It’s time to don your favorite Hawaiian shirt or other tropical garb, bust out some Don Ho and head to the Arizona Aloha Festival at Tempe Beach Park, March 9-10, 2019. The two-day event celebrates Hawaiian, Tahitian, Samoan and other South Pacific cultures through dance and musical performances, ukulele lessons, food, kid’s crafts and lots more.

Both days are packed with things to do, and admission is free, so you might want to come both days. Here is a sample of all that you can experience over both days. This is your chance to:

• Learn how to string a flower lei, carve your own Tiki and how to speak Hawaiian.
• Dust off that ukulele that you were going to take to Goodwill, or borrow a loaner uke available at the festival and take a free uke lesson. Volunteers will help you learn a few chords and how to strum. No experience is necessary.
• Join the Kanikapila ukulele jam sessions at Aunty Aloha’s Kanikapila all-day uke fest of Hawaiian music. Hang out under the tent and enjoy a laid-back island-style jam session.
• Shop for tropical treasures at two marketplace areas featuring 140 booths of traditional and ‘Island Lifestyle’ items like surfer shorts, Hawaiian coffees, Hawaiian music and instruments flower leis, baskets and hats made from palm fronds or lauhala, carved bone necklaces, flowers for your house and for your hair and romantic Hawaiian heritage jewelry.
• Hear all kinds of island music and see the diversity, beauty and grace of Hawaiian, Samoan, Philippine and other island dances.
• Visit Ohana (family) Village where you’ll find lots of fun family things to explore such as outrigger canoes, rugby players, displays, clubs and more.
• Enter the two raffles and you might win a five day trip to Maui.

Come with friends or the whole ohana to the Arizona Aloha Festival at Tempe Beach Park. It’ll be your Happy Place for the weekend. You’ll have a great time experiencing the rich cultures of the South Pacific! It’s the next best thing to taking an island vacation.