More than a year since wildfires ravaged Maui’s western coast, including the beloved coastal town of Lāhainā, the community is still working to rebuild — one one organization is aiming to give hope to survivors and their families in an upcoming festival.
On Sept. 5-7, the Hua Momona Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization founded by Hua Momona Farms, will bring together chefs and musicians from around the world in an effort to raise money for residents still struggling for food, housing, and mental health support.
“It’s really special to see this event coming together,” Garrett Marrero, CEO and co-founder of Maui Brewing Co., told Travel + Leisure. “When chefs and musicians unite to help those impacted by the wildfires here in Maui, it’s more than just a gesture of goodwill. It’s a great reminder of how the community can come together and shed our differences when we encounter crises.”
The three-day festival will feature cuisine curated by top chefs – including Gordon Ramsay’s Next Level Chef contestants Zach Laidlaw, Ryan Von Smith, Gabi Chappel, and Christina Miros — and concerts from more than fifteen legendary musicians and local artists, including Billy Cox (founding member of Band of Gypsys and who played on Maui with Jimi Hendrix), Ernie Isley of the Isley Brothers, Daryl Jones from the Rolling Stones and Mick Fleetwood from Fleetwood Mac.
Events will be held in three different locations across Maui: Hua Momona Farms in Kapalua, Ritz-Carlton Maui, and Maui Arts & Cultural Center.
The Hua Momona Foundation, which has served more than 50,000 meals to survivors since the August 2023 fires, aims to establish this event as an annual source of support for community members.
For more information or tickets, visit mauimusicandfoodexperience.org, and those that cannot attend can donate at huamomonafarms.com.