Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival Set For First Saturday in February

In conjunction with the 2012 U.S. Cherry Blossom Centennial in Washington D.C., the Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival marks its annual celebration Saturday, Feb. 4 with the planting of cherry tree seedlings gifted from the Embassy of Japan.

Cherry Blossom (Photo by Fern Gavelek)

The living gift of friendship commemorates the first planting of Japanese flowering cherry trees in the nation’s capital and is part of a program to spread the trees into many U.S. states. The two varieties of seedlings to be planted in Hawai‘i were specially chosen for Waimea’s clime by Dr. Tetsuo Koyama, a Honolulu-based botanist formerly of The New York Botanical Garden.

Cherry Blossom Festival (Photo provided by festival)

In its 19th year, the festival showcases the 60-year-old cherry trees planted at Church Row Park and the Japanese tradition of viewing them—hanami. The event includes a variety of activities 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at venues throughout Waimea—look for pink banners identifying site locations from the Parker Ranch Historic Homes on Mamalahoa Hwy. 190 to the Hawaiian Homestead Farmer’s Market on Hwy. 19.

Cherry Blossom Festival (photo provided by festival)

Enjoy an all-day lineup of Japanese and multi-cultural performing arts, plus hands-on demonstrations of bonsai, origami, traditional tea ceremony, fun mochi pounding and a host of colorful craft fairs. New this year is a Festival of Quilts display featuring the handiwork of all six local quilt clubs. Enjoy free shuttle transportation among most venues. For info, 808-961-8706.

REO Speedwagon Coming to Oahu, Maui and the Big Island

REO Speedwagon is coming to Hawaii and will be playing at the Blaisdell Concert Hall on Oahu on November 25th, playing at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Resort on the Big Island November 26, and playing on Maui at the Castle Theater on November 27th.

Formed in 1967, signed in 1971 and fronted by iconic vocalist Kevin Cronin since 1972, REO Speedwagon has – for decades – been a confounding blend of consistency and change.

They rode in station wagons, going from tiny gigs to even tinier gigs, just to get the REO name out in the early days. Later they rode the top of the charts with a RIAA certified 22 million albums sold in the U.S. and 40 million around the globe, with a string of gold and platinum records and international hit singles. The 9-times certified Hi Infidelity remains a high-water mark for rock bands…

REO Speedwagon

Here is the bios of the current band members:

Kevin Cronin
1972, 1976 – present
Lead Vocals / Rhythm Guitar

Kevin first joined REO Speedwagon in 1972 for the album R.E.O./T.W.O. on which he wrote 3 tracks including Music Man

He left the band during the recording of the Ridin The Storm Out album, due to creative differences. The vocal tracks for the album were rerecorded by Mike Murphy. Kevin’s original version of Son of a Poor Man appears on the album A Decade of Rock and Roll

Kevin rejoined the band in 1976 for the album R.E.O on which he wrote the long-time favorite, Keep Pushin’ as well as two tracks he co-wrote with Gary

In 1977, Kevin and Gary took over the band’s production, and since then Kevin has been a tireless frontman, writing many of the band’s most popular tracks, including their first top 40 hit, Roll With The Changes and their first number one, Keep On Loving You

More information about Kevin Cronin can be found here.

Kevin Cronin – lead vocals, rhythm guitar – show info

Dave Amato
1989 – present
Lead Guitar / Harmony Vocals

Dave Amato joined REO in 1989 for the album The Earth, A Small Man, His Dog, and a Chicken, after playing with Ted Nugent and Bon Jovi’s Richie Sambora. He has also toured extensively with Cher.

Besides playing guitar, he sings high harmonies and has done studio background vocals for various groups from Petra to Motley Crue.

Dave Amato – lead guitar, vocals – show info

Bruce Hall
1978–present
Bass Guitar / Lead & Harmony Vocals

Bruce Hall joined REO Speedwagon after the You Get What You Play For tour. His first track written for REO was Lost In A Dream from 1974 (co-wrote with Mike Murphy).

The first track REO recorded featuring Bruce’s vocals was Back On the Road Again from 1979, which was also a successful single. Since then, Bruce has written several other tracks, including Someone Tonight, Girl With The Heart Of Gold, Thru The Window, After Tonight and more recently Born to Love You.

