And the winner of HAWAII Magazine’s Pan-Pacific Festival Flyaway sweepstakes is...

Tue, 14 May 2013 12:57:09 GMT

And the winner of HAWAII Magazine’s Pan-Pacific Festival Flyaway sweepstakes is...

Congratulations to Sarah Haney of Newport Beach, Calif. — winner of HAWAII Magazine’s Pan-Pacific Festival Flyaway sweepstakes. Sarah’s name was drawn at random from thousands of sweepstakes entries submitted between mid- and late-April. Her prize?

• Complimentary Hawaiian Airlines round-trip coach airfare for two between Oahu and one of 11 gateway cities served by Hawaiian Airlines in North America.

• Five-days/four-nights complimentary accommodations for two at the

We’ve counted all of the votes from our latest HAWAII Magazine Facebook Ohana poll question: What’s your favorite Hawaii snack? Your hundreds of responses ranged from healthful papaya, apple bananas, and fresh mango to deliciously decadent chocolate-covered macadamia nuts and haupia pie. Among the vote-getters on the salty and savory side: assorted manapuas, musubis, taro-and-sweet potato chips as well as Maui onion chips. Yum!

The top five vote-getters are on the pages ahead. Mahalo for sharing your picks!

If you’d like to join in on our next poll and vote, along with our Facebook fan page ohana, Hawaii Publishers Association's 28th annual Pai Awards competition, which recognizes outstanding achievement in print journalism in the state.

At an awards ceremony held in Honolulu yesterday to recognize top journalism produced during 2012, HAWAII Magazine took first place in the category of Visitor Publication Excellence for publications with more than 500,000 issues printed annually. We also won first place in the category of Visitor Publication Photography.

Waikiki Aquarium summer sunset concert series spotlights popular Hawaii musicians

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:20:31 GMT

Waikiki Aquarium summer sunset concert series spotlights popular Hawaii musicians

Waikiki Aquarium’s annual summer concert series Ke Kani O Ke Kai — Hawaiian for the sound of the ocean — offers you a chance to kick back on a cool, grassy lawn and listen to some of Hawaii’s most celebrated musicians while enjoying a Waikiki sunset.

The 16th annual season of concerts will features shows every other Thursday, starting on June 13. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and concerts start at 7 p.m. The series will kick off with performances by John Cruz and Nathan Awe...

Hawaii Book & Music Festival spotlights best-selling authors, Islands-inspired music

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:28:41 GMT

Hawaii Book & Music Festival spotlights best-selling authors, Islands-inspired music

How’s your Hawai‘i reading list holding up? And that island-style music playlist? The Hawaii Book & Music Festival is a sure bet to replenish and freshen up your stash of good reads and tunes. Plus, as always, the upcoming weekend event will feature local and national best-selling authors.

Now in its eighth year, the annual Bank of Hawaii Presents the Hawaii Book & Music Festival will be held on Honolulu Hale civic center’s grounds. Fest...

Blazing blades! 2013 World Fireknife Championship slated for this week on Oahu

Tue, 07 May 2013 14:30:10 GMT

Blazing blades! 2013 World Fireknife Championship slated for this week on Oahu

Amazing displays of flame-fueled, sharp-edged Samoan dancing will be staged this week throughout the 21st annual World Fireknife Championship at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Acrobatic and seemingly flame-and-blade-resistant competitors will vie for the title of World Fireknife Champion in four-night competition that will get under way with preliminary performances starting at 7:45 p.m. tomorrow (May 8), at Hale Aloha on the Polynesian Cultural Center’s ...

Puna Music Festival spotlights sounds of Hawaii this week on Big Island’s east side

Mon, 06 May 2013 10:58:56 GMT

Puna Music Festival spotlights sounds of Hawaii this week on Big Island’s east side

The third annual Puna Music Festival is under way this week on the Big Island’s east side.

The fest spotlights more than 100 local performers. Among the headliners slated to perform later this week are John Cruz the Big Island’s Nahko and Medicine for the People.

Among the featured events is "Kanikapila in Old Town Pahoa," during which musicians will perform in the windows, balconies, and storefronts throughout old Pahoa town. Kanikapila is the Hawaiian term for an informal jam sessio...

And the winner of HAWAII Magazine’s Travaasa Maui vacation contest is…

Fri, 03 May 2013 13:23:38 GMT

And the winner of HAWAII Magazine’s Travaasa Maui vacation contest is…

Congratulations to Sandy Zubiate of Los Angeles — winner of HAWAII Magazine’s Travaasa Giveaway Maui vacation sweepstakes.

Sandy’s name was drawn at random from more than 7,100 sweepstakes entries submitted over the last eight weeks. Her prize?

• five days/four nights complimentary accommodations for two in an ocean view, plantation-style “Sea Ranch Cottage” with a private lanai at Travaasa Hana, Maui;

• complimentary roundtrip airfare on 24th annual Maui Onion Festival, slated for this weekend, fans of the sweet Maui Kula onion will salute the famous bulb with recipe contests, onion-eating contests, and food booths packed with plenty of tempting oniony eats.

