Ka Mai‘a ‘Ho’olaule’a Banana Festival

Ka Mai‘a ‘Ho’olaule’a Banana Festival will open up a world of banana flavors and colors. It will expand your notion of what a banana is and can be. The Fest will officially open at 10am and run until 2 pm. A special lecture will be given from 9a.m.-10a.m., details below. This year, the Festival will be held on Windward Community College’s beautiful green campus. The Festival’s numerous activities and events will help you both successfully grow and use bananas in new ways.

Last year fairgoers enthusiastically sampled more than twelve varieties of raw bananas at our sampling table. We will once again sport a multitude of bananas for your tasting pleasure.

A number of chefs, including those from Koko Head Cafe and Nami Kaze, will provide samples of banana dishes for your enjoyment and edification.

Babs Miyano-Young, skilled artisan, will supervise the popular banana fiber printing booth. Bring your own t-shirt and decorate it with botanical patterns or purchase a blank t-shirt and stamp away.
Mahina and Cheryl Pukahi from Waianae will be on hand to demonstrate lauhala and banana fiber weaving.

Once again there will be an opportunity to dye a piece of kapa with fe’i banana sap, a Samoan tradition. Wesley Sen will aid fairgoers in using this incredible purple dye.

New this year is the Great Banana Cook-off. All cooks, both professional and home-based, are welcome to participate in the Cook-off. There will be four categories: Savory Banana Dish, Banana Pupu, Banana Flower Dish, and Banana Dessert (no banana bread please—let’s expand our banana universe!). Prizes will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in each category. Entry forms are available by scanning the QR Code on the lilac poster.A goodly variety of banana plants will be for sale, along with banana books, tshirts and other mai’a paraphernalia.

Admission will be $10 in advance, $12 at the door, children under 12 are free. Be sure to bring your printed ticket receipt with you for entry.

At 9 am Gabe Sacher-Smith owner of the Banana Source and co-sponsor of the Fest will give a one-hour lecture on Mai’a banana culinary lore, botanical history and best growing practices. This talk will take place before the official opening of the Fest at 10 am. Fairgoers who want to attend this very informative talk & slide show should be at Windward Community College no later than 8:45 a.m. with your wrist band on. Tickets (and the accompanying wrist bands) may be purchased starting at 8:30 am at the door or online at slowfoodoahu.com/bananafest/

For more details or further information contact Laurie Carlson at 808 330 5049