Aloha is coming to Arizona!

Look for a small slice of our Islands in the middle of Arizona this weekend at Tempe Town Lake Beach Park. The annual two-day Arizona Aloha Festival brings a taste of the Islands to you—literally—on March 13 and 14.

On the fest’s food menu: Hawaii-style plate lunches, featuring kalua pig or teriyaki chicken with rice and macaroni salad, Island-style beef stew and rice, Portuguese sausage, coconut shrimp, kalbi (Korean-style marinated short ribs) and chicken katsu (Japanese-style breaded fried chicken).

Still hungry? How about some favorite Hawaii snack food?

You can munch on Spam musubi, haupia (coconut pudding) and manapua (steamed pork-filled buns). And for dessert … shave ice!

Besides the Hawaii grinds, the Arizona Aloha Festival will feature a marketplace filled with vendors selling crafts, jewelry and other gifts from Hawaii and Polynesia. Stock up on Hawaiian music, coffee, surfer shorts and colorful fabrics.

While sampling everything, don’t miss a visit to the fest’s three stages of free entertainment. Slack key guitarists, hula dancers, storytellers, Tahitian drummers and dance, and more are all scheduled to take the stages on both days. Maui singer/songwriter Anuhea Jenkins will also be there as part of her “Right Love Tour.” (Jenkins made HAWAII Magazine’s “20 Things to Love About Hawaii Right Now” list. Check out the list in HAWAII Magazine’s March/April 2010 issue.)

If all of this entices you enough to want to visit Hawaii, try your luck in the Arizona Aloha Festival’s annual raffle. You could win a trip for two to Maui for a five-night stay at the Aston Paki Maui. Raffle tickets will be $5—a pretty good deal for a chance to win a Maui vacation.

Festival hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days. Admission is free.

For more information, click here or call (602) 697-1824.

 


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HAWAII Magazine goes to Arizona’s Aloha Festival
Aloha Festival Photos Posted on HawaiiMagazine.com
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