North Shore collaborates on a community-wide art gala for the 13th annual Haleiwa Arts Festival

HALEIWA—It’s all about art and culture this weekend on the North Shore. The 13th annual Haleiwa Arts Festival (HAF) Summer ArtFest is set to go on July 17 and 18 at Haleiwa Beach Park. The free admission event is scheduled from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, with a variety of music, visual artists, singers, dancers, art demonstrations, and a lot more entertainment for the whole family.

The Summer ArtFest will feature approximately 125 visual artists through a wide variety of mediums including, glass, watercolor, fabric, photography, and sculpture. Art will be available for viewing and purchase from the artist’s booths set up in the park. 

“I’ve gone the last few years,” said Kalindi Jacoby of Haleiwa. “I go there to find a particular traditionally made Tahitian pareo that is hard to find around here.”

Visitors to the ArtFest will also find cultural history tours activities for the keiki. Posters and shirts with this year’s ArtFest logo will be available at the “cool stuff to buy” booth, with a small amount of shirts and posters from last year’s ArtFest. A broad selection of food will be available from a variety of local eateries.

The art theme will be rampant in Haleiwa as the weekend with a collaboration called “Celebrate the Arts in Haleiwa.” Select Haleiwa galleries and businesses will be offering attractions and events for visitors to view and participate in. Event organizers are asking visitors to explore historic Haleiwa Town to engage in the various art events offered.

“I’m not surprised that we have an annual art festival and a weekend dedicated to celebrating art,” said Randy Brown, a long time North Shore resident. “We have an art walk every month and there are a lot of local artists. The North Shore enjoys art and is the perfect place for an art festival.”

Formed in 1997, the HAF describes itself as a juried event designed to provide a venue for fine artists and crafters to display, demonstrate, and sell works of art in many mediums. The HAF also provides a stage for performing artists who present their art in a multitude of styles and mediums.

Artist’s applications were submitted earlier this year, a process where the HAF Board of Directors Art and Exhibition Committee serves as the jury and reviews each application and submitted materials to determine which artists qualify to participate. The HAF uses a blind selection process where all artists photos, or digital prints submitted to the jury are presented anonymously without the name of the artist being identified. The artists are then given a numerical rating, with the total rating determining their acceptance of the artist’s work into the event.

The HAF says their mission as a non-profit organization is to promote education and public awareness of arts and culture, with emphasis on participation, for the betterment of the community. Their objectives are to:

1. Enhance public awareness, education and appreciation of the arts and their impact on society.
a. Provide a venue for the exhibition of local artists and their work of which the projected annual Haleiwa Arts Festival will be a primary focus.
b. Through the projected annual Haleiwa Arts Festival, provide a venue for the public to participate in, view, and experience a broad spectrum of arts.
2. Promote art education by funding the appearance of established artist as adjunct faculty in schools through grants.
3. Expose students to career opportunities in the arts.
4. Respond to requests to facilitate instructional support in the arts for local groups through workshops and demonstrations.
5. Provide grant opportunities for community-approved projects which facilitate general artistic and visual improvements to physical communities.

Haleiwa Arts Festival performance schedule

Saturday, July 17

Master of Ceremonies: Johnette Wicker

10:00 a.m. Celtic pipes and drums with Jug This Dance School
11:00 a.m. Na Wahine ‘O Ka Hula Maika Pu’u Wai, Kumu Hula Candy Pollack
12:00 p.m. Ukulele artist, Kalei Gamiao
1:00 p.m. North Shore School of Music Summer School of Rock
2:00 p.m. Middle Eastern dance, Shadiya and Habibi Hawaii
3:00 p.m. US Air Force Band of the Pacific, twelve piece big band sounds and oldies
4:00 p.m. Hawaiian music, the Abrigo ohana
5:00 p.m. Hawaiian music, Ka ‘Eha

Sunday, July 18

Masters of Ceremonies: Lisa Knott and Corrine Germain

10:00 a.m. Ukulele Haumana, Sunset Beach Elementary School
1:001 a.m. Musical theatre performance by Castle High Performing Arts Center
12:00 p.m. Na leo Nahenahe ‘O Na Kupuna, Kumu Hula Rosemarie Dungca
1:00 p.m. Doolin Rakes, celtic rock and roll with Jamie Winpenny from the Hawaii Independent
2:00 p.m. Hawaii Opera Theatre Ensembele, a taste of opera and theatre
3:00 p.m. Ginai with Pierre Grill, musicians from Hawaii
4:00 p.m. Kua Aina Plantation Hawaiian music

For more information and a complete list of participating artists, visit http://www.haleiwaartsfestival.org/index.shtml.