Experience Live Aloha at Hawaiian Cultural Festival

Transform your cultural awareness at Seattle Center Festál: Live Aloha Hawaiian Cultural Festival, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 9, at Seattle Center Armory, Mural Amphitheatre and Fisher Pavilion Rooftop. Live Aloha Hawaiian attracts enthusiastic crowds with Hawaiian spirit, live music, dance, authentic foods, ethnic items for sale, workshops, demonstrations and hands-on learning for guests of all ages.

Live Aloha Festival is a family friendly one-day event with two stages of music featuring Hawaiian hula and entertainment as well as over 70 Hawaiian food and craft vendors. This year's festival theme is Voyaging, with discussions about Hokule'a, navigation by the stars and the migration of Hawaiians to the Pacific Northwest with a special workshop hosted by Billy Richards of the Polynesian Voyaging Society. Other activities include Hawaiian language and hulu workshops with Kumu Hula Hina Wong, ukulele performances and lei making.

Headlining the line-up of entertainment is the band Ho'Aik?ne, the highly popular Hawaiian reggae band from Kona. With hit songs like "Kona Red," "Sweet Okole" and "Recipe," Ho'Aik?ne music has been and continues to be number one on the Hawaii music charts.

Seattle Center Festál brings to light the culturally rich communities who shape the character of our region. Although the series began in 1997, its origins stretch back to when ethnic communities were planting their roots here. For many of them, Seattle Center served as a central place, where they could invite the public to join in their unique cultural expression. Some festivals were formed in response to wars or ethnic displacement and others to unite their communities, educate the public and dispel stereotypes. Now at 21 years, Festál producers are seeking to sustain their festivals with compelling programming that appeals to multiple generations.

Seattle Center Festál is a public program presented by Seattle Center in partnership with Live Aloha Committee. Admission is free-of-charge. For more information on this festival, visit seattlelivealohafestival.com, and to learn more about this collection of ethnic cultural events and other Seattle Center public programming, visit www.seattlecenter.com or call 206-684-7200.

This illuminating series of 23 ethnic cultural festivals on weekends throughout the year seeks to connect people in ways that build understanding, dispel stereotypes and generate pride among the generations who participate in these shared experiences. Seattle Center Festál is produced with the generous support of KUOW 94.9 Public Radio, Coca-Cola, Alaska Airlines, T-Mobile, 4Culture, the City of Seattle and Seattle Center Foundation.