Hawaii Record Fair Returns

on July 21, 2015 at 10:25 am

Crowds perused thousands of records at last year’s Hawaii Record Fair DENNIE CHONG PHOTO

The fourth annual Hawaii Record Fair is upon us: Sunday (July 26) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the McKinley High School cafeteria.

If anyone out there still is talking about how “vinyl is making a comeback,” the fair is a testament to the fact that such a statement is already four years outdated. The guys behind the fair — Dennie Chong and Ward Yamashita of Hungry Ear Records — have seen huge success with the event since its inception in 2012.

“All of Hawaii’s biggest vinyl retailers, resellers and collectors will be there,” reads the event press release. “So why not make a day of it?”

If you’re a fan of the Friends of the Library’s Book & Music Sale, you can’t miss the Hawaii Record Fair. Literally thousands upon thousands of vinyl LPs, 45s, 78s and 10-inches fill the tops of cafeteria tables at McKinley. At least 100 people pour through the doors within the first 20 minutes of the event. (Early admission costs an extra $5 for entry at 9 a.m. For crate diggers and collectors, early admission is a must to score the best gems.)

If you’re a fan of music, there’s plenty of it at the fair. And not just records, either. CDs surely will be sold by a handful of vendors, along with music memorabilia and audio equipment like turntables and speakers. (Hungry Ear is giving away a pair of high quality AudioEngine speakers.)

If you’re looking to sell your records (or maybe your parents have a collection they want to let go of?), vendor tables likely are still available. Just give the Hungry Ear guys a call (262-2175) and see what they have.

If you’ve been following my blog-turned-label, note that Aloha Got Soul will be at the event with records and mer-ch for sale, plus a special appearance by Mike Lundy. (Two 7-inch singles featuring music from Mike’s hard-to-find 1980 LP, The Rhythm Of Life, were reissued on Aloha Got Soul earlier this year.) Mike will be on-hand from 11 a.m. to noon to sign autographs and share memories from the recording of his much sought-after album.

I’d like to congratulate the team at Hungry Ear and everyone who’s given their support over the years. The Hawaii Record Fair is to be treasured by our community. Not only does it bring together all kinds of music-loving people, the Record Fair helps to preserve and perpetuate vinyl and the culture surrounding it.

Admission to Hawaii Record Fair costs $5, or $10 for early admission. For more information, visit hawaiirecordfair.com.

Roger recently turned his blog into a record label: alohagotsoul.com