A Recap of the 31st Annual Kona Brewers Festival

Last Saturday marked the 31st Annual Kona Brewers Festival, put on by the Rotary Club of Kona. Despite being postponed two weeks from its original date, due to the heavy Kona Low storms, the day perfectly encapsulated a community celebration of beer, food, music and people, supporting Hawai'i charities and culture since 1996. We had the pleasure of setting up a table on the grounds of the King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel to showcase our 100% Kona Cold Brew, Mint Mamaki Tea and our Medium Roast. 

The festival began with a blessing along the Ahu‘ena Heiau, a sacred, restored 19th-century temple that served as King Kamehameha I’s personal temple and residence until his death in 1819. Community members gathered near the water while a line formed down the Kailua Pier for entry. Each vendor carefully and thoughtfully prepared their tables with specialty samples of beers, seltzers and ciders while restaurant vendors briskly prepared their food. At 2pm, the festivities began. 

The event included dozens of food vendors and over 40 breweries, both local and national, with 3,000 attendees enjoying up to 72 unique ale and lager pours. Each year, 15-20 nonprofits are also selected to volunteer and benefit from the festival, managing various aspects of the event. 

Local restaurants such as Lava Java, Honu's, Magics Beach Grill, Kona Village, The Temple and many more provided deliciously crafted food from fresh poke to pizza, and 'ulu curries to Bahn mi sandwiches. Breweries included Ola Brew, Lanikai Brewing Co., Lāhainā Brewing Co. and more from local to nationwide, serving unique seltzers, ciders and beers. 

The festival's signature event, the "Trash Fashion Show" was paired with live music by Ron Artis II and entertainment by comedian Tumua Tuinei.

As the day went on, entertainment was paired with the food and brews as Tumua Tuinei took the stage. Kona Brewing Company was giving away a custom surfboard to participants of "Catch the Can", where an overhead drown flew above a willing participant on a blow up SUP. The challenge was the catch the can to win an entry into the raffle of the custom board. Attendees of all ages, from all over the world faced the challenge, creating ample entertainment for festival-goers.

The "Trash Fashion Show" was a spectacle in itself, introducing artists and their handmade fashion items made entirely from found products. Creators made dresses, costumes and outfits out of aluminum cans, old fishing nets, repurposed purple Crown Royal bags, party products and egg cartons as they took the stage for a fashion show. The items were not only inspiring but beautiful in their own right. Each piece came with a story that reminded us all the importance of being cautious of our own consumption and how creativity can reshape the life-span, function and significance of an item.

After the fashion show, Ron Artis II, from North Shore's Haleiwa, finished off the entertainment for the day with his soulful, funk-rock original music with traces of electric blues and R&B. The crowd scattered around the stage, sipping the last of their brews and  small plates creating a beautiful close to a lively day. 

In the last hour, attendees stopped by the Kona Coffee & Tea table to refresh on cold Mint Mamaki Tea and revive on our 100% Cold Brew. As the 31st Annual Kona Brewers Festival came to a close, we reflected on yet another day of community, artistry and creativity from brews to food, trash fashion, comedy and music.

Check out the gallery below!