CITY AWARDS TOURISM GRANTS

            Mayor Mufi Hannemann today announced the Oahu recipients of the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s County Product Enrichment Program grants for 2008.  The HTA provides the funding to the county governments to support events and projects that stimulate and diversify tourism.

            Mayor Hannemann said, “The events we’ve selected to receive money fulfill the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s goal of diversifying our visitor industry, but they also give residents and visitors alike opportunities to enjoy traditional events and new experiences.  We’re very grateful to the HTA for continuing this program.

            “We had many more requests for support than we had money.  We received a record 71 applications totaling $2.98 million, all competing for $425,000.  While we wished we could have accommodated more of the many worthy requests, the selection committee labored long and hard to assess the proposals and made excellent choices.”

            Recipients for 2008 are listed below.  Event dates, where available, are in parentheses.

·       AYSO Leeward Region 269, $10,000 for the Kapolei Summer Sunset Festival (June 28-29);

·       Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, $10,000 for the 59th Narcissus Festival (February 1);

·       Mayor’s Office on Culture and the Arts, $30,000 for Christmas 2008 at Honolulu Hale (December), the Honolulu Family Festival at Magic Island (August), and other cultural events;

·       Department of Parks and Recreation, $30,000 for Lei Day (May 1-2);

·       Office of Economic Development, $5,000 for an Oahu festival and events brochure and website;

·       DB Productions, Inc., $10,000 for the Hawaii Dragon Boat Festival (August 23-24);

·       Filipino Community Center, Inc., $15,000 for the 16th Annual Filipino Fiesta and Parade (May 17);

·       Friends of Waipahu Cultural Garden Park/Hawaii's Plantation Village, $30,000 to market the plantation experience and historic tours;

·       Haleiwa Arts Festival, $10,000 for the Haleiwa Arts Festival’s 11th Annual Summer Event (July 19-20);

·       Haleiwa Arts Festival, $5,000 for the Haleiwa Arts Festival on Tour;

·       Haleiwa Main Street/North Shore Chamber of Commerce, $10,000 for the North Shore Festival (November 8-9);

·       Hawaii Alliance for Arts Education/Hawaii Arts Alliance, $10,000 for First Friday Honolulu and other events;

·       Hawaii Book and Music Festival, $15,000 (May 17-18 );

·       Ohia Productions, $10,000 for “In the Clear Blue Sea” (July 28-August 2);

·       Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, $10,000 for the Hawaii State Farm Fair (July 19-20);

·       Hawaii Korean Chamber of Commerce; $15,000 for the 7th Annual Korean Festival (July 12);

·       Hawaii Theatre Center, $10,000 for “Hawaii Calls” (May 23-25);

·       Hawaii United Okinawa Association, $15,000 for the 26th Okinawan Festival (August 31-September 1);

·       Hanayagi Dancing Academy Hawaii Foundation, $5,000  for the Hanayagi Dancing Academy Extravaganza (August 23);

·       Hawaiian Scottish Association, $5,000 for the 28th Annual Hawaii Scottish & Highland Games and First Annual Scottish Highland Dancing Competition
(April 5-6);

·       Honolulu Academy of Arts, $10,000 for the Dragons Gift: The Sacred Arts of Bhutan.

·       Honolulu Culture & Arts District Association, $20,000 for special events;

·       Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii, $20,000 for the Multicultural Matsuri;

·       Kalihi Business Association, $10,000 for the 3rd Annual Sunset in Kalihi (May 3-4);

·       Kaneohe Business Group and Windward Community College, $10,000 for the Windward Hoolaulea (September 27);

·       Life Foundation, $5,000 for the Honolulu AIDS Walk (April 20 );

·       Pai Foundation, $30,000 for the Maoli Arts Program, MAMo Maoli Arts Month 2008, and 6th Annual Hapa Haole Hula & Music Festival;

·       SJ Foundation, $10,000 for the 6th Annual Waikiki Spam Jam (May 3);

·       Temari Center for Asian & Pacific Arts, $10,000 for “A Piece of Cloth”;

·       Wahiawa Community and Business Association, $1,000 for a historic tour of Wahiawa;

·       Making Dreams Come True, Valley of Rainbows, $10,000 for Waianae Coast Sunset on the Beach 2008 (August 9-10);

·       Waikiki Community Center, $5,000 for the Ala Wai Challenge (January 27);

·       Waimanalo Construction Coalition, Inc., $10,000 for the Waimanalo Country Fair (October 17-19); and

·       World Invitational Hula Festival, $10,000 for E Hoi Mai I Ka Piko Hula (November 2-9).

            In addition, the City awarded grants of $10,000 each through the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development for several events.

            Mayor Hannemann said, “In our efforts to support the revitalization of designated communities and business growth, we’re funding a number of events that were recommendations of our highly successful Chinatown and Kalihi economic summits, or which are in keeping with our economic development initiatives.”

·       DB Productions, Inc., Aloha Tower Sunset (April 12) ;

·       Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii Foundation, A Taste of Kalihi (September 6);

·       Kaimuki Business and Professional Association Foundation, Celebrate Kaimuki 2008 (November 1);

·       Pacific Gateway Center, Ola Mau Asia-Pacific Festivals 2008 (April 26 and September 27); and

·       Pacific Islands Fisheries Group, Hawaii Fishing and Seafood Festival (October 13).

Contact

Bill Brennan, 527-6928