Weekend Dominated by Reasons to Eat

By Vanessa Wolf

Welcome to Labor Day Weekend, and brace yourselves, as most of the action appears to involve chewing.

Loosen your belt buckle and call a cab: the food and booze will be flowing island-wide.

Best Way to Kick Off a Blur of a Weekend

Today from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Royal Lahaina Resort is “Mixology – A Fresh Approach.”

Chandra Lucariello, director of mixology for Southern Wine & Spirits of Hawai’i in Honolulu will be presenting a fun and engaging cocktail class. The event includes the crafting and tasting of three distinctive cocktails. Attendees will have a chance to talk personally with Lucariello as they enjoy signature pupus.

The event runs from 2 to 4 p.m. and tickets are $26.

Best Event That Doesn’t (Necessarily) Involve Food or Booze

Tonight, prepare for the biggest “Reggae in the Valley” in its nine-year history.

The show opens with Kalisi, Leylani and Lia Live.

Also performing are Fiji, Maoli, Mana`o Company, and Jordan T. Josh Tatofi.

UB40’s former lead vocalist Ali Campbell is headlining the signature music festival.

With over 70 million albums sold worldwide, generations of music lovers can expect to enjoy such familiar hits as Red Red Wine, Kingston Town, and Can’t Help Falling In Love, according to the MACC.

The show runs from 4:30 to 10 p.m. in the A & B Amphitheater of the Maui Arts and Cultural Center.

Tickets are $50.

Best Reason to Rise and Shine

Photo courtesy Slow Food Maui.

Saturday morning’s Ka’anapali Fresh events kick off with a free farmer’s market open to the public.

From 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Whalers Village Fine Shops & Restaurants – which is offering free parking all weekend – attendees can meet Maui’s farmers at this special market event.

Here you’ll find produce, flowers, coffee, and other products from Maui’s farms. There will also be chefs’ booths with fresh breakfast items available for purchase.

Best Opportunity for Coffee Lovers

If you finish up at the market early, from 10:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. is the Kā’anapali Coffee Tour – “Celebrating 200 Years of Coffee Cultivation in Hawai’i” – at the Kāʻanapali Estate Coffee Plantation.

During the tour you’ll learn about the art and science of coffee cultivation and how coffee goes from farm to cup.

Meet the growers, learn about Maui’s growing coffee industry, enjoy a gourmet lunch at an exclusive coffee plantation estate home, and taste quality Maui-grown coffee.

Covered shoes, sunscreen and a hat are recommended.

Tickets are $30 per person.

Best Chance to Indulge Yourself Silly

Paula Fuga. Courtesy photo.

On Saturday night is the second annual “5-0 Book ʻEm Dinner” held on the third hole of the Kāʻanapali Golf Course.

In celebration of Kāʻanapali Beach’s latest accolade as Trip Advisors “#1 Beach in the Nation” and the Resort’s 50th anniversary, they will be holding this commemorative open-air event.

Kāʻanapali’s “locavore” chefs will be coming together with Maui farmers to present “farm to fork” cuisine with wine selected by Southern Wine & Spirits.

The dinner runs from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and tickets are $156.

Best Way to Take in Some Great Local Music

Once again, you don’t have to eat and drink at Stella’s… but obviously you could so long as you were there.

Moreover, on Saturday night for just $10 you can take in the melodic reggae riffs of Paula Fuga, Mike Love and Sam Ites

Former Inna Vision members Bengali and Kokoman open the show.

Doors open at 9 p.m. and cover is $10.

Best Excuse to Consume Excess Amounts of Chili

On Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Ulupalakua Ranch Store and Shaka Pops present the first annual Chili Appreciation Society International (CASI) Hawaii State Chili Championship Cookoff.

Whew!

That’s a lot of words to digest.

Basically, it’s like a qualifying marathon – but for chili-making – in which the top three Hawai‘i resident cooks will be invited to compete at the legendary Terlingua International Chili Championship (TICC) in Texas on Nov. 2, 2013.

At 1 p.m., attendees are encouraged to vote for the People’s Choice award, and tasting kits to aid in an educated decision will be available for $5 for five tastes.

A limited number of judging seats are also available to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.

The event is free to the public and the day’s festivities will also include live music and food for purchase from the Ulupalakua Ranch Store 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Proceeds will benefit the Maui 4-H Livestock Association.

All Right, Maybe We Lied. Here’s Another Equally Great Chance to Indulge Yourself Silly

For the first time, the Hawaii Food and Wine Festival had added a signature dinner here on Maui.

On Sunday, the festival will present the kickoff “Malama Maui” event at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa in Kā‘anapali.

An evening of food and wine, attendees will enjoy reserved seating and savor a culinary tour highlighting Maui-grown products.

Featured chefs include Bev Gannon, Gregory Grohowski, and Sheldon Simeon among others. Wineries include Amapola Creek, Loring Wine Company and Robert Biyale Vineyards

Malama Maui represents the start of the nine-day Hawaii Food and Wine Festival. It will be held out under the stars from 6 to 10 p.m. and tickets start at $250 per person.

Aware of something that’s happening or going to be happening on Maui? LET US KNOW ABOUT IT: [email protected]