Join us at the Donkey Mill Art Center for the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, a celebration of Hawaiʻi's unique cultural heritage. On Saturday, November 9 immerse yourself in traditional activities such as natural dyeing, lauhala weaving, and lei making. Enjoy live demonstrations by Jim Skibby from Ulana Lauhala Holualoa and take home your handcrafted projects. While you're here, explore the exhibition Hānau Ka Mo‘olelo and savor a cup of Kona Coffee.
Each of the four engaging workshops will be offered twice: one morning and one afternoon session. These workshops are free with the purchase of a $5 Kona Coffee Button, which grants access to all KCCF-related events throughout the 10-day festival. Buttons will be available for purchase both leading up to and during the event on November 9. Please note that these workshops sell out quickly and so we encourage early registration. Drop-ins are not guaranteed a spot in the workshop.
Level: This is a family-friendly day! Children, ages 8 and up, are welcome to participate in each activity if accompanied by an adult. When registering, please register both yourself and your child.
Registration for all workshops will close on Monday, November 4 at midnight.
Workshops:
- Natural Dyes from Local Plants with Avalon Paradea
- Indigo & Shibori Natural Dye with Wai’ala Ahn
- Weaving a Lauhala Bracelet with Kumu Nanette Bell
- Lei-Making: Lei Hilo with Flowers with Allison Tan
Sessions: There are two sessions for each workshop available. Please register for one session only to allow more participants to join in the fun.
- Morning session: 10:00 - 11:45am
- Afternoon session: 12:00 - 1:45pm
Exhibition on view: Hānau Ka Moʻolelo September 28 - December 14
This exhibition focuses on the transformative power of moʻolelo and presents these stories, traditions, histories and remembrances as evidence of collective and individual experiences and unfolding memories. Filled with kaona and layered meanings, artworks become the vehicle through which moʻolelo manifest–artists thoughtfully revealing stories and histories they have witnessed, researched, and/or remembered. With many of the artists gathering moʻolelo through oral history interviews with their own ‘ohana, artworks reveal their family histories and genealogical connections anchoring them to the past, present and the future.
About the Festival: Since its inception in 1970, the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival organization has sought to preserve, perpetuate and promote Kona’s unique nearly 200-year coffee heritage. The Festival and the local community embrace visitors and residents by sharing the unique history and culture of Kona coffee pioneers, farmers and artisans throughout the 10-days that celebrate the Kona coffee lifestyle. More information on other KCCF activities in the community can be found here.
