Inaugural festival will showcase the banana

Banana trees are seemingly ubiquitous in the isles, but how much do you know about them and all the varieties that exist?

Learn more about this nutritious fruit at the inaugural Ka ‘Ho‘olaule‘a Mai‘a Banana Festival.cq The event, which runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 13 at Waimea Valley in Haleiwa, will include educational workshops, banana plants for sale, and food booths and samples.

Featured speakers include Gabe Sachter-Smith, a farmer from The Banana Source in Waialua, and Ken Love, executive director of the Tropical Fruit Growers Association. There will be workshops on best growing practices, botanical and culinary history, and banana preservation and cookery.

Island chefs will provide samples and recipes for banana dishes; plants and fruits will be available for purchase; and learn how to dye T-shirts with banana stalks, stems and flowers.

Sponsors of the festival are The Banana Source, Hawai‘i SEED, Slow Food Oahu and Waimea Valley (59-864 Kamehameha Highway).

Contact Mary Lacques at ­hokuokekai50@msn.com.