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| More than a week of events will fill the Kaʻū Coffee Festival June 1-8, including farm tours. Photo from Kaʻū Coffee Festival |
THE FOURTEENTH KAʻŪ COFFEE FESTIVAL EVENTS ARE OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED. They will take place June 1 through June 8, ending with the traditional ho‘olaule‘a and Ka‘ū Coffee Experience in Pāhala.
The Kaʻū Coffee Festival, presented by the Ka‘ū Coffee Growers Cooperative and its President Gloria Camba, is “designed to celebrate Ka‘ū as a premium coffee growing origin and a unique visitor destination.” Organizers note that many of the events are free, while others require a nominal fee and reservations.
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| Kaʻū Coffee Recipe Contest will be Saturday June 1 at Kaʻū Coffee Mill. Photo by Julia Neal |
Saturday, June 1: Kaʻū Coffee Recipe Contest offers a free cooking competition for adults and keiki at 11 a.m. with cash prizes at the Kaʻū Coffee Mill. Entries are accepted in pupu, entree and dessert categories for adult and student divisions. All recipes are made with Kaʻū coffee and attendees enjoy free coffee, tastings and entertainment. Entry deadline is May 27. Contact 808-928-0550 for registration info.
Saturday, June 1: Pa‘ina & Open House at historic Pāhala Plantation House featuring music, hula, food and house tours 6 p.m. -9:30 p.m. Co-hosted by Kaʻū Coffee Growers Cooperative, Pāhala Plantation Cottages and The Kaʻū Calendar newspaper. Free, potluck, donations accepted.
Wednesday, June 5: Tour Kaʻū Coffee Farms and see how this world-class coffee is grown, harvested and processed. Meet the farmers and talk story to learn their challenges and successes. Take a free, self-guided tour; participating farms will be listed on the festival website.
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| Kaʻū Mountain Hike & Lunch will be Thursday, June 6 during Kaʻū Coffee Festival Week. Photo by Jesse Tunison |
The statement from the coffee festival organizers invites visitors to come to Kaʻū for the week of festivities: "During the week enjoy the scenic and historic beauty of Kaʻū, Punalu‘u Black Sand Beach, Honu‘apo fishponds, the cliffs of Ka Lae—the southernmost place in the U.S.—and the nearby Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Stay in one of the many accommodations in Kaʻū, including hotels, cottages, cabins, campgrounds and more."
Thursday, June 6: Kaʻū Mountain Hike & Lunch explores the historic flume systems of the sugarcane era and development of hydroelectric power in the lush Wood Valley rainforest. Limited to 30 participants, time is 9 a.m.-2 p.m., $60 per person, includes lunch. Reserve a spot at 808-928-0550.
Friday, June 7: Coffee & Cattle Day 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at scenic Aikane Plantation Coffee Farm. Find out how descendants of Kaʻū’s first coffee farmer sustainably integrate coffee with pasture-raised beef. $35 fee includes a hearty, all-you can eat outdoor buffet featuring local specialties. Reserve your spot at 808-927-2252.
Friday, June 7: Kaʻū Star Gazing enables sky seekers to view the heavens via telescopes guided by professional astronomers from the hills surrounding Kaʻū Coffee Mill. Find out how stars are instrumental in the age-old Hawaiian art of wayfinding and navigation. Time is 5:30 p.m. -10 p.m., $60 fee includes a barbecue dinner and shuttle transport from Kaʻū Coffee Mill. Reservations: 808-928-0550.
Thursday, June 6: Kaʻū Mountain Hike & Lunch explores the historic flume systems of the sugarcane era and development of hydroelectric power in the lush Wood Valley rainforest. Limited to 30 participants, time is 9 a.m.-2 p.m., $60 per person, includes lunch. Reserve a spot at 808-928-0550.
Friday, June 7: Coffee & Cattle Day 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at scenic Aikane Plantation Coffee Farm. Find out how descendants of Kaʻū’s first coffee farmer sustainably integrate coffee with pasture-raised beef. $35 fee includes a hearty, all-you can eat outdoor buffet featuring local specialties. Reserve your spot at 808-927-2252.
