It’s no shock that Hawai‘i is dwelling to the annual Waikīkī SPAM Jam Festival. In spite of everything, we eat extra SPAM® per capita than every other U.S. state—over seven million cans a 12 months! And sure, I’ll admit, I assist maintain that quantity excessive. SPAM® is greater than a pantry staple right here—it’s consolation meals. It’s the style of dwelling.
First launched by Hormel Meals in 1937, SPAM® grew to become a family title throughout World Battle II, because of its lengthy shelf life and portability. For U.S. troops stationed within the Pacific, it was a dependable meal—and in Hawai‘i, it caught. Over time, it fused into native delicacies and tradition. Whether or not it’s served in musubi, stir-fried with cabbage, or scorching in a breakfast skillet, SPAM® has earned its iconic standing.
The Waikīkī SPAM Jam turns Kalākaua Avenue right into a vigorous road social gathering, full with inventive SPAM® dishes, reside leisure, and a celebration of the quirky-yet-beloved canned meat. It’s a pageant as distinctive as Hawai‘i itself.
30,000 to 40,000 folks attend SPAM JAM every year, HTA picture
Waikīkī SPAM Jam: A Cultural Celebration
The inaugural Waikīkī SPAM JAM® launched in 2002 as a tribute to Hawai‘i’s long-standing love affair with SPAM®. Initially created to have fun this quirky culinary icon whereas supporting native charities, the occasion has grown into considered one of Oʻahu’s most anticipated cultural festivals that occurs yearly in April.
With every passing 12 months, the celebration has advanced—showcasing not solely SPAM®’s distinctive position in Hawaiian delicacies but additionally the group’s means to mix humor, heritage, and hospitality into one unforgettable evening. SPAM® dishes vary from inventive takes on consolation meals to sudden mashups that go away you considering, “Why didn’t I consider that?”
Methods to Expertise the Pageant
Held each spring, the Waikīkī SPAM Jam transforms Kalākaua Avenue into the final word block social gathering, drawing 30,000 to 40,000 SPAM lovers. The road is closed to vehicular site visitors, turning right into a pedestrian-only promenade stuffed with meals cubicles, reside music, and native artisans. Pop-up tents line the avenue, with distributors dispensing ingenious SPAM® creations from ice cream to popcorn. Attendees are inspired to make use of public transportation or park in designated spots just like the Honolulu Zoo or Kapiʻolani Park, each inside strolling distance. Some close by buying facilities additionally supply validated parking for patrons attending the occasion.
Spam Jam (Fb)
2025 Pageant Leisure and Actions
In 2025, the pageant is scheduled for Saturday, April 26 from Four p.m. to 10 p.m. alongside Kalākaua Avenue, Waikiki’s major thoroughfare that borders the ocean.
Past the tables and tables of all sorts of SPAM concoctions and distinctive culinary choices, the colourful pageant boasts a various lineup of leisure throughout a number of phases. Attendees can take pleasure in reside music performances starting from native bands to in style Hawaiian artists. That is the music line-up for SPAM JAM 2025 on all three phases:
Outrigger Resorts Stage
Fronting the Outrigger Waikiki Resort
- 4:30 p.m. Kala’e Camarillo
- 5:30 p.m. JLYN
- 5:55 p.m. Kailua Moon
- 6:20 p.m. Tavana
- 6:45 p.m. Anthony Pfluke
- 7:10 p.m. Kala’e and Kalena
- 7:30 p.m. Kahiau Lam Ho
- 8:30 p.m. Greg Sardinha & Pals – Tribute to Pahinui ‘Ohana
Southwest Airways Stage
Fronting the Royal Hawaiian Heart
- 4:30 p.m. POP 808 Hawaii (KPOP)
- 5:30 p.m. 808 Breakers
- 6:30 p.m. Kaylee Shimizu (from NBC The Voice)
- 7:30 p.m. Jody Kamisato & Pals
- 8:30 p.m. Shut The Distance
Hawaii Music Preservation Society Stage
Hula Mound Fronting the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Seaside Resort
- 4:30 p.m. Halau Hula o Kekaikuihala
- 5:30 p.m. Hui O Napuala’ikauikaiu
- 6:30 p.m. HMPS Dancers
- 7:30 p.m. Halau Hula O Hokulani
- 9:00 p.m. Waikiki SPAM JAM Drone Present (greatest viewing is from this stage space)
SPAM Merchandise
Attendees can buy a wide range of SPAM®-themed merchandise, domestically crafted objects, and customized collectibles. The pageant options unique collaborations, reminiscent of these with the native boutique Eden in Love, providing fashionable merchandise like tumblers, pouches, and luggage. These things can be found on the pageant’s pop-up retailers and thru their on-line retailer, which is open in the course of the occasion.
