Cherry Blossom Festival 2012
The Paniolo Preservation Society (PPS) is honored to return to Waimea’s 20th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival on Saturday, Feb 2, 2013. The Paniolo Heritage Center at Pukalani Stables will be open for visitors starting early at 8:00am for a super-delicious Paniolo Breakfast from 8-10 provided by the Sonny Miranda ohana. A donation of $10.00 is requested to join us for the breakfast with proceeds to benefit the Paniolo Heritage Center. Breakfast tickets will be available at Kamuela Liquor Store and Parker Ranch Store, or at the gates of Pukalani Stables on event day on a first-come, first-served basis.
The traditions of agriculture and ranching have been well represented in the Japanese community of the Hamakua and North Kohala districts since the early days of the great sugar plantations. This year PPS welcomes the Natural Resources Conservation Service/Soil and Water Conservation District sharing their program on “The Role of Federal and State Agencies in Promoting Range Management Progress in North Hawaii over the Past 50 Years”. This program provides an extensive historic photographic display of ranch scenes that include brush clearing, grass planting, earthen water tank building, wind breaks, corral construction and organizational groups.
In addition to NRCS/SWCD’s Range Management program, Paniolo Preservation Society will display a series of historical photographs on the Japanese “Kepani” cowboy highlighting many of our legendary Big Island paniolo of Japanese ancestry. The cowboy tradition of Hawaii is second to none and the Kepani Paniolo rides tall in the saddle in that grand tradition.
Both programs will be available for viewing from 9:00am until 3:00pm. In addition, the Paniolo Heritage Center will be open with free admission to the Oahu Cattlemen’s Association Paniolo Hall of Fame. Donations are greatly appreciated.
There will be live country and western music at the Stables all day long with snacks, drinks and PPS merchandise available with plenty of seating around our courtyard for those who wish to stay awhile and talk story. Pukalani Stables is an official stop on the Cherry Blossom Festival bus route though parking is available directly across from Paniolo Heritage Center.
