create a long-range plan for the project.
“We are honored and excited about the support we are receiving from the community through www.ourdowntownhilo.com and are looking forward to the next steps on this project,” Moon said.
For more information or to request auxiliary aid or reasonable modification, please contact the DIA at 935-8850, visit www.downtownhilo.com, or email askalice@downtownhilo.com.
