On Saturday, April 26, 2013, visitors to Waikiki will get a big helping of Hawaii's unique culinary tastes when the 11th Annual Waikiki SPAM® Jam returns to the 50th State.
On that Saturday, from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., the Waikiki SPAM® Jam will fill Kalakaua Avenue in the heart of Waikiki with one of the largest street festivals in honor of Hawaii's love affair with the lovable luncheon meat. Admission to the event is free.
Over 20,000 Expected to Attend
Each place in the world seems to have its signature food festival; the annual Waikiki SPAM® JAM has become a cultural tradition, quickly becoming one of the most popular festivals in Hawaii. The 2012 event is expected to attract 20,000 attendees. Arts, crafts, food and activity booths will provide a street fair atmosphere while the public and Hawaii business collect SPAM® and other food items for the Hawaii Foodbank.
Do you like SPAM® so much that you'd consider trying it in just about any form? Well, consider SPAM® Fusion Fajitas, SPAM® Katsu, SPAM® Won Ton, SPAM® Pan Lau Lau, SPAM® Ravioli, SPAM® Tacos, and SPAM® Poke. Those are just a few of the creative and enhanced dishes some of Hawaii’s most innovative chefs will be serving up at this year’s Waikiki SPAM® JAM Festival.
2013 Food Offerings
Hawaii's most talented chefs will staff food booths serving unique SPAM® menu items to more than 20,000 SPAM® fans expected to attend this annual event. Food booths and a just one of dishes that each will feature this year include: Atlantis Seafood and Steak (SPAM® Lau Lau); Cheeseburger Beachwalk (Mini SPAM® Burgers); Chibo Okonomiyaki Restaurant (SPAM® Okonomiyaki, SPAM® Yakisoba); Hard Rock Cafe (Twisted Mac, SPAM® & Cheese, SPAM® n’ Apple Cobbler, SPAM® Tacos); Eggs & Things ("Local Kine" SPAM® Chowder, SPAM®-in-a-Pancake); Hula Grill/Duke's (SPAM® Fried Rice, SPAM® Katsu, SPAM® Loco Moco); Gordon Biersch (SPAM® Street Taco, Sicilian SPAM® Pizza, Chinatown SPAM® Won Ton, Mango BBQ SPAM® Slider); GRYLT (Beef Kalbi Style Sandwich w/Kimchee & SPAM® Bits, Herb Crusted Chicken Sandwich w/Sundried Aioli & SPAM®); Jimmy Buffet's (SPAM® Nachos, SPAM® Chili, Da Kine SPAM® Bao Bun); MAC 24/7 (TBD); Mahaloha Burger (Loco Moco SPAM® Burger, Teri Mushroom SPAM® Burger, SPAM® Cheeseburger); Ono Pops (Choco SPAM® alicious: Milk Chocolate ice cream bar studded w/chocolate covered chunks of candied SPAM®, SPAM® Musabi Pop: Sweet Organic Nishiki Rice Sorbet with organic rice vinegar, wrapped around a baton of candied SPAM®, and finished with a sprinkle of nori flake and ume furikake); PF Chang’s (Spam Lo Main, Spam Lettuce Wraps); Seafood Village (Spam Shiu Mai, Spam Manapua) and Hawaiian Cheesecake (SPAM® Cheesecake).
2013 Live Entertainment
Throughout the night, revelers will enjoy live entertainment on two stages with Hawaiian music accompanied with traditional hula halaus.
At the KINE/KCCN Stage (fronting the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach), the performers will be: 4:30 p.m.: Kumu Blaine Kia & Kekaniwai - Featuring Halau Ka Waikahe Lani Malie and Halau Kahulaliwai; 5:30 p.m.: Society of Seven; 6:30 p.m.: Germaine's Luau; 7:15 p.m.: Natalie Ai Kamauu; 8:00 p.m.: Benise Nights of Fire; and 8:30 p.m.: Heart & Soul and the 2013 International Ukulele Contest Winners.
At the KRTR Stage (fronting the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center), the performers will be: 4:30 p.m.: Halau Hula O Maiki; 5:30p.m.: Funk Vision; 6:30 p.m.: EMKE; 7:15 p.m.: Legends In Concert; 7:45 p.m.: Mano Kane; and 8:45 p.m.: Kevin Jones & The Desert Sea
There will also be a variety of craft booths and the always popular SPAM® memorabilia - that includes t-shirts, shorts, sport balls, and slippers, as well as booths featuring Hawaiian arts and crafts. The popular Waikiki SPAM Jam® Family Tent will return where families can enjoy a variety of games and prizes throughout the evening
In addition to food booths, there will be merchandise tents selling SPAM®-themed items, including t-shirts, shorts, sport balls, and slippers, as well as booths featuring Hawaiian arts and crafts. The popular Waikiki SPAM Jam® Family Tent will return where families can enjoy a variety of games and prizes throughout the evening.
Hawaii Foodbank
Booths will have been set up by volunteers to help collect donations of SPAM® for the Hawaii Foodbank.
The Hawaii Foodbank is the only nonprofit 501(c)(3) agency in the state of Hawaii that collects, warehouses, and distributes mass quantities of both perishable and non-perishable food to 250 member agencies as well as food banks on Hawaii Island, Maui, and Kauai. The Hawaii Foodbank forms a vital link between the food donors and its member agencies by providing services in collecting, sorting, salvaging, and distributing food. The Hawaii Foodbank also supports its member agencies through financial and educational assistance. Since 2004, more than 10,000 pounds of SPAM® has been donated to the Hawaii Foodbank thanks to the Waikiki SPAM® Jam.
Sponsors
Sponsors of the 11th Annual Waikiki SPAM Jam® include the following: Outrigger Enterprises Group, Queen Emma Land Company, Shops of Hawaii, Hawaii Tourism Authority, First Hawaiian Bank, and Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center.
Introduced in 1937 by Hormel Foods, more SPAM® is consumed per capita in Hawaii than any other state in the U.S. Almost seven million cans of SPAM® are eaten every year in Hawaii, making the Aloha State the unofficial SPAM® capital of the U.S. SPAM® is manufactured in the U.S. by Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minnesota.
Additional information regarding SPAM® is available at spamjamhawaii.com.
Upcoming Festivals
Be sure to check our feature on all of the major 2013 Festivals and Events on Oahu including the upcoming Lei Day Celebration, Na Hoku Music Festival, and Lantern Floating Hawaii Ceremony.
