[ ISLAND HOPPING ]
Trek to taro patch
Anybody can spend their Hawaiian vacation sitting on the sand or next to a pool, but how many get to visit a taro patch?Kapahu Farm in the Kipahulu area of Maui's Haleakala National Park is offering a hike to active lo'i, or taro patches, at 1 p.m. Nov. 5.
Anyone capable of completing a moderate one-mile hike through wet, muddy terrain, is welcome to join a Native Hawaiian guide from the Kipahulu 'Ohana to visit more than two acres of taro and other Polynesian introduced plants.
Meet outside the Kipahulu Visitor Center at Haleakala National Park for the hourlong tour.
Be sure to bring hike essentials, such as snacks, water, sunscreen, rain gear, camera and shoes with good traction.
The park entrance fee is $10 for a seven-day pass per vehicle (or $20 for an annual pass). Donations to the Kipahulu 'Ohana are accepted and appreciated to help perpetuate the nonprofit group's farming and cultural programs.
For more information, call 808-248-8974 on Maui, or visit www.kipahulu.org
Fest draws big names
Kahua, Peter Moon, and Amy Hanaiaili'i Gilliom and Ernie Cruz Jr. will headline the inaugural Hawaii's Big Island Festival running Wednesday through Nov. 3.The event will feature cuisine, fine wines, Hawaiian culture, world class golf, spa treatments, unique farm tours, celebrity chefs, and Hawaiian music, all staged in idyllic settings along the Kona-Kohala coast.
The music begins with two performances by Kahua, providing traditional Hawaiian music that taps deep into the roots of falsetto and kiho'alu styles. The trio, featuring Kevin Morikona on guitar, Gavan Miyashita on ukulele and rhythm guitar and Kakana Wong on acoustic bass, will perform at "A Traditional Hawaiian Evening at Kona Village" on Wednesday and at the Festival Pavilion at noon on Thursday.
Slack-key guitar and ukulele virtuoso Moon, who has influenced musical artists in Hawaii and internationally throughout his long career, will play at the Festival Pavilion at noon Friday and at the Beachboys Bash at The Orchid at Mauna Lani later that evening.
The music continues with Hoku Award winners Gilliom and Cruz at the Festival Pavilion at noon Saturday and at the "Taste of Mauna Lani Under the Hula Moon" at the Mauna Lani Resort that evening.
Kama'aina passes for this five-day festival are priced at $200. The pass includes three-day admission to the Festival Pavilion, including all the concerts, plus wine tastings, culinary seminars by Food & Wine's 2002 Best New Chefs in America & Hawaii Culinary Stars and a Big Island Cook-off hosted by Iron Chef Morimoto.
Evening events at Kona Village Resort, Waikoloa Resort (Outrigger Waikoloa Beach and Hilton Waikoloa Village), The Orchid at Mauna Lani, Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows and Keauhou Resort are a separate ticket purchase. A valid Hawaii ID is required for the kama'aina passes.
Passes and individual event tickets may be purchased online at www.bigislandfestival.com or by calling 808-934-9044 on the Big Island or toll free 1-866-424-FEST.