For more info on Bruce go to: www.brucehall.net

Bruce Hall – bass guitar, vocals – show info

Neal Doughty
1971 – present
Keyboards

Neal was a founder member of REO Speedwagon, the only one still in the current line-up.

157 Riverside Avenue, the oldest track still in the REO live set, owes a great deal to Neal’s virtuoso improvisation, whereas on Ridin The Storm Out (1973), Neal introduced the classic Minimoog synthesizer sound to REO’s line up.

Neal also wrote Sky Blues from 1973, and more recently, One Lonely Night from 1984 and Variety Tonight from 1987, from the album Life As We Know It, which also features an electronic sax solo played on an Emulator digital sampling keyboard.

Neal Doughty – keyboards – show info

Bryan Hitt
1990–present
Drums / Percussion

Bryan Hitt first appeared on the 1990 album The Earth, A Small Man, His Dog, and a Chicken.

He was chosen by the band after a two-day audition featuring some of the finest drummers in Los Angeles. He has toured with Wang Chung and The Spencer Davis Group and was much in demand as an L.A. session player until joining REO.

Big Island Schedule for the 2011 Hawaii International Film Festival

SCHEDULE BY DATE:

Friday, Oct. 28
7:00 PM – MY KOALOHA STORY

Saturday, Oct. 29
1:00 PM – PACIFIC SHOWCASE SHORTS
4:00 PM – FAMILY OF THE WA’A
7:00 PM – ALOHA BUDDHA + MINKA

Sunday, Oct. 30
12:00 PM – GUZAARISH
3:00 PM – THELMA
6:00 PM – SUBJECTIVE EXPRESSIONS

FILM INFORMATION:

MY KOALOHA STORY
Hawaii Premiere
FRIDAY, OCT. 28 | 7:00 PM | PALACE THEATER

Herb Ohta, Jr and Keith Yoshioka will play prior to the film screening.

MY KOALOHA STORY is a Made in Hawaii “talk story” style documentary-music film about a family owned ukulele business and their special brand of old-school Aloha. What was once a failed plastics business in the midst of bankruptcy is transformed into one of the most highly regarded and beloved
ukulele companies in the world, KoAloha Ukulele.

Director: Gary San Angel
Cast: Daniel Ho, Alvin Okami

PACIFIC SHOWCASE SHORTS
SATURDAY, OCT. 29 | 1:00 PM | PALACE THEATER

BLESSED ASSURANCE
DIRECTOR: Aina Paikai

What if gasoline mysteriously vanished from the Earth?

EBONY SOCIETY
DIRECTOR: Tammy Davis

On a night out stealing two boys break into a house and find themselves confronted with an unexpected situation.

E HO’OMAU! THE MENEHUNE AND THE BIRDS
DIRECTOR: Michael Q. Ceballos

Kehau, a young Menehune boy, and his best friend, a little elepaio bird, discover that a group of men has been killing the birds of the Kaua’i rainforest in order to harvest their feathers faster.

LADY RAZORBACKS
DIRECTOR: Laura Green

When a group of Pacific Islander women start a rugby team, they find an unexpected sanctuary on the field.

LINA ‘LA’ LUSONG
Unshaken by centuries of colonial conquest and the changing tides of occupation, the lusong has endured to heal and feed the people of the land, and to impart a sacred lesson of survival.

DIRECTOR: PIC 2011 MICRONESIAN FILMMAKERS WORKSHOP: GUAM PARTICIPANTS
MANUREWA
DIRECTOR: Sam Peacocke

A multi-stranded, narrative impression of a tragic robbery that took place in Manurewa, New Zealand.

PA’AHANA
Kekoa is a man who wants the best for his daughter, though he cannot achieve what he wants.
DIRECTOR: Lana Dang

HUKI ULUA
Three stages of dating: Boy meets girl. Boy gets girl. Boy learns the importance of knowing his roots.
DIRECTOR: Lana Dang

THE WINTER BOY
DIRECTOR: Rachel House

After a troubled relationship, a son finds a reason to let his mother in again.

FAMILY OF THE WA’A
SATURDAY, OCT. 29 | 4:00 PM | PALACE THEATER

This is the story of a journey, both of a canoe and the men and women who paddled it 1,750 miles across the Hawaiian archipelago. It began with the kuleana, or sacred promise, of a young man to his uncle. But it became a life-changing endeavor. But before Kimokeo could fulfill his kuleana, he had to remake himself from the tough, beach bully he had become, into a leader of men and women. In the end, Kimokeo and his fellow wa’a paddlers realize they are each on their own path to Kure.

