HONOLULU (KHON2) — Folks gathered at Kapiolani Park for a day of celebrating the ukulele on Sunday, July 23.
Performances from well-known artists took over the bandstand for the audience to sit and listen while enjoying ono foods made by local businesses.
Other vendors included arts and crafts from jewelry to handmade ukuleles and even some plants.
One vendor said the wood used to make the ukulele is a good tool for education.
“Ukulele Festival is really important for our children, and it’s about the music but how we connect to it is through our koa plants,” said Kima Adams of Ka Ulu Laau.
“We feel like our native woods are so important and we’ve seen over generations how they’ve used our native woods to make ukuleles and canoes and umekes so we try to make sure we’re trying to educate on the importance of not just the plant, but what the plant produces,” Adams continued.
Another educational experience at the event was the mobile ukulele museum provided by the Hawaiʻi State Archive. The museum had historical hands-on access to ukulele displays.
The free event featured the following lineup of artists: Kamakakehau Fernandez, Kalei Gamiao, Corey Fujimoto, Kris Fuchigami, Kuʻuipo Kumukahi, Kimo Hussey, Zanuck Lindsey, Brittni Paiva, Bryan Tolentino, NUE, Mika Kane.
According to event coordinators, the next event will be at the same time next year.