Friday, June 7: Kaʻū Star Gazing enables sky seekers to view the heavens via telescopes guided by professional astronomers from the hills surrounding Kaʻū Coffee Mill. Find out how stars are instrumental in the age-old Hawaiian art of wayfinding and navigation. Time is 5:30 p.m. -10 p.m., $60 fee includes a barbecue dinner and shuttle transport from Kaʻū Coffee Mill. Reservations: 808-928-0550.
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| Saturday, June 8 is the free Kaʻū Coffee Fest Ho'olaulea from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Pāhala Community Center. Photo by Jesse Tunison |
Saturday, June 8: Fun is perking 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at the free Kaʻū Coffee Festival Ho‘olaule‘a—the festival's grand finale of live music, hula, local food and crafts, keiki activities, educational displays, guided coffee tastings and farm and mill tours headquartered inside and out of Pāhala Community Center.
A ho‘olaule‘a highlight is the free Kaʻū Coffee Experience where a variety of Kaʻū coffees are prepared using different brewing methods by professional baristas throughout the day.
Founded in coffee traditions dating to the 1800s— Kaʻū coffee burst onto the specialty coffee scene by winning numerous coffee quality awards. These accolades highlight the unique combination of people and place that makes Kaʻū coffee a favorite across the globe. The festival’s stated mission is to raise awareness of Kaʻū as a world-class, coffee-growing origin. Kaʻū Coffee Festival vendor and sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information and festival updates, visit kaucoffeefestival.com and follow Kaʻū Coffee Festival on Facebook and @kaucoffeefest on Twitter and Instagram.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. See 7,500 copies the mail and on stands.
HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC is encouraging customers to continue to conserve electricity until its sources of producing electricity are fully restored. Reducing electricity use will help prevent the need for brief rolling outages," according to the utility.
In the past few days, "conservation efforts – primarily by large business and government customers – reduced demand by about 5 megawatts and, combined with increased wind and solar battery storage, prevented the need" for some rolling outages, according to the utility.
"We're grateful for our customers' efforts to conserve electricity, especially between 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. when electricity use is highest, because it does make a difference," said Hawaiian Electric spokesperson Kristen Okinaka. "By working together, we're helping to ensure that enough power can be available for all customers and prevent or minimize the impacts of rolling outages."
For the past several weeks, Hawaiian Electric has been asking residential and business customers to conserve electricity due to the unavailability of several large generators and cautioned that rolling outages might be needed if generation falls short of demand. Tips and resources are available on the company's website hawaiianelectric.com/hawaiiislandupdate.
"If necessary, brief outages will be initiated to prevent a loss of power to an even greater number of customers. Outages would rotate in various areas around the island and last for about 30 minutes. The areas and timing will be based on the amount of electric demand that needs to be reduced. Individuals who are dependent on electrically powered life support medical equipment are advised to arrange for a backup power supply."
Alerts and updates are posted on the company's Facebook (HawaiianElectric) and X (@HIElectricLight) accounts. Hawai‘i County Civil Defense also sends out emergency alerts through local radio and its Everbridge emergency notification system.
In the past few days, "conservation efforts – primarily by large business and government customers – reduced demand by about 5 megawatts and, combined with increased wind and solar battery storage, prevented the need" for some rolling outages, according to the utility.
For the past several weeks, Hawaiian Electric has been asking residential and business customers to conserve electricity due to the unavailability of several large generators and cautioned that rolling outages might be needed if generation falls short of demand. Tips and resources are available on the company's website hawaiianelectric.com/hawaiiislandupdate.
"If necessary, brief outages will be initiated to prevent a loss of power to an even greater number of customers. Outages would rotate in various areas around the island and last for about 30 minutes. The areas and timing will be based on the amount of electric demand that needs to be reduced. Individuals who are dependent on electrically powered life support medical equipment are advised to arrange for a backup power supply."
Alerts and updates are posted on the company's Facebook (HawaiianElectric) and X (@HIElectricLight) accounts. Hawai‘i County Civil Defense also sends out emergency alerts through local radio and its Everbridge emergency notification system.
To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com. See 7,500 copies the mail and on stands.
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