Kualoa Ranch Hosts Farm Fair, Eat The Street, July 7-8

The 50th annual Hawaii State Farm Fair will take place on an actual farm July 7 and 8 – at Windward Oahu’s best-known cattle ranch and tourist attraction.

“We are very honored and excited, and I think it’s a great fit to bring the farm fair to an agricultural destination such as Kualoa,” said John Morgan, president of the 4,000-acre Kualoa Ranch. “We hope to get people from all over the island to get a feel for a more rural area and really appreciate its beauty and agriculture.”

Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation is partnering with Hawaii 4-H on the event, which will feature a wide array of activities, demonstrations, food samples and workshops – and all children and full-time students will be admitted free of charge. All others pay $5 at the gate, and parking is free.

The popular food truck rally, Street Grindz Eat the Street, will set up with a pupu menu for the crowds, ranging from $5 to $7 per item. “Each special will highlight locally grown ingredients,” said Poni Askew, one of the invited vendors, who said she hopes to “spread the message of sustainability and the importance of locally grown foods.” She said she’s very honored to be a part of the fair.

Along with marking its 50th year, the fair also will showcase the next generation of Hawaii farmers. “The purpose of the Farm Fair is to provide an agriculture outreach education to Oahu,” said HFBF interim executive director Joy Gold. “It is important to educate Hawaii because less than 2 percent of the nation’s population are involved in agriculture production.”

The 4-H members will exhibit the livestock they have raised throughout the year and demonstrate their knowledge through interactive and hands-on displays, followed by a live auction of the animals. The state 4-H organization, which reaches about 35,000 youths each year, put on its own separate fair at Kualoa last summer when HFBF canceled the official farm fair.

The ranch also will open six of its famous attractions to fairgoers at a discounted rate. For a 50-percent savings, visitors can enjoy the Movie Site & Ranch Tour, Jungle Expedition, Secret Island, Ancient Hawaiian Fishpond and Garden, Legends and Legacy, and Ocean Voyage. (The discount is good through the following Sunday with proof of ticket purchase from the fair.)

The state farm fair has been staged in previous years at Bishop Museum, Aloha Stadium and McKinley High School.

For more information, call 848-2074 or visit hfbf.org.