The Hawaiʻi Chamber of Commerce of Northern California is pleased to announce our 23rd Annual Five Star Aloha Gala on Friday, May 23, 2025, starting at 5:30 p.m. at The Westin St. Francis San Francisco on Union Square. This is our organization’s signature event and serves as a venue for honoring individuals and organizations with our Kūlia I Ka Nuʻu (Strive for the Summit) Award for contributions in promoting the Aloha Spirit from Hawaiʻi through Northern California and beyond. All proceeds go to helping fund our scholarship program foundation and organization.

This year, we are pleased to honor three masters of hula who teach the art form and pass on Hawaiian cultural wisdom in Northern California, 2,400 miles away from Hawaiʻi: Kumu Hula Shawna Alapa‘i, Kumu Hula Kawika Keikiali‘i Alfiche, and Kumu Hula Mark Keali‘i Ho‘omalu. Past Kūlia I Ka Nuʻu Award awardees have included Mana Up, Andy Bumatai, Nainoa Thompson & The Polynesian Voyaging Society, Dave Shoji, Jan Yanehiro, The Brothers Cazimero, Chefs Sam Choy, Alan Wong, Roy Yamaguchi, and many others.

The gala will feature the presentation of the Kūlia I Ka Nuʻu Award and the HCCNC Foundation scholarship awards, live Hawaiian music, special guest appearances, plus incredible food, drinks, and of course tons of prizes and giveaways. We have awarded $118,000 to 52 recipients over the past 20 years, which would not be possible without our incredible sponsors, supporters, and community gathering for our galas.

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The 23rd Annual Five Star Aloha Gala
Friday, May 23rd, 2025 | 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
The Westin St. Francis San Francisco on Union Square
Golden Gate Room, 32nd floor

Attire: Black-tie optional. This is a formal event.
Please make your best effort to arrive between 5:30-5:50pm.

5:30 pm
Arrival and Cocktail Reception
Live Hawaiian Music by Faith Ako & Friends

6:00 pm
Welcome by Mistress of Ceremonies
Mele Oli
Dinner & Live Hawaiian Music

7:00 pm
President’s Welcome & Message
Announcement of the HCCNC Foundation Scholarship Awards
Presentation of the Kūlia I Ka Nuʻu Award

8:00 pm
Prize Drawings and Giveaways

8:15 pm
Ceremonial Farewell and Singing of Hawaiʻi Aloha

Arrival and Parking:
We strongly recommend using Uber/Lyft or Taxi if possible due to traffic and parking. If you do choose to drive and park, please note we do not have validation for parking. You can park at either The Westin (more info here - valet is additional) or the lower priced Union Square Garage (more info here) directly in front of the Westin.

Some Program Highlights

MISTRESS OF CEREMONIES: JAN YANEHIRO

Jan Yanehiro helped pioneer the magazine format on television as co-host of “Evening Magazine,” a nightly program in San Francisco that ran for 15 years on KPIX-CBS5. Born and raised in Honolulu, Jan is a proud graduate of Farrington High School, Class of ’66! She’s won an Emmy, the Girl Scouts Woman of Distinction Award, the Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award and is a past recipient of the Kulia I Ka Nu’u Award (2014). She is the Chair of Kristi Yamaguchi’s Always Dream Legacy Board and is on the board of The San Francisco-Osaka Sister City Association. She has hosted 8 documentaries on the incarceration and redress of Japanese Americans during World War II. Jan has 3 adult children and is a grandmother of 3—so far.

HAWAIIAN MUSIC ARTIST: FAITH AKO

Award winning Hawaiian musician Faith Ako releases her first jazz genre album titled Ho‘okanikapila, Maui this month with childhood friend and musician, Tarvin Makia of Kīhei, Maui. As the Bay Area’s premier female artist in Traditional/Contemporary Hawaiian music, this is Faith’s fifth album and her first foray into the jazz genre. This new project, “Let’s make Music, Maui,” features Faith’s powerful, sultry voice and blends them with Tarvin’s deep rich baritones. The album features some of Maui’s finest musicians on bass, keyboards, percussion and drums, ukulele and guitar. With past performances across the West Coast, East Coast, Japan, Hawai‘i and Pacific Northwest, Faith’s fans will recognize her charismatic personality shine through in her curated song list including: “The Way You Look Tonight,” “Girl from Ipanema,” and “Don’t Know Why.” To learn more, visit www.faithakomusic.com.

OLI: kumu hulA PATRICK MAKUAKĀNE

Kumu Hula Patrick Makuakāne is the founder and director of Hālau Nā Lei Hulu i ka Wēkiu of San Francisco, California. Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai’i, Kumu Patrick studied with several of Hawaiʻi’s most revered hula masters: John Keola Lake, Robert Uluwehi Cazimero and Mae Kamāmalu Klein. In 2003, he received the title of Kumu Hula through a traditional ʻūniki ʻailolo ceremony curated by Mrs Klein. While a passionate preserver of traditional hula, his artistry also crafts a provocative treatment of tradition that leaps forward in surprising and meaningful ways. In the past few years, he has been a recipient of the prestigious Hewlett 50 Arts Commission and the San Francisco Arts Commission’s Legacy Grant. In 2022, Kumu Patrick was given a special Lifetime Achievement Kulia I Ka Nuʻu Award from the Hawaiʻi Chamber of Commerce of Northern California. He says, “To be recognized by an esteemed organization like HCCNC is humbling and inspiring. He mea waiwai nō.” In 2023, Kumu Patrick was named a MacArthur Fellow, often known as the “genius” award, for blending traditional hula with contemporary music and movements and uplifting Hawaiian culture and history. (https://naleihulu.org/about/kumu-patrick-makuakane)

