activities · 24
what they do
direct service · 24
- Facilitating shopping for island-themed goodsHosts "Island Marketplaces" where attendees can shop for arts, crafts, clothing, and home decor reflecting island and 'island lifestyle' themes.
- Hosts shopping, food, and community interaction areas at festivalFeatures Island Marketplaces for arts, crafts, clothing, and home decor; operates three Local Grinds Island Food Courts offering island cuisine; and hosts Ohana Village where attendees engage with community organizations such as Outrigger clubs and canoe groups.
- Offering island food optionsOperates three "Local Grinds" Island Food Courts providing a variety of island foods to festival attendees.
- Operates educational and interactive cultural zones at festival Cultural Arts Engagement ProgramsManages dedicated spaces including Hale Mana’o (House of Knowledge) for learning about Hawaii and the South Pacific, Aunty Aloha's Ukulele Corner with loaner instruments for hands-on music lessons, and Make and Take crafts for children, all designed to promote cultural engagement and participation.
- Operates festival retail and food servicesHosts "Island Marketplaces" for shopping arts, crafts, clothing, and home decor, and operates three "Local Grinds" Island Food Courts offering a variety of island cuisine, along with sales of souvenirs, soda, bottled water, and raffle tickets.
- Organizes annual cultural festival celebrating Hawaiian and South Pacific Islander traditions Community Festival & Event OrganizationProduces and manages an annual festival featuring music and dance performances from Hawai'i and the South Pacific across three stages, interactive cultural activities, storytelling, traditional arts, and educational experiences, supported by a volunteer team identifiable by red polos.
- Organizes annual cultural festival celebrating Hawaiian and South Pacific Islander traditions Community Festival & Event OrganizationPlans and executes an annual festival featuring music and dance performances from Hawai'i and the South Pacific across three stages, cultural presentations by storytellers, bone carvers, voyagers, and tattooists, and interactive experiences such as lei stringing, shark's tooth weapon handling, instrument learning, and sing-alongs.
- Organizing an annual festival Community Festival & Event OrganizationOrganizes and manages an annual festival event focused on Hawaiian and South Pacific cultures, supported by a team of volunteers.
- Produces and sells commemorative festival merchandise Branded Apparel and Merchandise SalesDesigns and sells annual souvenir t-shirts featuring original artwork in adult sizes from medium to 3XL for both men and women, available via online preorders with mail delivery options.
- Produces and sells commemorative festival merchandise Branded Apparel and Merchandise SalesDesigns and produces annual souvenir t-shirts featuring original artwork, available in multiple adult sizes and styles, offered for preorder online with mail delivery and sold at the event as a source of revenue.
- Producing and selling souvenir merchandise Branded Apparel and Merchandise SalesProduces and sells annual souvenir t-shirts featuring original artwork, available for online preorder and mail delivery, as well as at the festival.
- Promotes sustainable transportation accessEncourages use of public transit by promoting access via the Light Rail, with the Mill Avenue Station located one block from the festival grounds.
- Promotes sustainable transportation access to festivalEncourages use of public transit by promoting access via the Light Rail, highlighting proximity to the Mill Avenue Station located one block from the festival grounds.
- Promoting cultural education and interaction Cultural Arts Engagement ProgramsOperates "Hale Mana'o" (House of Knowledge) to offer experiences and learning opportunities about Hawaii and the South Pacific, including interactive cultural activities, presentations by cultural practitioners, and an "Ohana Village" for community interaction.
- Provides attendee support and child safety services during festival Lost Child Prevention & ReunificationOperates an Information Station staffed by volunteers in red polos to assist with directions and questions, and runs a Lost Parents station that provides free identification wristbands for children with parent contact details.
- Provides attendee support and safety services Lost Child Prevention & ReunificationOperates an Information Station staffed by volunteers to assist attendees and runs a "Lost Parents" station that provides free wristbands for children with parent contact information for safety.
- Provides educational and participatory cultural experiences Cultural Arts Engagement ProgramsOffers hands-on learning opportunities including lei stringing, ukulele lessons at "Aunty Aloha's Ukulele Corner," "Make and Take" crafts for children, and access to "Hale Mana'o" (House of Knowledge) for immersive cultural education about Hawaii and the South Pacific.
- Providing children's activities Inclusive Family Arts FestivalsOffers free "Make and Take" crafts and activities for children of all ages (keiki) at the festival.
- Providing ukulele instruction Cultural Arts Engagement ProgramsOperates "Aunty Aloha's Ukulele Corner" where attendees can learn to play the ukulele using loaner instruments or their own.
- Providing visitor information and safety services Lost Child Prevention & ReunificationOperates an "Information Station" staffed by volunteers to answer questions and provide directions, and a "Lost Parents" station offering free wristbands for children with parent contact information.
- Recognizes community contributions through Kokua Award Annual Cultural and Civic Merit AwardsPresents the Kokua Award annually to Arizona residents who promote understanding of South Pacific Islander cultures through service in education, arts, and community engagement, such as the 2020 award to Bunny Halverson.
- Recognizes community contributions through the Kokua Award Annual Cultural and Civic Merit AwardsPresents the Kokua Award annually to Arizona residents who foster understanding of South Pacific Islanders through service in arts, education, and community engagement, such as the 2020 award to Bunny Halverson.
- Recognizing community service Annual Cultural and Civic Merit AwardsRecognizes Arizona residents with the Kokua Award for fostering understanding of South Pacific Islanders through service, including teaching arts, education, and community service.
