The Sunflower Farm Music Fest presented by Pacific Biodiesel and Mana‘o Radio on April 22, 2023 was a beautiful day of live music, healthy local food and blooming Maui Sunflowers for a good cause: Hawaiʻi Food Hub Hui and Mana‘o Radio.

The Hawaii Food Hub Hui team shared their mission with concert goers at the Earth Day festival.

The event helped shine a spotlight on the food security cause to share the important work Hawaiʻi’s food hubs are doing to help local farmers increase local food production. Here’s some feedback from the Hawaiʻi Food Hub Hui team that attended the event:

“The Sunflower Farm Music Fest has been instrumental in raising awareness about the significant work of small farmers and food hubs in our community. Thanks to the innovative approach to promoting this cause, we have been able to reach and educate more people than we ever thought possible. We are incredibly grateful for this event, and its impact has exceeded all of our expectations.” – Saleh Azizi Fardkhales, Ph.D., Director of the Hawaiʻi Food Hub Hui

 “So many people donʻt know why it’s important to eat local, or how Maui Hub supports farmers in building our food supply, so the Sunflower Farm Music Fest was an incredible opportunity to connect with people on that subject. We collected 4 pages full of contacts for people who want to get more involved in the eat local movement.”– Autumn Ness, Co-Founder and Board President of Maui Hub

“We are truly grateful to all the musicians who shared their time and talent for this benefit event on Earth Day,” said Pacific Biodiesel Marketing Director Joy Galatro.

It was announced that headliner Kerry Brown and Licorice Pizza Records will produce a record of the day’s live music performances. Everyone who purchased a ticket to the event will receive one of these limited-edition vinyl records compliments of Licorice Pizza Records.

Thanks to the generosity of event sponsors Roland, Michael & Deborah Rybak, Hawaiian Electric, Maui Tropical Planation, Fairmont Kea Lani, King Power, Pacific Current, Gay & Robinson and Maui Screen Printing, 100% of ticket proceeds and donations went directly to the cause.

Mahalo to Kiaora Bohlool of Maui Video & Marketing and Klara Crocco Stafford of THERE Stories who took over @pacificbiodiesel social media for the day to creatively share stories from the event, including these Reels:

Photos compliments of:  Darla Palmer-Ellingson, 360 Green Living

Pacific Biodiesel team member Dora Viramontes assists a customer at the company’s Earth Day booth.

Marty Dread, along with Gretchen Rhodes and the House Shakers, performed at the day long festival.

Manaʻo Radio, another beneficiary of the fundraiser, offered beverages and logo wear at their booth.

A blooming field of sunflowers, grown for food and fuel, was the backdrop for the fundraiser.