Attendees sample tasty creations at the 2024 Maui Music & Food Experience hosted by the Hua Momona Foundation. Early bird tickets are available for the second annual event on Aug. 15-16 at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa. Photo courtesy J. Anthony Martinez Photography

After raising $250,000 to support the 2023 wildfire recovery effort last year, the Hua Momona Foundation is bringing the Maui Music & Food Experience on Aug. 15-16 at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa featuring a host of talented musicians and chefs.

The second annual Maui Music & Food Experience will support the Hua Momona Foundation, whose mission is to combat food insecurity, accelerate the Lahaina rebuild and cultivate Maui’s youth music scene.

Additionally, the Hua Momona Foundation is reportedly expanding into the mainland with the festival scheduled to stop in San Antonio on Sept. 20 and Chicago on Nov. 7. More details are expected to be released soon.

“Based on the amazing response in 2024 on Maui, we are pleased to celebrate the Aloha spirit with food and music across this three-city benefit concert-style tour,” said Gary Grube, founder of the Hua Momona Foundation in a statement. “We’re grateful for the support from our donors, sponsors, artists and concert guests to make this happen so that our Maui community programs continue to thrive.”

Single-day and two-day general admission and VIP tickets, as well as platinum passes for the Maui Music and Food Experience, are available at bit.ly/3Glv7V8. Early bird rates for single-day tickets are $69 while the VIP pass for both days is $349. Prices are set to increase Aug. 1 and again Aug. 11.

Musicians perform during the first Maui Music & Food Experience hosted by the Hua Momona Foundation. The two-day festival featuring a number of renowned chefs and talented musicians will return to Maui on Aug. 15-16. Photo courtesy J. Anthony Martinez Photography

The roster of performing artists includes Mongoose led by Bernard Fowler of the Rolling Stones and Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk with special guest Ernie Isley of Isley Brothers, who will join forces for a Jimi Hendrix tribute.

Local Hawaiian artist Paula Fuga, who has collaborated with Jack Johnson, Ziggy Marley and more, is also scheduled to perform at the festival, along with Kanekoa, Marty Dread, Tavana, Wayne Baker Brooks, Frank Orrall and Hawaiian National Heritage Award-winning slack key guitarist Ledward Kaapana.

In addition to their scheduled performances, the artists will gather for nightly post-concert jam sessions at the Hyatt.

The event will also spotlight chefs and their culinary artistry led by local Hua Momona Farm Chef Zach Laidlaw. Some might have seen Laidlaw highlighting his connection to Maui’s land and flavors as a finalist on “Next Level Chef.”

Joining Laidlaw will be “Next Level Chef” Season 3 winner Gabrielle Chappel, along with World Rice Champion Chef Ryan Von Smith, also known as “Chef Von,” and Charles Andres, the executive chef at the Sheraton Maui.

To kick off the celebration, the festival will host a pool party Aug. 13 with the chefs and musicians from the tour. The event is open to all festival and hotel guests.