| The 38th Annual Ukulele Festival will be held at Kapiolani Park Bandstand of Waikiki, Hawaii on July 27, 2008 from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm. The admission is free. In 1970, as a City groundskeeper cleaning the bathrooms in Kapiolani Park, Roy Sakuma dreamed of showcasing the versatility and virtuosity of the ukulele with a free concert in the park. The pursuit of his dream brought him to another friend and mentor, Moroni Medeiros at City Hall. With the help and guidance of Medeiros, Roy lined up the Hawaii International Ukulele Club and the City & County of Honolulu as sponsors for the first concert. With a lot of aloha from local musicians who began a tradition of performing free, Roy pulled together the first annual "Ukulele Festival" in 1971. Today, the Annual Ukulele Festival is by far the largest of its kind in the world, attracting an audience of thousands to a free two-hour concert that showcases the finest ukulele players, along with national celebrities, Hawaii's top entertainers, and a ukulele orchestra of more than 800 students, mostly children. As a record producer, Roy has brought the beauty and versatility of the ukulele to a much wider audience. Kathy and Roy Sakuma, who put on an annual ukulele festival and run several small music studios, were recognized at the 2008 SBA Small Business Awards luncheon at the Hilton Hawaiian Village on Wednesday, April 30, 2008. |
33rd Annual Ukulele Festival film on the island of Oahu, Hawaii 2003 |
Event: 38th Annual Ukulele Festival Date: July 27 (Sunday), 2008 Location: Kapiolani Park Bandstand Waikiki, Hawaii USA |
| SOURCE: 38th Annual Ukulele Festival |
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