Third Annual Sunflower Farm Music Festival Features All-Star Musician Lineup; Raises Funds & Awareness for Maui’s Food Security

Blue skies and 35 acres of blooming sunflowers set the stage for the 3^rd annual Sunflower Farm Music Festival, held on Saturday, May 4, 2024 at the family farm of Pacific Biodiesel founders, Bob and Kelly King.

This year’s festival, produced by Licorice Pizza Records owner Kerry Brown, featured a Farmers’ Market, Farm Tours and day-long musical performances. The focus of this year’s agricultural event was food sovereignty for Hawaii with proceeds benefitting three Maui-based non-profits that are supporting local farming and helping grow Hawaii’s food security: Maui Hub, Common Ground Collective and Grow Some Good.

The day began with a deeply moving blessing from Lei’ohu Ryder, a Hawaiian spiritual leader, visionary, singer/songwriter, healer, and educator, who also participated at last year’s festival. Musical performances, curated by Brown, continued throughout the day, with a star-studded lineup of local performers and Rock & Roll Hall of Famers.

The Licorice Pizza All-Star Band, who performed to an enthusiastic crowed later in the day, included members of iconic bands including Nelson, the Beach Boys, Guns N’ Roses, the Doobie Brothers and the Stray Cats. The music legends played alongside talented local musicians, including Marty Dread, Gretchen Rhodes, Tavana, John Cruz, George Kahumoku, Jr. and many more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Being the second year I’ve been involved, it’s great to see the festival grow in size and impact. The Licorice Pizza Events team along with the Licorice Pizza All-Star Band are very much looking forward to growing this festival each year,” said Kerry Brown. “This year we raised $32,000 in ticket sales with 100% of that revenue going to our nonprofit partners. Our team is committed to this annual event to benefit all of Maui. Our goal is to more than double the positive impact each year. This means we’re devoted to raising funds, awareness and action around food security and will focus on employing local residents to help produce the event moving forward so we can enhance our circular economy.”

The Farmers’ Market featured items that were produced using agricultural products grown, raised, or caught in Hawaii. Attendees were able to learn about the work of several Maui non-profit organizations, all focused on food security, sustainable agriculture and the circular economy. They included Maui Nui Food Alliance, Hawaii Farmers Union United, Maui Farmer Network and Kula Community Watershed Alliance (KCWA).

The KCWA team offered an interactive activity for guests to create “seed-balls” containing seeds from native plants that will be distributed into the fire-affected gulches of Kula to reforest the landscape.

One of the highlights of the day was the County of Maui proclaiming the day, May 4, 2024, as Maui Nui Food Sovereignty Day. The proclamation, signed by Mayor Richard Bissen, was read to the audience by Jennifer Karaca, founding Executive Director of Common Ground Collective, one of the organizations to benefit from the festival.

“Having personally watched the three beneficiary non-profits from creation to successful food security heroes, I was delighted to have all our efforts recognized by the County with the Mayor’s proclamation!”

Pacific Biodiesel hosted educational tours around the sunflower farm throughout the day in biodiesel-fueled vans provided by Hawaii Tours and coordinated by JPdL.  Guests learned about the company’s regenerative farming operation that supports food security and energy security in Hawaii.

In the “vendor village” Pacific Biodiesel joined non-profit agencies and other vendors promoting local products. Its sister company Maiden Hawaii Naturals offered festival specials for both its Maui Sunflower and Hawaiian Macadamia Premium Culinary Oils.

Volunteers from the American Red Cross handled parking for the event, with all parking donations benefitting the Red Cross.

Like last year, this event was again recorded by Brown to produce a limited-edition vinyl record. Each person who purchased a ticket to the event will receive a copy of the record compliments of Licorice Pizza. Attendees from last year’s event received their limited-edition vinyl record at this year’s event.

Mahalo to all of those who participated in this special event – from the organizers and volunteers to the vendors and non-profit agencies, as well as the hundreds of attendees all who helped make this event a success.

Sean Michael Hower Worldwide Photography and Cinematography  Voted “Best Photographer in Maui” by Maui Time Weekly readers in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 & “Best Portrait & Wedding Photographer” 2023.

 

Read all the buzz:

• Music Times:  https://www.musictimes.com
• Maui News:  https://www.mauinews.com
• KHON Channel 2; Living 808:  https://www.khon2.com/

 

Watch a video recap of the festival and more photos below.