For the first time in the 33-year history of the Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, local musicians and recording artists will be able to advance their careers and network with a variety of industry executives in addition to seeing who the top acts were from the previous year.

Traditionally presented as a televised awards dinner, this year's event will serve as the grand finale of the first Na Hoku o Hawaii Music Festival, a four-day event that also features more than 100 educational workshops and nightly entertainment on nearly 20 stages throughout Waikiki.

“;We became festival promoters overnight,”; said 4 Miles LLC's Dawn Kaniaupio. “;We're television people ... but to get television funded, we had to come up with this other concept.”;

Kaniaupio and partners Ruben Carrillo and Dirk Fukushima have worked hand in hand with top leaders from the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts to develop an event that would be beneficial to Hawaii's music industry while also increasing awareness about those same artists among the international community.

After developing original video content for PBS Hawaii and KHON-TV in 2009, in addition to helping the annual Merrie Monarch Festival make the transition to high-definition broadcasts, Kaniaupio said the 4 Miles team wanted to focus its efforts on another culturally significant local institution: the Hokus.

“;Coming off Merrie Monarch, it seemed like the right thing for us to do,”; she said. “;We looked at our music world, and the Na Hoku Hanohano Awards represent the best of Hawaii's music.

“;So why not bring that into HD and show that it can be done?”;

OPENING RECEPTION

The festival kicks off on Thursday at the Hawai'i Convention Center with a gala event to welcome both visitors and kamaaina from 5 to 8 p.m. Big Every Time, Amy Hanaiali'i, Natalie Ai Kamau'u, Kaumakaiwa Kanaka'ole and Jake Shimabukuro are the scheduled musical performers; tickets are $85.

WORKSHOPS

According to Kaniaupio, there are three distinct tracks for those who decide to register for the dozens of educational workshops available next Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., May 29 from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and May 30 from 7:30 a.m. to noon.

“;It's geared towards three different markets,”; she said. “;We've scheduled it in such a way where, if you're a hula person, for example, your workshops will never overlap.”;

In addition to hula workshops, recording artists will have a number of opportunities to work with various professionals from the songwriting, marketing and legal realms of the music business. Players of instruments will be able to participate in workshops and jam sessions sponsored by industry heavyweights like Fender, Taylor and Roland.

Each day will start with a keynote address; for a full listing of workshops, visit the Na Hoku o Hawaii Music Festival website at Nahokuohawaiimusicfestival.com.

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT STAGES

You don't have to actually register—or spend any money—to take part in the festival. HARA has partnered with a number of Waikiki hotels to offer free entertainment next Thursday, next Friday and May 30. Performances will generally start around 4 p.m. and continue into the evening; visit the festival website for an updated schedule.

Participating venues include:
» Ala Moana Centerstage
» The Banyan Courtyard, Moana Surfrider
» Chai's Island Bistro, Aloha Tower Marketplace
» Duke's Waikiki, Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach
» The Edge of Waikiki, Sheraton Waikiki
» Helumoa, Royal Hawaiian Center
» House Without a Key, Halekulani
» Hula Grill Waikiki, Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach
» Kani Ka Pila Grille, Outrigger Reef Hotel
» Kuhio Beach Hula Mound
» Jimmy Buffett's at the Beachcomber, Ohana Waikiki Beachcomber
» Mai Tai Bar, Royal Hawaiian Hotel
» Pikake Terrace, Sheraton Princess Kaiulani
» Pipeline Cafe, 805 Pohukaina St.
» RumFire, Sheraton Waikiki
» Shore Bird, Outrigger Reef Hotel
» Tiki's Grill and Bar, Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel
» Tropics Bar & Grill, Hilton Hawaiian Village
» Waikiki Beach Walk

33RD ANNUAL NA HOKU HANOHANO AWARDS

The actual awards ceremony has been changed slightly in 2010—instead of being a traditional awards dinner, organizers have split the night into three parts.

From 6:30 to 7 p.m. May 30, a special red-carpet show will be televised in high-definition on KFVE to capture the scene as attendees arrive at the Hawai'i Convention Center. It will be hosted by Lanai Tabura and Kanaka'ole.

At 7:30 p.m. on KGMB, the awards ceremony itself will be telecast, with scheduled live performances by Shimabukuro, Hanaiali'i and John Cruz, Uluwehi Guerrero, Anuhea and the Green, Hapa with special guest Kenny Loggins, Fiji and Henry Kapono, with more to be announced. Once the awards are over, an official after-party will take place from 10 p.m. to midnight at the HCC.

“;You'll definitely see a difference”; compared with recent years, Kaniaupio said. “;The only way I can explain it is that we're producing a television show—we're not filming an awards ceremony.

“;The entire opening of the show—the first five minutes—is a performance in itself. The other big thing that's different is that we'll have huge monitor walls on either side of the stage that will be a major part of the show.”;

Also part of the Hokus is the annual HARA Lifetime Achievement Award Luncheon, which will be held the day before the telecast from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the convention center. This year's honorees are George Kainapau, Ida Kealii Chun, the Makaha Sons of Niihau, Boyce Rodrigues and the Issacs Ohana.