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Hello Kitty® says aloha to Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival

RELEASE NUMBER 35/16

WAIKIKI, HONOLULU, HAWAII – Sanrio and its beloved pop icon Hello Kitty will join in on the food, fun and live entertainment at the 14th Annual Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival. This marks Hello Kitty’s first special guest appearance at the event, which takes place on Saturday, April 30, 2016, along Kalakaua Avenue from 4 to 10 p.m., in celebration of the local favorite luncheon meat, SPAM®.

“Hello Kitty’s popularity and avid fan base is a perfect match for Hawaii’s love of SPAM®,” said Barbara Campbell, Waikiki SPAM JAM® co-founder and vice president of retail leasing and development at Outrigger Enterprises Group. “Outrigger is thankful for the opportunity to collaborate with Hormel and Sanrio on this beloved community event, and we know Hawaii residents and visitors are just as excited as we are to meet Hello Kitty at this year’s Waikiki SPAM JAM®.”

Festival attendees will have the opportunity to take photos with Hello Kitty and Spammy™, as well as enjoy a selection of delicious SPAM® dishes prepared by local restaurants, purchase SPAM® merchandise, island arts and crafts, and enjoy live music on two entertainment stages. Limited-edition Hello Kitty Spam Musubi Kits will also be available for purchase at the fun, family-friendly event. Hormel and Sanrio teamed up to debut the musubi kits in 2014 to celebrate Hello Kitty’s 40th Anniversary.

Introduced in 1937 by Hormel Foods, more SPAM® is consumed per person in Hawaii than any other state in the United States. Approximately 25,000 guests and visitors are expected to attend the unique street festival this year. Admission to the event is free, and all proceeds generated benefit the Hawaii Foodbank and other local charities, including the Waikiki Community Center and Visitor Aloha Society. Since its inception, the Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival has raised more than $100,000 and collected nearly 27,000 pounds of canned goods to support the Hawaii Foodbank.

To stay up-to-date with the latest details of this year’s Waikiki SPAM® JAM Festival: visit SPAMjamhawaii.com or join the Waikiki SPAM® JAM social community on Twitter: @SPAMjam or Instagram: @waikikiSPAMjam.

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