Among the Hawaii celebrity chefs offering culinary demonstrations — and competing for “Best Maui Onion Recipe” honors is Sheldon Simeon, executive chef at Star Noodle in Lahaina,...

Shuttered Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial slated for renovation as new beach area

Wed, 01 May 2013 11:19:56 GMT

Shuttered Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial slated for renovation as new beach area

A plan is moving forward for renovation of the Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial complex, the site of a now-dilapidated 86-year-old saltwater-fed swimming pool and monument to Hawaii residents who served in World War I.

A news release issued yesterday by the office of Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced that city and county officials are forging a partnership with the State of Hawaii through which the natatorium will undergo a $18.4 million makeover. According to the plan, the crumbling pool structure will be removed and a new public beach (Memorial Beach) will be created. The site’s famous archway will remain intact and...

Win HAWAII Magazine's “Travaasa Giveaway” Maui vacation. Last day to enter!

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:51:01 GMT

Win HAWAII Magazine's “Travaasa Giveaway” Maui vacation. Last day to enter!

Up for a getaway trip to a secluded hotel tucked into a breathtakingly beautiful site at the end of the winding and scenic Hana Highway on the eastern tip of Maui?

If you’re nodding your head in affirmation, we cordially invite you to enter HAWAII Magazine’s Travaasa Giveaway sweepstakes. HAWAII Magazine and contest partner, Travaasa Hana, Maui will award a getaway vacation for two to one lucky winner.

Here’s what winner gets: ...

May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii. Here’s where you’ll find plenty of flower-draped shoulders

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 06:25:43 GMT

May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii. Here’s where you’ll find plenty of flower-draped shoulders

Tomorrow is May Day, known in the Islands as Lei Day — a day that celebrates Hawaiian culture, focusing on our fragrant symbol of aloha.

One of the largest gatherings will be Oahu’s 86th annual Lei Day Celebration, held at the bandstand in Queen Kapiolani Regional Park (Waikiki area), 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. It’s free and open to the public. The entertainment lineup for the bandstand stage ranges from the Royal Hawaiian Band to hula performances. Also, the Hawaiian Steel Guitar As...

Kauai’s Kilauea Point Lighthouse marking centennial with five-day celebration

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:03:03 GMT

Kauai’s Kilauea Point Lighthouse marking centennial with five-day celebration

Kauai’s Kilauea Point Lighthouse’s five-day centennial celebration will get under way on Wednesday (May 1) with a lighthouse re-opening ceremony and tours. Festivities will continue through the weekend with events ranging from an art show to an official renaming of the site as the Daniel K. Inouye Kilauea Point Lighthouse in honor of the late senator.

Built in 1913 as a navigational guide for commercial shipping between Hawaii and the Orient, Kilauea Point Lighthouse (pictured, right) fu...

This weekend's “I Love Kailua” Town Party celebrates Windward Oahu’s easygoing vibe

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:56:20 GMT

This weekend's “I Love Kailua” Town Party celebrates Windward Oahu’s easygoing vibe

There’s plenty to love about Windward Oahu’s Kailua town. From the shoreline of its sugar-white beaches (pictured, below) you can paddle a kayak in gentle waters to the nearby Mokulua Islands, which serve as a seabird sanctuary. On breezy days you can see wind surfers twisting above the waves in Kailua Bay. And after working up an appetite, you can find eateries serving up anything from a breakfast of macadamia nut pancakes to a dinner featuring fish fresh from Hawaiian waters.

For these reasons and others, the outdoorsy, easygoing beach town-suburb will hold its Friends of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is offering a field seminar this weekend that focuses on cultural and scientific exploration tied to plants used in hula.

A kumu hula (hula teacher/master) and a botanist will team up to lead Plants of Hula: Na Mea Kanu o Ka Hula, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Kumu hula Ab Kawainohoikalai Valencia will share beliefs about hula p...

Kau Coffee Festival serving up world-class cups of Big-Island grown, roasted Hawaii joe

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:19:28 GMT

Kau Coffee Festival serving up world-class cups of Big-Island grown, roasted Hawaii joe

The fifth annual Kau Coffee Festival is slated to start this weekend in the Big Island’s southeast district, where the beans are bringing home international honors in gourmet cupping competitions.

The fest’s lineup of events, which spans two weekends, offers everything from coffee farm visits and coffee-tastings to Hawaii-focused cultural performances, and, for aspiring connoisseurs, the return of “Kau Coffee College.” Among new offering offerings on this year’s schedule: 11th annual Waikiki Spam Jam Festival.

And what does it mean to be a Spam-jammer? Well, according to event organizers, it means that you’re enthusiastic about the chance to sample the salty pork foodstuff served up in a variety of culinary styles. At the festival, set for 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sat., April 27, Spam-jammers will be eating plates of "Spam Fusion Fajitas," Spam katsu, Spam won ton, Spam lau lau,...

