Windward Community College’s Paniolo BBQ fundraiser celebrates culture and community

Dust off your cowboy boots and hat and bring your appetite, friends and ʻohana to Windward Community College’s Paniolo BBQ.

Supported by the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation, the fundraising event is slated from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20, at the college’s Great Lawn. It will feature live music from ʻAlewa and Hawaiʻi Loa, hula performances, a mechanical bull, petting zoo and horse rides, Texas Hold ‘Em, roping competitions and more. 

As the house band for Sheraton Moana Surfrider Hotel in Waikīkī, Hawaiʻi Loa is known for its slack key and steel guitar sound showcased in albums such “Aloha Is a Love” and “Hawaiian Memories”. ‘Alewa in an up-and-coming group of musicians and dancers, "who are redefining mele and hula, blending deep-rooted tradition with bold new energy," the college said in a recent announcement.

The event is free to attend, though guests are invited to purchase BBQ meals fit for a paniolo ahead of time. On pre-sale now for $20, the meals created by chef WCC Daniel Swift will include pulled pork, hulihuli chicken, sausage, cornbread, baked beans, corn on the cob, Mac salad, pickled vegetables, and a house mustard. Vegetarian plate lunches are also available. Proceeds will go toward scholarships and advancement, according to the college.

“Windward CC is so excited to bring our community together with ʻono food, music and fun to celebrate our history, our home and our future!” Chancellor Ardis Eschenburg said in a statement. “Bring your whole family and enjoy being part of our Koʻolau ʻohana!”

WCC’s Gallery ‘Iolani will also be open from 1–5 p.m. with a new show, “Kuleana,” a group exhibition that runs through Dec. 12, that explores “history, politics, culture, identity and socio-economic realities that shape Hawaiʻi and its people,” the college announced in August.

“Recently, 'kuleana' has become a buzzword or stock phrase for many who use it. However, it is far more than a reference to responsibility or privilege,” said Gallery ʻIolani Director Kapulani Landgraf in an Aug. 18 statement. “It is about accountability, and the moral courage to right a wrong, no matter the consequence.”

Landgraf co-curated the exhibit with April A.H. Drexel in partnership with participating artists, the announcement noted.

Can’t make it to the upcoming pāʻina? Click here to donate to Windward Community College’s scholarship endowment fund as part of its 50th anniversary. The college aims to raise $1 million to support students now and for future generations.

Aloha State Daily reached out to WCC for comment. Additional coverage on The University of Hawai’i Foundation can be found here.

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Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros can be reached at kelsey@alohastatedaily.com.