It’s time for Hawaii’s SPAM-tastic event: Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival!
Hawaii’s favorite cuisine will gather 30,000 SPAM® fans for the 16th annual foodie festival, because in Hawaii there is no such thing as too much SPAM®! It is Hawaii’s largest street festival ever.
The signature sizzle and tantalizing aroma of the state’s beloved food will fill the air at the 16th annual Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival presented by Outrigger Resorts, on April 28. This festival is a testament to the Aloha State’s vibrant SPAM® brand-loving community and will take over the streets of bustling Kalakaua Avenue with unique and delicious SPAM® creations and traditional Hawaiian entertainment, gathering more than 30,000 SPAM® devotees and visitors from around the world.
“Hawaii’s love for the SPAM® brand dates back to the 1930s, and in 2018, it’s stronger than ever,” said Barbara Campbell, Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival co-founder and vice president of retail leasing and development at Outrigger Enterprises Group. “Hawaii is the largest consumer of SPAM® products at 7 million cans per year, and the Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival provides local fans and out-of-state visitors the perfect illustration of the islands’ appreciation for the infamous canned meat and a glimpse into our Hawaiian culture with local dishes and signature entertainment.”
The Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival serves as the perfect place for local Waikiki purveyors to test and unveil new and unique SPAM® Brand varieties. The 2018 festival will feature more than 20 local restaurants such as Outrigger Resorts’ Duke’s, Hula Grill Waikiki and The Reef Bar & Market Grill, cooking up a bevy of creative SPAM® recipes integrating the brand’s 15 different varietals, such as SPAM® Portuguese Sausage, which debuted at the Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival in 2015. Dishes from SPAM® mac-and-cheese bites to Hawaii’s signature SPAM® Musubi made by Shops of Hawaii will come from restaurants around Honolulu, including: ABC Stores and Basalt Restaurant; Aloha Table; Atlantis Seafood & Steak; Buho Cantina; Duke’s; Egg’s ‘N Things; Flour and Barley; Gordon Biersch; Herringbone; Hula Grill Waikiki; Kirin Restaurant; Kona Coffee Purveyors; Mahaloha Burger; NOI Thai Cuisine; OnoPops; PF Chang’s Waikiki; StripSteak; The Reef Bar & Market Grill; and Waikiki Yokocho.
Not only will Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival attendees whet their taste buds with delectable SPAM® dishes, but they will also enjoy contemporary and traditional Hawaiian entertainment from the Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival’s three stages presented by Outrigger Resorts, Shops of Hawaii and Alaska Airlines. While enjoying delicious SPAM® creations and activities, attendees can listen to live music on three stages featuring local musicians such as Jeff Rasmussen & Robi Kahakala, Kani Ka Pila Grill talent search winner, Ei Nei and internationally renowned Hiroshima, along with appearances by Miss Hawaii and Miss Chinatown and performances by traditional Hula performers.
The Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival entertainment line-up includes:
Outrigger Stage:
• 4:15 – Hiroshima
• 5:15 – Ei Nei
• 6:30 – Jeff Rasmussen & Robi Kahakalau
• 7:30 – Ka Hehena
• 8:30 – Maunalua
Alaska Airlines Stage:
• 4:15 – Halau Ka Hale Io Kahala
• 5:15 – Ilima Hula Studio
• 6:30 – Hula Halau `O Kamuela
• 7:30 – Halau Na Mamo O Pu`uanahulu (women)
• 8:30 – Halau Na Mamo O Pu`uanahulu (men)
Shops of Hawaii Stage:
• 4:15 – No Villains Left
• 5:15 – Honoka & Azita
• 6:30 – Olivia Thai
• 7:15 – Waikiki Rock’n Reception Preview
• 7:30 – Eden Kai
• 8:30 – Close The Distance
The fun doesn’t stop with food and entertainment at this family-friendly food festival, as the Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival will allow locals and visitors of all ages to participate in various arts and crafts offerings, hang out with the SPAM® brand’s own SPAMMY® character and other friends, compete in games to win prizes, plus take photos with SPAM® Brand inspired props such as a huge SPAM® sculpture created with more than 3,000 cans of SPAM® products. Sixteen local retailers also will be on-hand, offering SPAM® Brand merchandise and unique products. From handcrafted wood carvings to locally handmade jewelry, there’s something for everyone from the likes of Aloha Wood Art by the Le Family; Asian Elements; Casual Movements, Inc; Crafts Way, LLC; Creative Photo Frames; Diamond Head Taffy; Hawaiian Paradise Candies; Ki-ele; LED Novelties Hawaii, LCC; Lotus Creations; Oahu Gear Company, Pearls & Beads Corp; Simply Wood Studios; Soap By Mama D and Sunrise Shells Hawaii.
In 2017, the Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival raised more than $25,000 in donations and 2,000 pounds of food, enough to provide 60,000 meals in Hawaii. Donations from the Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival benefit the Hawaii Foodbank and other local charities, including Waikiki Community center and the Visitor Aloha Society.
Featuring a special deal in honor of the Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival, Outrigger Resorts invites all festival goers to stay in the heart of Oahu, offering 30 percent room discounts in honor of its 70th anniversary and Hawaii’s favorite foodie festival.
Stay on top of the latest details of this year’s Waikiki SPAM JAM® Festival here.
