WEST HAWAII TODAY | BIG ISLAND ENTERTAINMENT SCENE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2017 | 9 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Annual Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival Saturday Waimea’s famous cherry blossoms have emerged, awashing the North Hawaii town in pink ahead of the annual Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival. The ornamental trees bloom annually during January and February following a good winter’s chill and plenty of rain. The trees draw thousands of people each year to enjoy the delicate blossom at Church Row Park and around town. Celebrating the season’s first bloom dates to eighth century Japan when aristocrats would enjoy the blossoms while writing poetry. “Hanami,” literally “flower look,” is the Japanese word for “cherry blossom viewing party.” The 24th installment of the Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at various locations across Waimea town. This year’s festival is dedicated to longtime event partner Roberts Hawaii and Guinness World Record holder Betty Webster of Waimea. The festival began in 1993 to promote the town when a bypass was proposed that would have routed people around Waimea. Since 1994, when the Waimea Lions Club inaugurated the event, the Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival has grown to stretch from one side of town to the other, with more than 150 vendors at various locations. Waimea’s first cherry trees arrived in 1953 as a memorial to Fred Makino, who founded the Japanese language newspaper Hawaii Hochi in 1912. Three ornamental cherry trees were distributed, one of which was propagated, and 20 of its saplings were later donated to the Waimea Lions Club to be planted along Church Row Park in 1972. In 1975, the organization planted 50 more trees in commemoration of the first Japanese immigrants to settle the Waimea area a century earlier. Over the years, additional trees have been planted in recognition of dignitaries and other community members and leaders. DMAC hosts artist talk with Eirik Johnson Seattle-based photographer and mixed-media artist Eirik Johnson will offer a free artist talk from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Donkey Mill Art Center. Johnson has exhibited his work at spaces including the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago, the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, and the Aperture Foundation in New York. He has received numerous awards including the 2012 Neddy at Cornish Award in Open Medium, a Massachusetts Cultural Council Grant in 2009, the Santa Fe Prize in 2005, and a William J. Fulbright Grant to Peru in 2000. His work is in the permanent collections of institutions including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Seattle Art Museum, and the George Eastman House, Rochester, NY. His second monograph, “Sawdust Mountain,” was published by Aperture in 2009. His first book “Borderlands” was published by Twin Palms Press in 2005. Johnson’s editorial work has appeared in publications including the New York Times Magazine, Metropolis, Dwell, Audubon, GQ, and the Wall Street Journal. Johnson is currently a visiting faculty at the University of Washington, Cornish College of the Arts, and the Photography Center Northwest. Attendees are asked to bring a potluck item to share. Info: www.donkeymillartcenter.org. Zonta Fashion Frenzy kicks off Thursday The Zonta Club of Hilo presents Zonta Fashion Frenzy, Hawaii Island’s premier fashion event Thurdsay through Feb. 11 in Hilo. Headlined by Maui’s Koa Johonson of Kojo Couture and Oahu’s Lauren Hayashibara of 19th & Whimsy, the event features more than 60 local designers and businesses. Fashion Frenzy puts the clubs mission — empower women through service and advocacy — into action by creating a venue for local designers and women-owned businesses to showcase their unique talents and products. The event kicks off Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Wainaku Center with Dine Like a Diva with Jasmine Silverstein of HeartBeet Catering and Casey Halpern of Café Pesto preparing a locally sourced, fashion-inspired menu. Each pupu will incorporate a fashion element by a participating designer, from garment silhouette and fabric texture/ color to collection theme. Tickets are $65, which includes food and wine bar curated by Kadota Liquor. On Feb. 10, the community is invited to attend the Friday Night Market from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Sangha Hall. The market features nearly 45 fashion, art and food pop-ups, specialty cocktails, craft beer and wine, live music, photo booth and mini fashion shows on the hour. There is no cover charge and all ages are welcome. The finale Runway Fashion Show takes place on Feb. 11 at Imiloa Center. A showcase of Hawaii’s leading and emerging designers, headliners Kojo Couture (Koa Johnson, Maui) and 19th & Whimsy (Lauren Hayashibara, Oahu) are joined by Alohiwai, Wehi Designs, Colors of Life, Simply Sisters, Hana Hou Hilo and Vested Interest Hawaii from Oahu. Tickets are $60 and includes fashion show followed by a pupu reception and exclusive shopping experience with designers. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., show starts at 6. All event proceeds go to the Zonta Club of Hilo Foundation to support local service projects including “Pay it Forward,” a program that provides micro-grants to women starting or expanding a business; scholarships for young women furthering their education in STEM, business and nursing; and a “Dress for Success” program to benefit Hawaii Island women in need. The club was founded in 1950. Info: www.zontafashionfrenzy.org. Announcements Big Island Quilt Shop Hop underway The ninth annual Big Island Quilt Shop Hop continues through Feb. 28 featuring five different shops from Kona to Hilo. Traveling quilters can have passports stamped for a chance to win prizes, collect quilting patterns and kits to create a custom quilt, and enjoy the company of fellow quilters islandwide. Those who visit and get passports stamped at all five shops are eligible to win the grand prize. Other winners will receive fabric, quilt shop gift certificates and more — with special in-store prizes at individual shops, for a total of 11 winners. The five shops will also have exclusive quilt block patterns, one from each store. The hop launched Feb. 1. Maps and passports can be picked up any quilt shop on the route, and “shop-hoppers” can follow their own path, or sign up for one of two bus tours. In West Hawaii, call Karen Barry at Quilt Passions, 329-7475. In East Hawaii, call Leimomi at Kilauea Kreations II, 961-1100. Info: bigislandquiltsh@earthlink.net. Kailua Village Artists featuring Culbertson during February The Kailua Village Artists featured artist for the month of February is watercolor artist and digital designer Stefanie Culbertson. Culbertson moved to Hawaii in 1989 and been fascinated with this lush, tropical island that inspires Continued on page 10 ➠ ➠ Continued from page 5 Visitors relax under the blooming cherry trees at Church Row at the 23rd Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival. LAURA RUMINSKI/WEST HAWAII TODAY KVA’s featured artist for the month of February is watercolor artist and digital designer Stefanie Culbertson and her latest artwork combining watercolors and digital design titled ‘Yin Yang Earth.’ COURTESY PHOTO
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