Kumu Hula Shawna Alapa‘i

Kumu Hula Shawna Alapa‘i is well known for her strong, graceful and expressive style of hula as well as her powerful chanting. She has danced on world stages and for many dignitaries of foreign countries. She was born and raised in Kailua, O‘ahu, where she began her devoted practice of Hula since 11 years old. Having a strong foundation of 3 Kumu Hula, Ellen Castillo, Leina‘ala Kalama Heine and Aunty Mae Kamamalu Klein has deeply influenced her own teachings, which are rooted in preserving the traditional fundamentals and dances as were passed down to her. She established her Halau Hula Na Pua O Ka La‘akea in Marin County in 1996 and also offers classes in Sonoma County as well. In 2000, she began an intensive study program with Hula Master Aunty Mae Kamamalu Klein in Hawai‘i and after 3 years, achieved the prestigious status of Kumu Hula (hula master). This achievement culminated in a traditional ‘uniki ‘ailolo graduation ceremony and connects Miss Alapa‘i to a hula lineage stretching back for generations.

Kumu Hula Kawika Keikiali‘i Alfiche

Kumu Hula Kawika Keikiali‘ihiwahiwa Alfiche has been teaching hula and Hawaiian cultural arts for 31 years. Kawika is the Kumu Hula (Master teacher) for Hālau o Keikiali‘i, and Director for the Kaululehua Hawaiian Cultural Center in South San Francisco & Napa. With a mission to preserve and perpetuate all things Hawaiian, Kawika spends his life learning, teaching and sharing his culture through the hula and cultural arts and teaches throughout the Globe. Kawika is a formal ‘Uniki of Kumu Rae Kahikilaulani Fonseca. He has released 4 cd’s and 6 dvd’s with a new cd coming out later 2025.

Kumu Hula Mark Keali‘i Ho‘omalu

Kumu Hula Mark Keali‘i Ho‘omalu teaches the essence of Hawaiian history and customs through choreography of hula and mele (chants in the Hawaiian language). He founded the Academy of Hawaiian Arts in 2003, and his fresh approach to hula has made the group’s name famous in the Hawaiian arts and dance community. As a designer of ipu heke, pahu drums, ‘uli’uli and lei hulu, along with his chanting, music, and choreography, Kumu Hula Mark Keali‘i Ho‘omalu has established himself as a visionary artist with immeasurable passion for hula and Hawaiiana. Kumu Mark is the visionary behind the theatrical production, Kingdom Denied, and a new form of audience-judged hula competition, Ka Hula Hou, among other original works. His work has been featured in the Walt Disney movie Lilo and Stitch, the PBS documentary American Aloha: Hula Beyond Hawai‘i, and on several original CDs including Call It What You Like, Po‘okela Chants, and Traditional Limits.

We will feature multiple award winning restaurants and local San Francisco Bay Area favorites. We’ll also have the classic Westin St. Francis food stations which will include the savory Whole Roaster Top Round of Beef with Roasted Garlic Aioli, complementing items, and their Executive Pastry Chef’s assorted desserts spread.

We will provide complimentary wine and beer at the event. In addition to the complimentary beverages, there will be a cash bar available for additional drinks and beverages.

Past Food and Beverage Sponsors

Southwest Airlines is our official 2025 Five Star Sponsor. We are grateful to all of our sponsors for their support which ensures we can continue being a bridge between Northern California and Hawai‘i, and building on those relationships.

2025 Five Star Sponsor

Past Nō E Ka ʻOi Sponsors

Past Aloha Sponsors

Past Mahalo Sponsors

We will be presenting our HCCNC Foundation 2025 Kūlia I Ka Nuʻu Scholarship awards per our annual program tradition. We have awarded close to $120,000 to 50 recipients over the past 20 years. This scholarship program would not be possible without the support for the gala and from our sponsors, supporters, and community.

We will feature a virtual auction at this year’s gala. Items will include tickets to popular sporting events, airline tickets and miles, hotel stays across the world, restaurant gift certificates, and so much more. The auction will be available May 19 through May 26, 2025.

We welcome supporters and sponsors via donations to the virtual auction. If you are interested in supporting our gala, scholarship program and organization with a donation please send us a note at gala@hccnc.org, we’d really appreciate it!

Past Auction Supporters

Every year at our Aloha Gala we have a set of prizes and giveaways for attendees. These have included candies from world renowned Big Island Candies to assortments of wine to multiple pairs of roundtrip Southwest Airlines domestic and international flights. Each attendee is eligible for the prize drawings which we’ll announce in the coming months.

If interested in donating any giveaways to attendees, prizes during the event, etc, please send us a note at gala@hccnc.org, we’d really appreciate it!

Due to the popularity of this event, we are limiting event sales at this time to large and small table sales only. We may offer individual ticket sales at a later date. Here are the table purchase and cash donation options:

• Aloha Gala - No Ka Oi Sponsorship $3,000 (includes large table seating in front row) 

• Aloha Sponsor $1,000 - $2,500 cash sponsor

• Aloha Gala: Large table (10 seats) $2,500

• Aloha Gala: Small table (4 seats) $1,000

If you are interested in joining or supporting us through any of the options above, please respond immediately to gala@hccnc.org and let us know what option you would prefer. We will follow up with you to secure your option and payment.