Director: Alyssa Fedele

MINKA
SATURDAY, OCT. 29 | 7:00 PM | PALACE THEATER

In 1967, an American journalist and a Japanese architect rescued an ancient farmhouse found in the snow country of Japan, and their lives were forever changed. MINKA is an intimate story about architecture, memory and the meaning of home.

Screens with ALOHA BUDDHA
Director: Davina Pardo
SATURDAY, OCT. 29 | 7:00 PM | PALACE THEATER
Japanese Buddhism is fading and the temples are closing. As we talk to elders of the religion, we discover that it has played a key role in shaping Hawaii’s religious identity, the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II, and in establishing Buddhism in America. There is also a movement underway to save the religion – by adding a little aloha into the practice.

Director: Bill Ferehawk, Dylan Robertson

GUZAARISH
SUNDAY, OCT. 30 | 12:00 PM | PALACE THEATER

Once a great magician, Ethan is now a popular radio host due to a spinal injury fourteen years ago. On the fourteenth anniversary of his accident, Ethan petitions the court to seek control of his own life. Shocking not only his listeners, but his beloved nurse Sofia as well. The ethics, the morality, the kindness and cruelty of this mission create a storm in all the lives that it envelops and its resolution forms the startling conclusion of Ethan’s remarkable journey.

Director: Sanjay Leela  Bhansali
Cast: Nafisa Ali, Aditya Roy Kapur, Shernaz Patel, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

THELMA
SUNDAY, OCT. 30 | 3:00 PM | PALACE THEATER

Thelma, is a mischievous and tomboyish teenage girl, who loves to run in the fields. One day, disaster strikes and her sister Hannah, is injured and faced with being crippled for life. Her only hope to walk again is an expensive operation. This sets in motion Thelma’s journey to use her gift of strength and speed, run for her sister, rise from desperate poverty, and redeem herself from the past.

Director: Paul Soriano
Cast: Eliza Pineda, Tetchie Agbayani, John Arcilla, Maja Salvador

SUBJECTIVE EXPRESSIONS
SUNDAY, OCT. 30 | 7:00 PM | PALACE THEATER

Shot entirely on location in Hilo, Hawaii, SUBJECTIVE EXPRESSIONS is the first feature-length effort  from 19-year-old director Dominik Walczuk. The film tells the story of Pan, a young twenty-something year-old girl who is not sure what direction she wants to take with her life. But when she decides to try out working-for-housing at a local theater, she begins a path of unexpected self-discovery.

Director: Dominik Walczuk
Cast: Caroline Antilla, Nahko Bear, Caroline Heim, Mikolaj Walczuk, Dominik Walczuk

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets on sale: October 10 – 28, 10:00am to 3:00pm Monday through Friday October 28, 6:30 PM – until 15 minutes of the last show has begun October 29 12:30 PM – until 15 minutes of the last show has begun
October 30 11:30 AM – until 15 minutes of the last show has begun

Ticket Prices:
$7 General Admission
$6 Student, Military and Seniors (55+)
$5 Palace ‘Stars’ and HIFF Ohana Members
$35 Three-day-pass

Purchase tickets:

Online: www.hiff.org
By phone: 808.934.7010
In person:
October 10 -30
Palace THEATER
38 Haili Street, Hilo, Hawaii 96720

 

County Installing Screen Fence at Wong Stadium to Curb Alcohol Outside the Stadium

As part of the County of Hawai’i Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant (SPF-SIG) initiative, screens will be installed in the inner fence of the Wong Stadium on Wednesday, October 19, 2011.  SPF-SIG is an alcohol-free campaign sponsored by the County of Hawai’i.

The 7 feet high black mesh screens will extend 500 feet around the perimeter of the field in an effort to deter residents from parking alongside the outer fence.  This is an effort to encourage sports fans to maintain alcohol-free environments.

While alcohol is not allowed in the stadium, there are some spectators who do consume alcohol along the outer fence line.  The installation of the black mesh will make it difficult for spectators to see from outside and we hope it will encourage the public to come into the stadium and support the student athletic programs.

The purpose of the County of Hawai’i SPF-SIG initiative is to reduce adolescent access to alcohol by changing community policies and practices and to raise awareness of prevention and it’s benefits.