Inland Empire Ho`olaule`a Festival This Weekend at Noble Creek in Beaumont

The 2nd Annual Inland Empire Ho'olaule'a Hawaiian Festival is scheduled Saturday and Sunday at Noble Creek Park in Beaumont.

The event will include traditional islands food, arts and crafts, and a Saturday night "Concert in the Grass," according to the organizers, Kaleponi Advocates for Hawaiian Affairs. Daytime activities are scheduled both days from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

"There are 17,000 Pacific Islanders and 5,000 Hawaiians in the Inland Empire according to the 2000 Census," organizers said. "This festival is our outreach effort to connect with the Inland Empire community. Last year we had an estimated 3,000 people at our ho`olaule`a. This year we expect that number to more than double."

There will be live entertainment at center stage both days and the Saturday night main event features Auntie Geri and Mehana, organizers said. Sunday morning will start off with an open air praise and worship celebration.

"Ask anyone who went last year, if you come and check it out, you will not be dissapointed," organizers said.

Kaleponi Advocates for Hawaiian Affairs - KA HĀ - is a group of individuals, community leaders, and organizations who actively advocate for Native Hawaiian rights and entitlements, and pursues programs and resources for Native Hawaiians on the continent, according to the KA HĀ web site.

Founded in 2009, KA HĀ was conceptualized in August 2008 when it became apparent Native Hawaiians had no organized collective representation on the continent. The group is based in Moreno Valley.

The group's goals include preserving and promoting "a unique quality of life commonly referred to as Aloha, which is to accept all individuals who embrace Native Hawaiian culture and tradition regardless of their physical appearance, sex, sexual preference, race or religion, and to share our Aloha - love, affection, lineage, and traditional Native Hawaiian lifestyle - with them."

Noble Creek Park is at 650 West Oak Valley Parkway. Admission to the event is free and parking is $5.

Rooms are available at the Hampton Inn and Suites, 6071 Joshua Palmer Way, in Banning, organizers said. Festival attendees have already reserved a block of about 40 rooms, Hampton Director of Sales Tedd Young said Wednesday in a phone interview.

Event contacts include Lono Kollars, at (951) 534-3750 or lono.kollars@yahoo.com, and Beaumont-Cherry Valley Recreation & Park District activities coordinator Diane Gonzalez, at (951) 845-9555 or diane@bcvparks.com.