Hawaiʻi Food & Wine Festival Among ‘Best of the Fests’

Hawai’i Food & Wine Festival co-chair Chef Roy Yamaguchi and executive director Denise Yamaguchi accept the Charitable award at FestForward’s “Best of the Fests” ceremony in Santa Barbara, California. Courtesy photo.

Hawaiʻi Food & Wine Festival is sharing an honor with big events like Vans Warped Tour, San Francisco International Film Festival and New Orleans’ Tales of the Cocktail.

They’re among the 2015 winners recognized as “Best of the Fests” by FestForward Convergence. Hawaiʻi Food & Wine Festival received the Charitable award in the Food and Beverage category.

Festival co-chair Chef Roy Yamaguchi and executive director Denise Yamaguchi accepted the award at FestForward’s “Best of the Fests” ceremony in Santa Barbara, California.

The 2015 Hawaiʻi Food & Wine Festival collected a record level of donations, giving a total of $350,000 to 16 local nonprofits, including Maui Culinary Academy, Imua Family Services and Maui County Farm Bureau.  Total donations over the last five years have reached $1.3 million.

The sixth-annual Hawaiʻi Food & Wine Festival will run from October 14 to 30, 2016.

Here is a list of FestForward’s “Best of the Fests” Award Winners:

Sustainability:
Music: Vans Warped Tour
Food & Beverage: Tales of the Cocktail

Innovation:
Film: San Francisco International Film Festival
Music: Wayhome Festival, Canada
Food & Beverage: Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival

Charitable:
Film: Washington West Film Festival
Music: California Roots Festival
Food & Beverage: Hawaiʻi Food & Wine