The event dedicated to those distinct blue and yellow tins of misshapen meat, the Spam Jam Festival is returning to Waikiki for its 15th installment.
The annual event draws 25,000 visitors to Kalakaua Avenue with food, entertainment and various vendors. This year the festival will be held April 29 from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
It is an event right at home in Hawaii, one of the largest per capita consumers of the product in the U.S. Hawaii's connection to Spam dates back nearly 80 years, when the precooked luncheon meat was served to U.S. military based on the island. Hawaii residents buy nearly 7 million cans of Spam per year.
"The Spam brand is synonymous with Hawaii, and many local families will tell you that Spam products are a favorite for breakfast, lunch and dinner or a delicious treat," Barbara Campbell, Waikiki Spam Jam Festival co-founder and a vice president at festival sponsor Outrigger Enterprises Group, said in a release.
At the Waikiki Spam Jam Festival visitors can sample recipes concocted by local restaurants while taking in music and other entertainment on two stages. There are also arts and crafts vendors, and a plethora of clothing items emblazoned with the recognizable Spam logo.
Admission is free and proceeds from the event go to the Hawaii Foodbank and other local charities, including the Waikiki Community Center and the Visitor Aloha Society. The 2015 festival raised more than $23,000 for the food bank and collected 1,600 pounds of food.