MAKAWAO — The 30th annual Upcountry Ag & Farm Fair is slated for June 12-13 at the Oskie Rice Field & Arena on Olinda Road in Makawao.
From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days, fairgoers will be treated to the annual Maui 4-H Livestock Association show and auction, Haleakala Ranch Paniolo exhibit with Paniolo Hall of Fame and vendors, Maui County Farm Bureau farmers’ market and Think Local Agricultural vendors, Made in Hawaii craft vendors, Truck-Trailer-Tractor Lane, Maui Cattle Company Cooking Contest, Paniolo Awards, Thompson Ranch horse rides, games for all ages, live entertainment with award-winning artists and lots of local-style food.
Admission to the fair is free; parking is available for $5 in the field on Oskie Rice Arena.
This year, the ‘Ohana Ranch Rodeo will take place each day along with a Bull Bash at noon. The rodeo features over 250 contestants from around Hawaii.
The Maui Cattle Company Cooking Contest on Saturday at 1 p.m. will spotlight Maui retail outlets that carry the company’s beef. Each recipe must use a Maui Cattle Company product and locally grown produce in the dish. Awards will be announced at 2 p.m. on the Entertainment Stage.
Honoring Maui’s longtime paniolo ranches, the Old Time Paniolo Awards will be announced Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on the Entertainment Stage. In the Paniolo Tent, weavers, saddle makers and other cowboy-style merchants will display their wares.
The Paniolo Tent will also feature competitive fun with a hot dog eating contest for adults on Saturday and Sunday at noon and a keiki pie eating contest prior to the adult contest.
The Glenn Souza Memorial Scholarship jail fund-raiser is happening all weekend, so friends and family can get “arrested” for a good cause.
At the Think Local Agricultural Tent, local farmers such as Hali‘imaile Pineapple Company and Ali‘i Kula Lavender Farm will offer fresh produce and locally made products for sale.
The 30th annual Upcountry Ag & Farm Fair is cosponsored by the county Office of Economic Development; Whole Foods Market; Tri-Isle Resource, Conservation and Development Council; Maui County Farm Bureau; Maui Cattle Company; Haleakala Ranch; Maui 4-H Livestock Association; Maui Soda & Ice Works, Ltd.; and Maui Roping Club.
In addition to a 30-year tradition of hosting the 4-H youth of Maui, the Upcountry Fair’s mission is to protect, promote and perpetuate agriculture, farming and ranching on Maui.
For more information on the fair, contact Fair Co-chair Brenda Kuala‘au at 870-9031.Fair celebrates Maui’s farming heritage – LahainaNews.com | News, Information, Lahaina and Western Maui, Hawaii — Lahaina News
