Taste of Aloha State offered at fundraiser

Save for the sand and the surf, all things Hawaiian are coming to the Carson Mall on July 29.

Northern Nevada Hui Association’s island themed fundraiser — complete with plenty of Hawaiian food and entertainment — will run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The event will open with a car wash, offering $5 per wash or $10 for trucks and SUVs. The car wash will run until 1 p.m.

If anyone gets hungry, they can buy a Hawaiian lunch of teriyaki chicken, rice, macaroni salad and a bottle of water for $10.

The live entertainment will kick off at 11 a.m. with Lee Jones, an entertainer from the Aloha State.

Next to play is Namolokama, made up of Gill Thompson and Danny Baclayon, at 1 p.m.

More than a dozen ukulele players with The Reno Ukulele Group will play at 3 p.m.

More entertainment, including music by Eddie and Friends and Danny Kuhio Yim, is slated at 4 p.m. and after.

Additionally, members of Poly Nui, a traditional Polynesian dance group from Reno, will showcase their talent at the fundraiser.

“The average family will spend $5,000 or $6,000 to go to Hawaii. Or you can just come to my event for free,” said Ray Lavatai, president of the association.

Lavatai said admission is free, but food and car wash sales will help fund Carson City’s next Polynesian Festival, which will bring vendors, traditional Polynesian food, music and dancing to Mills Park next year. The inaugural festival was held last July.

The fundraiser is made possible by sponsors including Action Home Furnishings and Maxine Nietz.

The Hui Association is a nonprofit founded to bring Polynesian culture to Northern Nevada. It benefits several charitable causes, including feeding the hungry and sending kids to sports camps whose families otherwise can’t afford it.

“We can share the spirit of aloha and give back to the community,” Lavatai said. “As long as you do it for the community and follow your heart, it’s about bringing our Northern Nevada friends together.”

For information about the nonprofit, find Northern Nevada Hui Association on Facebook.

Arts and crafts vendors who would like a booth at the event can call Lavatai at 775-223-4375 or Diane at 775-297-6413.