Waikiki Comes Alive With Food and Music for 12th Annual Waikiki SPAM® Jam Festival
Release Number: 41/14
WAIKIKI, HONOLULU, HAWAII – On Saturday, May 3, one of Hawaii’s most popular festivals will return to Kalakaua Avenue from 4 to 10 p.m. in celebration of the famous canned meat and a favorite local staple — SPAM®. As a SPAM® Jam co-founder and presenting sponsor, Outrigger Hotels and Resorts will help bring the 12th annual Waikiki SPAM® Jam Festival back for another year of great food and entertainment in a family-friendly atmosphere for kamaaina and visitors to enjoy.
“Outrigger is proud to participate in such a unique and fun-filled event that our entire community can enjoy,” said Bitsy Kelley, vice president, corporate communications for Outrigger Enterprises Group. “As a company dedicated to giving back to the communities in which we live and work, we’re especially pleased that the Waikiki SPAM® Jam benefits our local families who receive support from the Hawaii Foodbank.
Approximately 25,000 festival goers will head to the Waikiki SPAM® Jam to enjoy a selection of delicious SPAM® dishes from some of Hawaii’s favorite local restaurants. Admission to the event is free, and all proceeds generated benefit the Hawaii Foodbank.
Joining the fun this year will be Chef Adam Tabura, brother Lanai Tabura and Shawn Felipe, the team that won Food Network’s Great Food Truck Race. While the famous Aloha Plate food truck won’t make it to this year’s Waikiki SPAM® Jam, the winning threesome will and festival-goers can look forward to a selection of tasty “island grindz” from their team and the other participating restaurants and food trucks, which include:
- ABC Stores – SPAM® and Macadamia Nut Sundae, SPAM® & Corn Chowder
- Atlantis Steak and Seafood – SPAM® Lau Lau, Combination SPAM® Plate
- Buenos Antojitos – Mom’s Puerto Rican SPAM® Flan, SPAM® Cheesecake
- Cheeseburger Waikiki Beach Walk – Sugar-shoyu Furikake SPAM® Sliders
- Curry Café – Crispy Fried SPAM® Curry Rice
- Duke’s/Hula Grill – SPAM® Fried Rice, SPAM® Loco Moco, SPAM® Katsu
- Eggs ‘N Things – SPAM® Pancake Sliders with SPAM® Fries, SPAM® Pita Pockets with SPAM® Fries
- Gordon Biersch – Kamaaina SPAM® Street Tacos, Sicilian SPAM® Pizza, Chinatown SPAM® Won Tons, Mango BBQ SPAM® Sliders
- Hard Rock Café – SPAM® Burrito, Candied SPAM® Caramel Crème Brulee
- Jimmy Buffet’s – SPAM® Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich (winner of the Great American SPAM® Championship), SPAM® Chili, SPAM® Nachos
- Kau Kau Grill – Krazy BBQ SPAM® Fried Rice, Kau Kau SPAM® Snackers
- Mac 24/7 – Truffle SPAM® Ramen
- Mahaloa Burger – Loco Moco SPAM® Burger, Teriyaki SPAM® Burger, SPAM® Cheeseburger, SPAM® Hotdog
- Okonomiyaki Chibo Restaurant – SPAM® Okonomiyaki, SPAM® Yakisoba
- Olay’s Thai Food Express – SPAM® Pad Thai Plate
- OnoPops – Peanut Butter Ice Cream with Candied SPAM®, Brown Sugar Pineapple Sorbet with Candied SPAM®
- PF Chang’s – SPAM® Lo Mein, SPAM® Lettuce Wraps
- Seafood Village – SPAM® Siu Mai, SPAM® Spring Roll, SPAM® Manapua
- Wild Bean Espresso – 100% Ka`u award-winning Coffee and smoothies
In addition to the many flavors presented by top Hawaii chefs, the Waikiki SPAM® Jam will again offer up a wide variety of local entertainers to suit any musical taste. The following acts will perform on the Outrigger Hotels and Resorts Stage and the Shops of Hawaii Stage:
Outrigger Hotels and Resorts Stage (fronting Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach)
4:30 p.m. Ka Hale I o Kahala Halau. Under the direction of Kumu Hula Leimomi I-Maldonado, Ka Hale I o Kahala Halau has become one of Hawaii’s most respected and beloved hula halau, offering instruction and performance to hula enthusiasts of all ages.
5:30 p.m. Kaiau – Kaiao, made up of Ku Souza, Liki Tavete and ʻEkolu Chang, is a traditional Hawaiian music group dedicated to perpetuating the music of old Hawaii. From heart pounding unison to sweet high falsetto, Kaiao strives to create a great Hawaiian sound.
6:30 p.m. Kapena. Considered to be one of Hawaii’s premier island bands, Kapena continues to be an institution that embraces what islanders fell in love with when they first heard their unique sound of their “feel good music.”
7:30 p.m. Germaine’s Luau. Take in the rich cultural heritage of the Pacific Islands, while enjoying the spectacular Polynesian show delivered to you at the ocean’s edge, under the stars and palm trees.
8:30 p.m. Manoa Madness. This 5-piece outfit place contemporary Hawaiian music that is breezy light, the perfect sound for an evening in Waikiki.
Shops of Hawaii Stage (fronting Royal Hawaiian Center)
4:30 p.m. Performance by Hula dancers from Malu Productions and Wanna Hula Productions.
5:30 p.m. Johnna Padeken Parel is a self-taught singer and songwriter from Kaneohe, Hawaii, with a unique and sultry sound that will keep your wanting more. She is a rising star here in the islands and beyond.
6:30 p.m. The Wreck is a Honolulu based alternative and indie rock band made up of four young rockers; Ian Wacksman (11) on drums, Josh Kay (13) on keyboards & vocals, Dylan Wacksman (14) on guitar, bass & vocals and Gino Romano (14) on guitar, bass & vocals. Their goal as a band is simple, to improve as musicians and entertain people.
7:15 p.m. Legends Waikiki – one of Waikiki’s most beloved stage shows, Legends Waikiki brings the music and experience of Elvis, Michael Jackson, and Britney Spears to life with electrifying performances of the artists’ biggest hit songs.
7:45 p.m. Pocket is a groovin’ dance band based in Hawaii featuring disco-funk-r&b music from the 70s to 90s.
8:45 p.m. Emke – sisters Kira and Ezri Santos along with Mari Arakawa and Payton Sekigawa, burst onto the Honolulu music scene in 2005.The band members met while attending a real life ‘school of rock’ in Hawaii (Hawaii MusicWorks). Performing cover tunes from bands like Journey, Van Halen and Bon Jovi, EMKE quickly gained accolades for wowing audiences with their mature level of musicianship and vocal abilities.
Aside from the fantastic food and entertainment, festival-goers will find volunteers collecting donations for the Hawaii Foodbank at various booths. The Hawaii Foodbank is the only nonprofit in the state of Hawaii that collects, warehouses and distributes mass quantities of both perishable and non-perishable food to 250 member agencies as well as food banks on the Big Island, Maui and Kauai.
For more information about the Waikiki SPAM® Jam, please visit www.spamjamhawaii.com.
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CONTACT: Karen Winpenny | Waikiki SPAM®Jam | Ph: 808-255-5927 | Email: kwinpenny@hawaii.rr.com