- Showcasing music and dance performances Community Festival & Event OrganizationPresents performances featuring music and dance from Hawai'i and the South Pacific across three stages at the festival.
strategies · 15
how they think
Theories of action extracted from this org's own source material. Click any to see the full field of orgs running the same approach.
- Commemorative Merchandise with Cultural Artwork annual_commemorative_merchandiseIntegrates cultural expression into festival programming by using original annual artwork to design limited-edition t-shirts, reinforcing identity and supporting engagement through collectible items.
- Commemorative merchandise with cultural artwork annual_commemorative_merchandiseDesigns annual festival t-shirts using original artwork, transforming cultural expression into tangible, collectible items that support programming and extend the festival’s reach beyond the event.
- Cultural Exchange with Pacific Island Experts cultural_exchangeEnriches the festival’s authenticity and educational impact by intentionally inviting artists and knowledge keepers from Hawaii, New Zealand, and other South Pacific islands to share specialized cultural practices and perspectives.
- Cultural Preservation through the Spirit of Aloha cultural_preservationThe organization promotes the "Spirit of Aloha" as a living code of conduct rooted in love, respect, and harmonious living, integrating it into festival operations and participant engagement to preserve and share Indigenous Hawaiian values.
- Cultural exchange with Pacific Island experts cultural_exchangeEnriches the festival experience and authenticity by inviting artists and knowledge keepers from Hawaii, New Zealand, and other South Pacific islands, fostering cross-cultural dialogue and shared traditions.
- Cultural preservation through the Spirit of Aloha cultural_preservationThe organization promotes the "Spirit of Aloha" as a living code of conduct rooted in love, respect, and harmonious living, integrating it into festival operations and community engagement to sustain cultural values.
- Diversified Funding for Organizational Sustainability diversified_funding_modelMaintains financial resilience through a mix of revenue streams—including donations, sponsorships, grants, event sales, and legacy programs like Amazon Smiles—to ensure long-term operational stability.
- Facilitating cultural exchange and interactive education through direct engagement interactive cultural educationThe organization brings specialized expertise and knowledge to the festival by inviting artists from Hawaii, New Zealand, and other South Pacific islands, and provides an interactive "House of Knowledge" where attendees can engage directly with performers, artists, and presenters. This strategy aims to deepen cultural understanding and appreciation through direct interaction and authentic representation.
- Interactive Cultural Education and Engagement interactive_cultural_educationFacilitates direct, experiential learning by creating spaces like the "House of Knowledge" where attendees interact with cultural bearers, artists, and performers to deepen understanding of South Pacific cultures.
- Interactive cultural education with direct community access interactive_cultural_eductionFacilitates immersive learning by creating spaces like the "House of Knowledge" where attendees directly engage with cultural bearers, artists, and performers to deepen understanding through personal interaction.
- Promoting the "Spirit of Aloha" and "Kokua" for cultural understanding and community service cultural_preservationThe organization actively promotes the "Spirit of Aloha" as a code of conduct emphasizing love, respect, and harmonious living, and utilizes the "Kokua" concept, which means selfless help without expectation of reward, to recognize individuals who foster understanding of South Pacific Islanders through service. This approach aims to instill cultural values and encourage community support.
- Recognition of service through the Kokua philosophy kokuaUses the Hawaiian value of 'Kokua'—selfless service without expectation of reward—to identify and honor individuals who contribute to cross-cultural understanding, reinforcing community stewardship and altruism.
- Service-Based Community Support (Kokua) kokuaOperates on the Hawaiian principle of 'Kokua'—selfless service and mutual aid—both as an organizational ethic and a framework for recognizing individuals who contribute to cross-cultural understanding without expectation of reward.
- Sustainable Access via Public Transit Promotion transit_access_promotionEncourages use of public transportation to improve attendee access while reducing traffic congestion and environmental impact, aligning logistical planning with community well-being.
- Volunteer-driven organizational modelOperates entirely through volunteer labor, leveraging community commitment to sustain programming and reduce overhead, aligning operational structure with values of collective effort and service.
named programs · 8
what they call their work
Aunty Aloha's Ukulele Corner
Interactive area where attendees can learn to play ukulele using loaner instruments or their own
Hale Mana'o (House of Knowledge)
Educational space offering cultural experiences, storytelling, and hands-on learning about Hawaii and the South Pacific
Island Marketplaces
Venue for shopping featuring arts, crafts, clothing, and home decor inspired by island lifestyles
Keiki Activities
Free craft and activity area for children of all ages with a Hawaiian and Polynesian cultural theme
Kokua Award
Recognition program (currently on hiatus) honoring Arizona residents who promote understanding of South Pacific Islander cultures through service
Local Grinds Island Food Courts
Three food courts offering a variety of Hawaiian and island-style cuisine
Ohana Village
Area where attendees can interact with community organizations and learn about outrigger canoe clubs
Performances
Live music and dance performances from Hawaii and the South Pacific on three stages
relationships · 3
who they work with
- Amazon Smiles Program Partner — Receives donations from the Amazon Smiles Program when online shoppers select Arizona Aloha Festival as their charity.
- Downtown Tempe.com Partner — Provides information on local transit options such as the Tempe Streetcar and connections to circulators and Light Rail for festival access.
- Valley Metro Partner — Collaborates to promote public transit options for festival attendees, including Light Rail and bus routes.