Favorite local grinds, flavors from around the globe and healthful choices will be offered Saturday at the 16th annual Windward Ho‘olaule‘a at Windward Community College.
The school’s Hawaiian student club, Ku Pono, will sell Hawaiian plates including a “bombucha food plate, containing everything you can get at a luau” for $16, said Gus Cobb-Adams, food vendor chairman.
Also to benefit Ku Pono, Winston Kong “does amazing imu peanuts,” said Bonnie Beatson, event chairwoman. “He rolls around a cart and sells them for $3 a bag, and they’re so delicious, they’re the best thing in the Pacific, in my opinion,” she said, adding that the peanuts “sell out within an hour.”
WINDWARD HO‘OLAULE‘A
Where: Windward Community College
When: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday
Cost: Free admission and parking
Info: windwardhoolaulea.com
Generally, food will start at $5, with a median-priced plate going for about $10, he said.
More than a dozen vendors, including WCC’s Uala Leaf Cafe, will serve their specialties. Many will be offering a new, specially created dish this year.
The Blue Zones project, which seeks to create healthier communities, is marking its first anniversary in Ko‘olaupoko, so Ku Pono asked each food vendor to serve at least one Blue Zones-inspired dish, Cobb-Adams said. Such dishes are lower in sugar and salt content. Cobb-Adams said most of the vendors were able to comply.
India Cafe will serve a vegan dish that meets Blue Zones standards.
Uala Leaf Cafe will serve a Blue Zones-compliant char siu chicken dish. “It is so good,” said Cobb-Adams, who added that Kailua favorite Crepes No Ka Oi will also be serving Blue Zones-inspired crepes.
The Blue Zones project will have a presence with cooking demonstrations, spin art bikes, prize giveaways and for those 21 and older, a “Wine @ Five” tasting. The wine tasting is the only part of the event that serves alcohol.
WCC students also will offer demonstrations and activities in more than a dozen career and subject fields including “fun with chemistry,” aerospace education and rocketry, gyotaku fish printing, origami, and a plant sale and tours of WCC’s medicinal garden. Tours will begin at the agripharmatech tent.
A silent auction, art exhibition, garage sale, Imaginarium shows and live entertainment from Hawaii recording artists and more will round out the event.
