Ka Mai‘a ‘Ho’olaule’a | Banana Festival

Saturday, November 2 | 10 AM - 2 PM

Pre-sale tickets $10, or $12 at the door. Includes admission to the Valley.

The Maiʻa Festival by Slow Food Oahu returns for a second year in a row at the Pikake Pavilion. Ka Mai‘a ‘Ho’olaule’a/Banana Festival will open up a world of banana flavors and colors. It will expand your notion of what a banana is and can be.

Sample more than ten varieties of raw bananas at our 18-foot-long monkeypod table. Enjoy creative banana dishes from a number of chefs, including those from Koko Head Cafe and Nami Kaze.

Bring your own t-shirt, or canvas bag and decorate it with botanical patterns at our banana fiber stamping booth.

Watch live lauhala and banana fiber weaving demonstrations and dye a piece of kapa with fe’i banana sap. Wesley Sen will aid fairgoers in using this incredible purple dye.

Shop a variety of banana plants, banana books, t-shirts, and other mai’a paraphernalia.

Come early to see Gabe Sacher-Smith owner of the Banana Source who is teaching Festival-goers about Mai’a, banana culinary lore, botanical history, and best growing practices. This event will happen before the official opening of the Fest at 10 a.m. Fairgoers who want to attend this very informative talk & slide show should be at Waimea Valley no later than 8:45 a.m. with your Eventbrite tickets in hand (or you can purchase tickets at the door).