EXPERIENCE HISTORY NOV. 10 AT KONA HISTORICAL SOCIETY’S FREE FARM FEST
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nonprofit to celebrate community voices, living history at annual event
Hundreds of Hawaii residents and visitors will be transported back in time Sunday, Nov. 10, at the Kona Coffee Living History Farm in Captain Cook where Kona Historical Society is hosting Farm Fest. This eighth annual free celebration honors Kona’s heritage by offering stories, entertainment, food, and numerous hands-on activities sharing the traditions practiced by Kona’s coffee industry, its pioneers and our diverse, multicultural community.
The family-friendly event takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the historic farm, which is located on the makai side of Mamalahoa Highway between mile markers 110 and 111. Parking will not be available at the farm. Event-goers are encouraged to park at the Kealakekua Ranch Center in Captain Cook and take the free shuttle provided by Roberts Hawaii to Farm Fest. Vehicle access at the farm will be restricted to vendor, staff and volunteer drop-offs only.
This year’s theme is “Celebrating 20 years of Living History.” At Kona Historical Society, history isn’t just places, dates and events. It’s about people. Living History is just one of the tools this community-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and Smithsonian Museum affiliate has for sharing Hawaii’s history with people of all ages and amplifying the many voices that make up our community’s legacy. Living History not only grabs people’s attention by immersing them in a pivotal historic event or activity, but also creates a personal bridge between the past and present.
“Twenty years ago, Kona Historical Society sought to share the story and the impact Kona’s coffee pioneers had on the unique culture of this region through the immersive practice of Living History. With the help of a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, and with assistance from the State of Hawaii’s Legacy Lands program, the buildings that would become the Kona Coffee Living History Farm were restored to their appearance during the 1920s and 1930s in hopes of preserving this story and bringing Kona’s history to life. Over the years, this farm has received commitment from government agencies, other nonprofit organizations and the community at large to support the preservation of this site and this incredible example of life in Kona during the early 20th century,” said Kona Historical Society Executive Director Dance Aoki. “The Kona Coffee Living History Farm invites participants to quite literally get their hands into historical traditions through our Hands On History activities. Trails throughout the farm encourage guests to navigate through the ancient field system and rugged landscape where crops, coffee and otherwise have grown for centuries. We hope our community connects with the story we share, a story that represents a familiar and nostalgic experience, a story that brings back memories and reveals new perspectives on the home we all share.”
During Farm Fest, wander the pathways of Kona Historical Society’s picturesque 5.5-acre working coffee and macadamia farm and enter 1900-1950, an important era of Kona’s coffee pioneers who used pure grit and local ingenuity to transform both the coffee farming process and the landscape upon which it happened. Tour the farmhouse, where period artifacts, reproductions and skilled interpreters bring to life the sounds, smells and stories of daily life of the Japanese immigrant farming family that once lived here. Explore the kuriba (mill) and hoshidana (drying rack), two amazingly intact examples of how Kona’s first coffee farmers processed their crops and solved problems with limited supplies. Try “Hands On History” activities like traditional coffee land games, ikebana (Japanese art of flower arrangement), lauhala weaving, coffee picking, Japanese calligraphy, medicinal gardening, and pan roasting coffee. Learn how donkeys were a crucial part of Kona coffee farm families in the early 20th century at a pop-up exhibit on Kona Nightingales and then visit the farm’s pasture to observe the resident donkeys Shizu and Charlie Boy, who may sing their own song. Watch celebrity chef Sam Choy’s cooking demonstration featuring kobocha squash (Japanese pumpkin) and then visit talented chef Bryan Fujikawa at the Kona Grill House to purchase some tasty local, seasonal eats. Enjoy performances by Halau E Hulali Mai I Ka La and Keola Grace & Friends.
Be sure to stop by the Farm Fest Welcome Booth and grab a raffle ticket. One lucky eventgoer will win the special prize donated by Body Glove: a deluxe snorkel barbecue and dolphin watch for two people. Also at the Welcome Booth, event-goers can discover how they can contribute to the Kona Historical Society’s efforts of informing and inspiring generations by joining the nonprofit’s volunteer program or by becoming a member.
Farm Fest is sponsored by Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union, Farm & Garden and Hawaiian Isles Real Estate. The event is also funded from grants by the Hawaii Tourism Authority and the Freeman Foundation. Additional support was given by Roberts Hawaii, Body Glove Hawaii Cruises, KTA Super Stores, Carol Greenwell and Frederick G. Dosher. Kona Historical Society’s Farm Fest is part of the 2019 Kona Coffee Cultural Festival.
For more information about Farm Fest, call Kona Historical Society at 808-323-3222 or visit konahistorical.org. “LIKE” Kona Historical Society on Facebook to get the latest updates regarding Kona Historical Society’s programs, historic sites and special events.
ABOUT KONA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Kona Historical Society is a community-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and Smithsonian Museum affiliate that has spent more than four decades collecting, preserving and sharing the history of the Kona districts and their rich cultural heritage within Hawaii. The Kona Coffee Living History Farm is the only living history coffee farm in the nation. This award-winning, historic farm tells the story of Kona’s coffee pioneers during the early 20th century.
