Your Guide To The 52nd Kona Coffee Cultural Festival
The oldest food festival in Hawai‘i returns this year with more than 40 events spanning ten days, celebrating Kona coffee and culture.
What It Is
An annual celebration of the heritage, culture and history of Kona coffee, the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival has a legacy spanning more than fifty years, drawing visitors from across the globe to experience the unique flavors and traditions of this special product. Dubbed as the oldest food festival in the state, the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival returns this year with more than 40 events throughout ten days: including farm tours, cultural activities, barista training, latte art competitions, pageants and a popular lantern parade.
When and Where:
The 52nd Kona Coffee Cultural Festival will take place from Friday, Nov. 3 through Sunday, Nov. 12 at multiple venues including the Historic Hōlualoa Village, King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel, Hale Halawai County Pavilion, Coconut Grove Marketplace, Outrigger Kona Resort and Spa, Makae‘o Pavilion and many more.
Its History
A hule performance at the festival’s multicultural showcase.
Photo: Courtesy of the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival
The festival’s origins date back to Hilo in 1970, when the local chamber of commerce joined a small group of Kona business folk to discuss putting together a community event that would attract visitors to the Kona coast during the fall season. The group settled on making the festival about Kona’s iconic agricultural product: coffee.
In the early years, the festival was a weekend event. By 1978, the coffee celebration had grown to five days and in 1989, the organizers wanted to honor the many cultures that make up Kona’s heritage, and expanded the name to into its current form, the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival. It was in the early 1990s when the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival secured its place as a ten-day celebration of all things Kona and coffee.
Many of those early events are still part of the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, including the UCC Hawaiʻi Miss Kona Coffee Scholarship Pageant, the lei contest, lantern parade, KTA Super Stores Recipe Contest, the prestigious Kona Coffee Cupping Competition and the Kona Coffee Farm tours.
Valerie Corcoran, festival president, says, “The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival inspires hope as we celebrate the rich heritage and exceptional quality of Kona coffee showcased through the many events spread out over the ten days. The story of the hard work of local farmers has been told for nearly 200 years, as Kona’s famous coffee continues to cultivate friendship shared over a cup of coffee. This festival is vital for our community, fostering support for farmers and preserving the cultural legacy of Kona coffee for generations to come.”
Throughout the years, the festival has won multiple awards and recognitions, including The International Festivals & Events Association’s IFEA Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards; the Media Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Award’s Agriculture Tourism Destination Award; and the coveted Hawai‘i Visitors Bureau’s Kahili Award.
What’s New This Year
Attendees can go on coffee farm tours during the festival.
Photo: Courtesy of the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival
This year, the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival launched Café Bingo, where participants can discover hidden gems and local treasures found at various Kona coffee cafés. The concept is simple: visit four Kona café partners between Nov. 3 through Nov. 12. Take a photo of a unique café experience, such as savoring a signature drink, snapping a creative piece of signage or coffee shot or discovering an unexpected piece of café trivia wearing a festival button. Tag the café and the festival on Instagram and hashtag #konacoffeeculturalfestival, with a slide show of the four locations you visited and automatically be entered to win a prize package worth $500.
Here’s the list of Café Bingo participants:
- Bikini Bottom Café
- Café Florian
- Green Flash Coffee
- Island Corner Café
- Kaya’s Organic Café
- Kona Coffee & Tea Café
- Kona Heaven
- Kona Mountain Coffee
- Menehune Coffee Company
- Peaberry and Galette Coffee Shop
- UCC Hawaiʻi Kona Coffee Estate
- White Nēnē Coffee Roasters & Mobile Café
How Much It Costs
Festival buttons gives you free access to most events and special rates for ticketed events. They only cost $5 and can be located at multiple locations throughout West Hawai‘i, and also at all festival events. Keiki (kids) ages five and under enter for free.
Farm Tours:
The following farms have put together special tours for the festival. Each tour is free with a festival button, except for UCC Hawaiʻi Kona, which is $5.
Daily, from Sunday, Nov. 5 through Friday, Nov. 10
- Greenwell Farms: Seed to Cup Farm Tour, 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
- Island Sun Coffee: Farming Kona Coffee with Diversified Crops, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Daily, Monday, Nov. 6 through Friday, Nov. 10
- Buddha’s Cup: Tasting Coffee Like Fine Wine, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Hala Tree Coffee: Transparency in Kona Coffee Farming, 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
- UCC Hawaiʻi Kona Coffee Picking & Farm Experience, 10 a.m., $5 with a festival button
Tips:
- The festival can be divided into three parts: the festival’s opening weekend, the weekdays and the finale weekend. Take a look at the event schedule online to see how you can plan your visit.
- Purchase tickets via Alaska Airlines by Tuesday, Nov. 14 for travel to Kona between Wednesday, Nov. 1 through Tuesday, Nov. 14 for a 5% discount. For more information, click here.
- The most popular events are the Lantern Parade, Holualoa Coffee and Art Stroll, UCC Hawaiʻi Miss Kona Coffee Scholarship Competition, the Grand Finale: A Taste of Kona and KTA Super Stores Recipe Contest.
- If you’re interested in volunteering with event set up, execution and breakdown, traffic control, clean up and more, email jkadooka@twc.com.
For more information, visit konacoffeefest.com.
