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Month-long festival celebrates raku

It's a big month for Hawaii Craftsmen as the group opens its 28th annual Raku Ho'olaule'a tomorrow, with guest artist Roger Baumann, for a month-long celebration of the ceramic art form.

The event celebrates the mystery of raku firing, a traditional Japanese style of pottery beginning with a free reception and talk tomorrow at the Honolulu Academy of Arts courtyard and theater, and ending with a four-day festival at Kualoa Regional Park, where groups of artists from Hawaii and around the world fire up their kilns beachside.

Here's the schedule:

» Monday: Slide lecture with Baumann, with 5:30 p.m. reception at the Honolulu Academy of Arts courtyard and talk in the theater. Free.
» Tuesday: Potluck with clay demonstrations, 5 to 9 p.m. in the Fort Shafter Arts & Crafts Center.
» Thursday to Aug. 7: Camping and beachside firing at Kualoa Regional Park. Registration is required to fire with a group or camp overnight. There will be a community kiln for firing tea bowls glazed by participants for a fee of $5 per bowl. The community kiln will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 6.
» Aug. 6: Floating Sculpture Contest with ceramic demonstrations, raffle and more, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
» Aug. 16 to Sept. 3: Raku Ho'olaule'a Exhibition on view at the ARTS at Marks Garage, 1159 Nuuanu Ave., from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays. An opening reception and tea ceremony demonstration will take place 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 18.

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STAR-BULLETIN Craftsmen lift the upper half of a kiln to expose a raku pot that will be placed into a "reduction can" that will change its color to darker hues.

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Ukulele buffet

If you're enjoying the 35th Annual Ukulele Festival today in Kapiolani Park, the Parc Cafe offers a way to extend the experience for a couple of days.

Ukulele artisan Lyle Ritz performs at a special buffet dinner tomorrow, followed by Daniel Ho on Tuesday.

Buffet choices include prime rib, crab legs, herb-roasted chicken, salad and dessert stations and a make-your-own-sundae bar.

Dinner seatings begin at 5:30 p.m., with the performances at 6 p.m. Cost is $19.95. Children pay $1 per year of age. Call 931-6643. The Parc Cafe is in the Waikiki Parc Hotel.

The chef is in

Chef Hiroshi Fukui and master sommelier Chuck Furuya host a Chef's Table dinner, 6:30 p.m. Aug. 9 at Hiroshi Eurasion Tapas.

The two will talk about the creation of the night's four-course menu and the wines paired to each dish. The menu: Kona Kampachi Carpaccio, Hauula Tomato & Nalo Green Salad, Red Wine-Steamed Veal Cheeks and Hawaiian Vanilla Bean Panacotta.

Cost is $55. Call 533-4476.

Lessons in wine

Master sommelier Roberto Viernes has introduced a series of wine workshops called WINED, for Wine and Education, to be held at Formaggio in Market City Shopping Center.

Each session includes a selection of wines and fine cheeses. Call 739-7719 after 5 p.m. Space is limited to 24 per tasting.

These are the August classes:

Australia: It's NOT Just Shiraz Anymore: Dry rieslings to powerful shirazes; 5 p.m. Wednesday. Cost is $44.

Varietal Character: A Palate Primer: Learn to identify the taste characteristics of four types of white and four types of red wines; Aug. 31. Cost is $39.

Vino tastings

Wine tastings at Vino in Restaurant Row feature five wines for $25. Tastings begin at 5:30. Call 524-8466.

August tastings:

Aug. 10: Fritz Hasselbach of Weingut Gunderloch in Germany will present his Gunderloch rieslings, including the 1997 and 2003 "Estate," 2004 Kabinett "Jean Baptiste," 1999 Auslese "3 Star" and 1996 Spatlese "Nackenheimer Rothenberg."

Aug. 24: Master sommelier and Vino part-owner Chuck Furuya breaks out some of his latest discoveries.

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