Party pics: The 12th annual Awamori Festival
The 12th Annual Awamori Festival — now themed “Cultural Fusion” to include a variety of ethnic spirits in Hawaii — was held at the Harbor View Center last night. Since awamori is a special Okinawan rice-based liquor, attendees were encouraged to wear purple (the unofficial color of Okinawan) and participate in katcha ashi, a kind of Okinawan dance. The highlight of the entertainment, in fact, was a freestyle katcha ashi contest.
The food, as previewed by Nonstop, was created by Executive Chef Raymond Locquiao. Sake and shochu not available in Hawaii were available for sampling and orders; Chef Alan Wong and Lotus Spirits showcased their special awamori. Proceeds from the event also benefited Tamagusuku Ryu Senjukai, an Okinawan dance academy.
