Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival celebrates 15 years of food, festivities and fun
RELEASE NUMBER 132/16
WAIKIKI, HONOLULU, HAWAII – Each year, 25,000 guests and local residents gather for Hawaii’s most beloved and delicious annual event – the Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival. Celebrating its 15th anniversary, the Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival will fill Kalakaua Avenue with the sound of sizzling SPAM® products, live music and entertainment, and excitement on Saturday, April 29, 2016, from 4 to 10 p.m.
“The SPAM® brand is synonymous with Hawaii and many local families will tell you that SPAM® products are a favorite for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a delicious treat,” said Barbara Campbell, Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival co-founder and vice president of retail leasing and development at Outrigger Enterprises Group. “Outrigger is proud to have supported this tasty piece of Hawaii history and cuisine for the past 15 years and we look forward to another fun-filled 15 years.”
Hawaii’s love affair with SPAM® products dates back almost 80 years, when the pre-cooked luncheon meat was served to American GIs. In 2016, with billions of cans of SPAM® products sold, Hawaii continues to lead the nation in its love for SPAM® products. The most recent data suggests Hawaii residents buy nearly 7 million cans of SPAM® products per year. In 2015, Hormel Foods paid homage to the state’s love for the iconic meat by introducing SPAM® with Portuguese Sausage, inspired by the Hawaiian Islands.
Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival attendees can enjoy a selection of SPAM® recipes from participating local restaurants and see first-hand the many ways SPAM® products can be prepared. Expect to not only be well-fed but entertained, as festival goers will be serenaded by some of the island’s best musical acts from two stages. Hawaiian arts and craft vendors will be showcasing their products, and SPAM® merchandise, such as T-shirts, shorts and slippers, will be available for purchase.
Admission to the family-friendly event is free and proceeds generated benefit the Hawaii Foodbank and other local charities, including the Waikiki Community Center and the Visitor Aloha Society. The 14th Annual SPAM JAM® Festival in 2016 raised over $23,000 for the Hawaii Foodbank and collected over 1,600 pounds of canned food, enough to feed 58,000 meals in Hawaii. 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.
As part of the Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival, Outrigger Resorts and OHANA Hotels in Waikiki offer guests checking in for the weekend a free one-category upgrade, based on availability, with the donation of a can of SPAM® product, which is then donated to the Hawaii Foodbank. For reservations, visit www.outrigger.com, or call 1-800-688-7444 and ask for the best available rate. This offer is subject to change and availability. Some restrictions apply.
There are several ways to stay on top of the latest details of this year’s Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival: visit SPAMJAMhawaii.com or join the Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival social community on Twitter: @SPAMJAM or Instagram: @waikikiSPAMJAM.
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