MILAN – The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival has decided to cancel this year’s event and return for its 50th celebration Nov. 5 through Nov. 14, 2021.
Due to the impacts of COVID-19, the 50th Festival was scheduled for Nov. 4 through Nov. 8, 2020, with a modified five-day schedule. However, current health guidelines locally, nationally, and around the world no longer make this feasible.
“Our Board of Directors determined that a scaled-back version of the Festival that complied with social distancing guidelines would not be able to celebrate the 50 years of culture behind Kona’s famous coffee festival,” said Valerie Corcoran, Kona Coffee Cultural Festival President.
“We look forward to welcoming festival-goers to the 50th Kona Coffee Cultural Festival in 2021.”
The rich, volcanic soil and mountain slopes of the island proved an ideal climate for coffee growing. At its peak, in the early 1900s, the industry encompassed 6,000 acres.
Today there are still approximately 650 farms cultivating coffee in the Kona district (some who’ve been in the business for five generations) covering roughly 3,500 acres with annual production valued at $14 million.
The first Kona Coffee Festival was held in 1970, making it the longest-running food festival in the Aloha State. “It all started with a group of businesspeople on the island, from the hotels, airlines and the industry, to put together a festival to honor Kona coffee during the slower November tourism season,” festival president Valerie Corcoran said. “It also corresponds with coffee harvest time.”
For more information, log onto konacoffeefest.com or follow @konacoffeefest on social media.
