So I have been planning this trip to Hawai'i (the big Island -not Ouahu) for quite a while now. I arrived yesterday. Election day. Congratulations Obama. :) Well it just so happens that the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival starts on the 7th. I have a brochure here next to me. I've kinda flipped through the pages to get a feel for what is going on, but its somewhat confusing. Two main social events stand out for sure. Both on Saturdays. There is a Miss Kona Coffee Scholarship Pageant on the 8th. Young women - probably about seniors in highschool, I would guess - compete in a pageant full of music, entertainment and dance and the winner gets the crown. The following Saturday is The Kamehameha Schools Kona Coffee Grand Parade. Colorful floats and marching bands, your typical parade, only Hawai'i style. There is more. This obviously isn't your two day Coffee Fest like we have on the mainland.

Some various events include a bowling tournamant, coffee recipe contests for the best entrees and desserts made with coffee, concerts - outside as is everything here -, a fun run (one mile), organized tours and tastings of nearby (there all nearby) plantations, workshops, Kona Coffee Art exhibits, and so much more. There is two big cupping competitions happening over the 9 days of the festival. First the Gevalia Kona Coffee Cupping Competition. Which as I understand it is more geared towards smaller farms. The Gevalia Crown Competition requires the larger farms to submit a sample of over 3000 pounds of Kona coffee for judging. Honestly I don't know which Crown is more coveted, nor why small and large farms compete seperatly. I will though try to figure that out. I just hope that there will be enough samples going around so that I can find my own personal winner. Coffee costs about $16 / 8oz here, so if I am going to spend my life's savings on coffee, I want to know it is that good.

I will be diligently consulting my brochure for the next few days. Looks like it all starts out Friday evening at 630 with the lantern parade. All of Hawai'i is so rooted in custom, culture and heritage and I am looking forward to not only getting to know the coffees of Hawai'i, but their deep heritage and culture too.