Neighborhood Affect and Charitable Contributions
The Waikiki SPAM JAM® isn’t solely a celebration of SPAM® but additionally one of many longest working road occasions in Hawaii. A portion of the proceeds helps native organizations such because the Hawaii Foodbank, Customer Aloha Society Hawaii, and the Waikiki Neighborhood Heart, benefiting native residents. In 2024, the pageant raised over $49,000 for these organizations, highlighting its dedication to giving again to the group.
Dine-In Restaurant Week
Complementing the principle occasion, the pageant includes a Dine-In Restaurant Week from April 19 to Might 4 (per week earlier than and after the pageant). Throughout this era, taking part eating places in Waikiki supply particular SPAM®-themed menu objects, permitting patrons to take pleasure in particular SPAM dishes past the pageant. Institutions reminiscent of BASALT and Liliha Bakery have beforehand participated, providing creations like SPAM® Eggs Benedict and SPAM® Loco Moco.
Distinctive Culinary Creations
These are a number of the inventive dishes at earlier festivals created by Honolulu’s prime cooks and eating places to have fun SPAM. These dishes exemplify the culinary creativity celebrated on the pageant, providing attendees an opportunity to expertise SPAM® in each conventional and progressive kinds. These dishes spotlight the distinctive love affair Hawaii has with SPAM, showcasing its versatility and cultural significance.
- SPAM® Bao Bun – Provided by BASALT, this dish combines SPAM® with conventional Asian steamed buns.
- SPAM® Tacos – Buho Cocina y Cantina presents a Mexican-inspired take by incorporating SPAM® into basic tacos.
- SPAM® Musubi Butter Mochi – Chunk Measurement 808 creates a fusion of the standard SPAM® musubi and Hawaiian butter mochi.
- SPAM® and Kimchee Ahi Poke – Provided by Ko Tiki Terrace, this dish provides a spicy twist to the basic Hawaiian appetizer by combining SPAM® with kimchee and ahi poke.
- Inexperienced Eggs and SPAM® Pizza – Appetito Craft Pizza and Wine Bar gives a novel pizza topped with roasted shishito peppers and SPAM®.
- SPAM® Sloppy Joe Burger – Da Bald Man presents a hearty sandwich combining SPAM® with a basic Sloppy Joe.
- SPAM® Mac & Cheese – Moani Waikiki blends creamy macaroni and cheese with savory SPAM® bits.
Extra to Discover Whereas You’re in Waikīkī
When you’re on the town for SPAM Jam 2025, take a while to soak in the very best of Oʻahu’s most well-known beachfront neighborhood. Spend your mornings strolling the delicate sands of Waikīkī Seaside, or head to the summit of Lēʻahi (Diamond Head) for panoramic views of the coast. Try the Honolulu Zoo or take a cultural detour by way of the reveals on the Bishop Museum or ʻIolani Palace. For those who’re feeling adventurous, join a surf lesson, hire a paddleboard, or hop on a sundown cruise. After you’ve eaten your fill of SPAM®, Waikīkī gives no scarcity of scenic, cultural, and out of doors adventures to spherical out your weekend.
The place Else to Take pleasure in SPAM® in Hawaiʻi
Can’t make it the weekend of the pageant? No worries—SPAM® is in all places in Hawaiʻi. Seize a basic SPAM musubi from virtually any ABC Retailer, 7-Eleven, or native plate lunch spot. On the Huge Island, strive the native twist on SPAM loco moco, and on Kauaʻi, don’t miss out on SPAM fried rice at roadside diners. At breakfast joints throughout Maui, you’ll usually discover SPAM paired with eggs and rice as a menu staple. For a connoisseur twist, some high-end eating places even characteristic SPAM® in fusion dishes that showcase its versatility.
Conclusion
The Waikiki SPAM JAM® Pageant is a vibrant pageant that salutes Hawaii’s distinctive meals scene and group spirit. It gives a mix of meals, leisure, and cultural moxie, making it a must-attend occasion for anybody on the lookout for some enjoyable on a Saturday evening. The pageant supplies an unforgettable expertise that celebrates this beloved staple in all its kinds.