Your great Hawaii photo could win a free Maui vacation from HAWAII Magazine

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 11:07:58 GMT

Your great Hawaii photo could win a free Maui vacation from HAWAII Magazine

Do you have a stunning Hawaii photograph? One that captures the breathtaking beauty of our lush landscapes and shorelines. Or a memorable moment depicting people and culture in the Islands. How about an artistic abstract shot?

If so, enter your best photos in HAWAII Magazine’s 15th annual Photo Contest. Your photography could win you a grand-prize six-day/five-night stay at The Kapalua Villas on Maui’s west side, airfare and various other goodies, such as a chic digital camera fitted with a powerful 5x optical zoom, a 28 mm...

Maui Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival to get under way on island’s west side tomorrow

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:22:33 GMT

Maui Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival to get under way on island’s west side tomorrow

The annual three-day Maui Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival gets under way tomorrow on the island’s west side, at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel. Packed with performances, presentations, instructional workshops and jam session, the free fest will showcase on the only musical instrument thought to be both invented and popularized in Hawaii.

Among the fest’s featured Hawaiian steel guitar masters are Alan Akaka, Greg Sardinha

Hawaiimagazine.com | HAWAII Today

Ten Hawaii visitor sites offer free admission to active-duty military families this summer

Ten Hawaii visitor sites offer free admission to active-duty military families this summer

Your amazing Hawaii photo could win a free Maui vacation from HAWAII Magazine

Your amazing Hawaii photo could win a free Maui vacation from HAWAII Magazine

Kauai Polynesian Festival spotlights Tahitian, Maori, Samoan and Hawaiian dancing, culture

Kauai Polynesian Festival spotlights Tahitian, Maori, Samoan and Hawaiian dancing, culture

Lantern Floating Hawaii to launch 5,000 glowing memorials on Oahu’s south shore

Lantern Floating Hawaii to launch 5,000 glowing memorials on Oahu&rsquo;s south shore

Big Island Film Fest to honor “Mad Men” actor, “Saturday Night Live” cast member

Big Island Film Fest to honor &ldquo;Mad Men&rdquo; actor, &ldquo;Saturday Night Live&rdquo; cast member

“Generations” summer concert series slated for Waimea Valley on Oahu's North Shore

&ldquo;Generations&rdquo; summer concert series slated for Waimea Valley on Oahu's North Shore

And the winner of HAWAII Magazine’s Pan-Pacific Festival Flyaway sweepstakes is...

And the winner of HAWAII Magazine&rsquo;s Pan-Pacific Festival Flyaway sweepstakes is...

Waikiki Aquarium summer sunset concert series spotlights popular Hawaii musicians

Waikiki Aquarium summer sunset concert series spotlights popular Hawaii musicians

Hawaii Book & Music Festival spotlights best-selling authors, Islands-inspired music

Hawaii Book & Music Festival spotlights best-selling authors, Islands-inspired music

Blazing blades! 2013 World Fireknife Championship slated for this week on Oahu

Blazing blades! 2013 World Fireknife Championship slated for this week on Oahu

Puna Music Festival spotlights sounds of Hawaii this week on Big Island’s east side

Puna Music Festival spotlights sounds of Hawaii this week on Big Island&rsquo;s east side

And the winner of HAWAII Magazine’s Travaasa Maui vacation contest is…

And the winner of HAWAII Magazine&rsquo;s Travaasa Maui vacation contest is&hellip;

Shuttered Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial slated for renovation as new beach area

Shuttered Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial slated for renovation as new beach area

Win HAWAII Magazine's “Travaasa Giveaway” Maui vacation. Last day to enter!

Win HAWAII Magazine's &ldquo;Travaasa Giveaway&rdquo; Maui vacation. Last day to enter!

May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii. Here’s where you’ll find plenty of flower-draped shoulders

May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii. Here&rsquo;s where you&rsquo;ll find plenty of flower-draped shoulders

Kauai’s Kilauea Point Lighthouse marking centennial with five-day celebration

Kauai&rsquo;s Kilauea Point Lighthouse marking centennial with five-day celebration

This weekend's “I Love Kailua” Town Party celebrates Windward Oahu’s easygoing vibe

This weekend's &ldquo;I Love Kailua&rdquo; Town Party celebrates Windward Oahu&rsquo;s easygoing vibe

Kau Coffee Festival serving up world-class cups of Big-Island grown, roasted Hawaii joe

Kau Coffee Festival serving up world-class cups of Big-Island grown, roasted Hawaii joe

Your great Hawaii photo could win a free Maui vacation from HAWAII Magazine

Your great Hawaii photo could win a free Maui vacation from HAWAII Magazine

Maui Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival to get under way on island’s west side tomorrow

Maui Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival to get under way on island&rsquo;s west side tomorrow

Lantern Floating Hawaii to launch 5,000 glowing memorials on Oahu’s south shore

Big Island Film Fest to honor “Mad Men” actor, “Saturday Night Live” cast member

“Generations” summer concert series slated for Waimea Valley on Oahu's North Shore