OHA committee approves $9,000 sponsorship for Waikoloa Music and Cultural Festival marketplace

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Board Finance Committee approved a $9,000 sponsorship to Hale Kua to support a vendor marketplace at the Waikoloa Music and Cultural Festival on Hawaiʻi Island, scheduled for June 14–15, 2025.

The funding was approved during the committee’s May 14 meeting as action item BF-25-38. Committee members moved and seconded the item and recorded the motion as passed by roll call.

The committee’s administration recommended the sponsorship to offset vendor fees for Native Hawaiian small-business owners participating in the festival’s heritage marketplace. Kapunui Puʻu, presenting the item for administration, said the event will include cultural workshops and hula presentations in addition to music and entertainment. The administration noted entertainment is not an allowable grant cost but recommended sponsorship support for the marketplace portion.

Rachel Makawi Tuiasasopo, identified in the meeting as managing director at Hale Kua, told trustees the nonprofit is organizing a marketplace to showcase Native Hawaiian entrepreneurs and asked the committee to offset vendor fees so vendors can participate without incurring prohibitive costs. “If we can remove that barrier for our vendors, it would be really helpful, for vendors to participate and not just be there, but to be able to provide authentic interaction with the local community,” Tuiasasopo said.

Tuiasasopo said the marketplace will be hosted at the Marriott Hotel ballroom while music and main performances will occur at the Queen’s Bowl and surrounding resort venues in Waikoloa. She described the festival as a revival of a prior Waikiki music festival and said organizers expect a mix of local residents and visitors.

Trustees discussed opportunities for OHA visibility at the event, including logo placement on promotional materials, an OHA table, and speaking slots for trustees. Trustee aides will coordinate with approved organizations; administration said beneficiary services staff will be asked to staff tables when available and that trustee aides will serve as points of contact for appearances after approval.

The committee’s discussion also noted staffing constraints on Hawaiʻi Island and that coverage for an OHA table is not guaranteed. The administration said they will follow up with event organizers to include OHA on flyers and promotional materials if sponsorship is provided.

The committee approved the sponsorship by roll call; the motion passed and the item was adopted.

The sponsorship amount is $9,000. The festival is scheduled for June 14–15, 2025, with the heritage marketplace at the Marriott Hotel ballroom and performances at the Queen’s Bowl in Waikoloa. Further logistical coordination and staffing for an OHA presence were left to staff and trustee aides to arrange after approval.