(For a more complete listing of events, go to KONAWEB's Big Island Events Calendar).

September 10, 2010
"TASTE OF THE HAWAIIAN RANGE" AND AGRICULTURE FESTIVAL - HILTON WAIKOLOA VILLAGE
This 15th annual event will bring together ranchers, farmers, restaurateurs and eager eaters to celebrate a bounty of locally produced food. Over 30 of the state’s top chefs dazzle diners 6-8 p.m. with delectable dishes using grass-fed-and-finished beef, pork, lamb, goat, mutton and wild boar, plus fresh island fruit and veggies. In addition, attendees can meet Hawai'i's food producers at gaily decorated vendor booths and talk story with the farmers and ranchers who make a living growing our food. Tickets are sold online at http://www.TasteOfTheHawaiianRange.com. The price is $40 presale and $60 at the door. For more information, phone Talaite Petrowski at 808-959-2744. An afternoon trade show hooks up food producers with isle chefs and wholesale buyers. For info on the expo, contact Nina Tanabe ntanabe@pfthi.com or 808/933-8611. Also open to the public is a "Cooking Grass-Fed Beef 101" seminar by participating Taste Chef George Mavrothalassitis. The recipient of a prestigious James Beard Foundation award, Chev Mavro will demonstrate how to best prepare a cut of grass-fed beef at 12:30 p.m. Culinary seminar participants will receive a takeaway recipe to use at home. Tickets are $10 for the informative, hour-long cooking demo and are also go on sale online.

September 11, 2010
BOOK SALE - KONA PUBLIC LIBRARY
The Friends of the Libraries, Kona (FOLK) will hold its next Book Sale on Saturday from 9 AM to 1 PM on the lanai of the Kailua-Kona Library. Proceeds from these sales help provide funding that includes educational and entertainment programs, community summer reading programs, visiting authors, magazine subscriptions, CD's, DVD's and new book purchases. Volunteers are needed to assist with the sale and preparations. If you find yourself willing and able, please call 322-0077 or email FOLK@folkhawaii.com

September 12, 2010
ANNUAL BAMBOO FESTIVAL - PAPAIKOU
The Hawaii Bamboo Society will present its annual bamboo festival from 7:30am to 3:30pm at the Papaikou Hongwanji, located on the makai side of Hwy. 19, between mile markers 7 & 8, north of Hilo on the Onomea Drive scenic loop. Exhibits and demos, Master Gardeners. Vendors, silent auction, hourly door prizes.

September 12, 2010
"PROJECT COMPASSION" BENEFIT - DENNY'S, KAILUA-KONA
Denny's will be donating 20% of food and beverage sales, and the special guest servers will give 100% of their tips to the Aloha Performing Arts Company from 4-9pm. Aloha Performing Arts Company is a 501(c)(3) not for profit community theatre whose mission is to enrich the lives of Hawaii residents and visitors by presenting quality live theatre and providing theatre education. Additionally APAC maintains and operates the Aloha Theatre, a venue which provides opportunities for APAC and other organizations to present performing arts. The funds raised at this Project Compassion event will go primarily toward APAC's education program and scholarships, but will also go to support bringing live theatre to our small community. This promises to be a fun and exciting event, with live performances throughout the evening from Aloha Teen Theatre's SONG group and APAC's upcoming productions. Time: 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Denny's Crossroads Shopping Center location (Henry Street). For more information, call 329-6077, email brian@konaimpact.com

September 14, 2010
KONA TOWN MEETING - OLD AIRPORT PARK EVENTS PAVILION, KONA
Come learn about the largest telescope project in the world - What will the 30 Meter Telescope be like? What scientific advances will it provide? Who manages the Mauna Kea Astronomy projects? How are the Hawaiian Cultural interests on Mauna Kea being protected? Guest speakers will be Stephanie Nagata, Director of the Office of Mauna Kea Management; Ed Stevens, Kahu Ku Council; Ka'iu Kimura, Executive Director of the Imiloa Astronomy Center; and Sandra Dawson, Site Manager for the Thirty Meter Telescope Project. The meeting will go from 6-8pm at Maka'eo Events Pavilion at the Old Airport Park. Kona Town Meetings are presented by Community Enterprises, a non-partisan, non-profit organization, to provide vital information on community concerns to Kona citizens. Free to the public. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, go to www.konatownmeeting.org or contact Fred Housel at 331-8602; email Fred@kieleokona.com

September 16-19, 2010
HAWAII COUNTY FAIR - HILO
This annual event, which is sponsored by the Hilo Jaycees, will take place at Hilo Civic Fairgrounds. 5-12pm Thurs. & Fri.; 10am-11pm Sat & Sun.

September 18, 2010
WAIMEA PANIOLO PARADE AND HO'OLAULE'A
The 10 am Paniolo Parade will start at "Church Row" and proceed to Waimea Park, featuring princesses on horseback with attendees (complete with "Pooper Scooper" brigades!) decorated with the flowers of their respective islands. The Parade is followed by one of the best crafts show of the year, featuring island foods, games, arts & crafts, Hawaiian products and live entertainment in Waimea Ball Park, from 11 am to 4 pm. Free. Truly a great local family event! Note: 1 hour road closure. Ph: 936-4376. For more information on this and other 30 Days of Aloha events, visit hawaiiislandfestival.org

September 19, 2010
4th ANNUAL UNITED NATIONS' INTERNATIONAL PEACE DAY CELEBRATION - HONOKA'A
The town of Honoka'a on the Hamakua Coast of the Big Island joins the world in observing the United Nations' International Peace Day. This fun, free event for the whole family celebrates peace, compassion and awareness of global interdependence with a colorful parade down Mamane Street at 11am and community festival to follow at 12:00 p.m. Marching bands, hula troupes, Taiko drums, rock & roll, street performers and more. For more information, call 808-883-0669, email catherinetarleton@gmail.com or visit www.peacedayparade.org

September 22-24
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CONSERVATION DISTRICTS (NACD) ANNUAL CONFERENCE - KEAUHOU
Agricultural producers and conservation professionals from Hawai'i, 12 states, and the Pacific Island Territories will attend this annual conference September 22-24 at the Sheraton Keauhou Beach Resort and Spa, Kona, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The conference features presentations on tropical forestry, alternative energy, natural farming, taro farming, native Hawaiian culture, and agroforestry for integrated resource management. The conference is co-sponsored by the Kona Soil and Water Conservation District, The Kohala Center and Big Island Resource Conservation and Development Council. Conference registration is open to the public; deadline is September 13. Registration fees vary depending on choice of registration options. Registration forms can be downloaded at http://www.kohalacenter.org/soilandwater/registration.html. Fax completed forms to 808-885-6707 or e-mail to info@kohalacenter.org. For registration questions, contact The Kohala Center at 808-887-6411 or info@kohalacenter.org. The agenda and optional activities are also posted on the registration Web site http://www.kohalacenter.org/soilandwater/about.html. For additional conference information, contact Robblee at 808-322-3735 or mary.robblee@hi.nacdnet.net.