It’s no shock that Hawai‘i is house to the annual Waikīkī SPAM Jam Festival. In any case, 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 preserve that quantity excessive. SPAM® is greater than a pantry staple right here—it’s consolation meals. It’s the style of house.
First launched by Hormel Meals in 1937, SPAM® grew to become a family title throughout World Struggle II, due to 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 energetic road occasion, full with inventive SPAM® dishes, reside leisure, and a celebration of the quirky-yet-beloved canned meat. It’s a competition as distinctive as Hawai‘i itself.
30,000 to 40,000 individuals 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 a good time this quirky culinary icon whereas supporting native charities, the occasion has grown into certainly 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 function in Hawaiian delicacies but additionally the neighborhood’s skill to mix humor, heritage, and hospitality into one unforgettable night time. SPAM® dishes vary from inventive takes on consolation meals to surprising mashups that depart you considering, “Why didn’t I consider that?”
Expertise the Pageant
Held each spring, the Waikīkī SPAM Jam transforms Kalākaua Avenue into the final word block occasion, drawing 30,000 to 40,000 SPAM lovers. The road is closed to vehicular site visitors, turning right into a pedestrian-only promenade crammed with meals cubicles, reside music, and native artisans. Pop-up tents line the avenue, with distributors allotting 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 purchasing facilities additionally provide validated parking for patrons attending the occasion.
Spam Jam (Fb)
2025 Pageant Leisure and Actions
In 2025, the competition is scheduled for Saturday, April 26 from Four p.m. to 10 p.m. alongside Kalākaua Avenue, Waikiki’s important thoroughfare that borders the ocean.
Past the tables and tables of all varieties of SPAM concoctions and distinctive culinary choices, the colourful competition boasts a various lineup of leisure throughout a number of levels. Attendees can get pleasure from reside music performances starting from native bands to fashionable Hawaiian artists. That is the music line-up for SPAM JAM 2025 on all three levels:
Outrigger Resorts Stage
Fronting the Outrigger Waikiki Lodge
- 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 & Mates – 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 & Mates
- 8:30 p.m. Shut The Distance
Hawaii Music Preservation Society Stage
Hula Mound Fronting the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Seashore 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 (finest viewing is from this stage space)
SPAM Merchandise
Attendees should purchase a wide range of SPAM®-themed merchandise, regionally crafted objects, and customized collectibles. The competition options unique collaborations, similar to these with the native boutique Eden in Love, providing fashionable merchandise like tumblers, pouches, and baggage. These things can be found on the competition’s pop-up retailers and thru their on-line retailer, which is open in the course of the occasion.
Group Affect and Charitable Contributions
The Waikiki SPAM JAM® will not be 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 Group Heart, benefiting native residents. In 2024, the competition raised over $49,000 for these organizations, highlighting its dedication to giving again to the neighborhood.
Dine-In Restaurant Week
Complementing the principle occasion, the competition contains a Dine-In Restaurant Week from April 19 to Could 4 (every week earlier than and after the competition). Throughout this era, collaborating eating places in Waikiki provide particular SPAM®-themed menu objects, permitting patrons to bask in particular SPAM dishes past the competition. Institutions similar to BASALT and Liliha Bakery have beforehand participated, providing creations like SPAM® Eggs Benedict and SPAM® Loco Moco.
Distinctive Culinary Creations
These are a few of the inventive dishes at earlier festivals created by Honolulu’s high cooks and eating places to have a good time SPAM. These dishes exemplify the culinary creativity celebrated on the competition, 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 traditional tacos.
- SPAM® Musubi Butter Mochi – Chunk Measurement 808 creates a fusion of the normal SPAM® musubi and Hawaiian butter mochi.
- SPAM® and Kimchee Ahi Poke – Provided by Ko Tiki Terrace, this dish provides a spicy twist to the traditional Hawaiian appetizer by combining SPAM® with kimchee and ahi poke.
- Inexperienced Eggs and SPAM® Pizza – Appetito Craft Pizza and Wine Bar gives a singular pizza topped with roasted shishito peppers and SPAM®.
- SPAM® Sloppy Joe Burger – Da Bald Man presents a hearty sandwich combining SPAM® with a traditional Sloppy Joe.
- SPAM® Mac & Cheese – Moani Waikiki blends creamy macaroni and cheese with savory SPAM® bits.
Extra to Discover Whereas You’re in Waikīkī
Whilst you’re on the town for SPAM Jam 2025, take a while to soak in one of the best of Oʻahu’s most well-known beachfront neighborhood. Spend your mornings strolling the mushy sands of Waikīkī Seashore, or head to the summit of Lēʻahi (Diamond Head) for panoramic views of the coast. Take a look at the Honolulu Zoo or take a cultural detour via the displays on the Bishop Museum or ʻIolani Palace. Should you’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 Get pleasure from SPAM® in Hawaiʻi
Can’t make it the weekend of the competition? No worries—SPAM® is in every single place in Hawaiʻi. Seize a traditional SPAM musubi from virtually any ABC Retailer, 7-Eleven, or native plate lunch spot. On the Massive Island, attempt 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 gourmand 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 competition that salutes Hawaii’s distinctive meals scene and neighborhood spirit. It gives a mix of meals, leisure, and cultural moxie, making it a must-attend occasion for anybody searching for some enjoyable on a Saturday night time. The competition offers an unforgettable expertise that celebrates this beloved staple in all its kinds.
