The 48th annual Kona Coffee Cultural Festival toasts the roast with 10 days of coffee events from Friday, Nov. 9 through Sunday, Nov.18. Local residents and visitors are invited to participate in the Festival festivities.

The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival experience is unique, enriching and ensures that the story of Kona coffee’s cultural heritage continues to be shared with residents and visitors. The cultural heritage of Kona’s coffee industry is built on the multi-generational farmers, mainly of Japanese descent who established coffee plantations in the Kona District along with the native Hawaiian host culture who had earlier ties to growing coffee in Kona.

Kona’s annual coffee harvest that has sustained this agricultural community for nearly 200 years is celebrated every November. The award-winning Kona Coffee Cultural Festival is recognized as the oldest and one of the most successful food festivals in Hawai‘i.

Gather up friends, family, recipes, art and lei and be a part of the 2018 Kona Coffee Cultural Festival.

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Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Lantern Parade

Community groups and individuals are invited to walk along Alii Drive in the glowing procession of light, music and color on Friday, Nov. 9, starting at 5:30 p.m. Great prizes awarded in Best Teen/Adult, Best Youth, Best Children and Best Overall categories. Deadline to enter is November 2.

Entry forms are available online.

KTA Super Stores Kona Coffee Recipe Contest

Foodie Alert! Have you got a favorite recipe using 100% Kona coffee? Brush off those recipes and enter in the professional, amateur, culinary student and keiki divisions. Receive a free 2018 Festival Button and a $25 KTA Super Store grocery certificate just for entering. There’s cash prizes and bragging rights too. Deadline to enter is Friday, Nov. 2, at 5 p.m.

Entry forms available online.

Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Art Exhibit

Artists of all mediums are invited to submit their original works of art exploring Kona’s coffee culture. Art must be on the theme of coffee, either by subject matter or medium. Submit entries by 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 20.

Entry forms available online.

Kona Coffee Cupping Competition

Calling all Kona coffee farmers! Coffee entries must be 100% Kona coffee grown in the district of Kona. Kona coffee entered in the competition will be scored on the globally accepted and recognized Specialty Coffee Association cupping format using a 100-point scale and evaluated in a double-blind format in the commercial and specialty divisions. Pacific Coffee Research oversees the prestigious Kona Coffee Cupping Competition. Drop off deadline is Friday, Nov. 2.

For detailed entry information, go online.

Kona Coffee Lei Contest

This beautiful event is part of the Festival’s Ho‘olaule‘a happening at the Makaeo County Pavilion (Old Airport Park) on Saturday, Nov. 17. There are two categories Wili and Kui. Entries must be submitted by 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17 at Makaeo Pavilion.

All participants in the various events are required to wear a Kona Coffee Cultural Festival button.

For a complete listing of 48th Annual Kona Coffee Cultural Festival events or for more information visit www.konacoffeefest.com. Follow the Festival on social media @konacoffeefest