For the 45th year, University of Puget Sound students are sharing the warmth, rhythm and beauty of Polynesia in the 2015 Spring Lu`au.
The April 11 event, which will include a Hawaiian dinner and an internationally inspired stage show featuring traditional dances from Pacific cultures, is one of the biggest celebrations of Polynesian culture in Washington. About 1,000 people attend each year.
Dinner will be served from 5 to 7 p.m. in the upstairs area of Wheelock Student Center, near the Alder Street entrance to the university’s campus. The stage show will begin at 8 in Memorial Fieldhouse, near the corner of Union Avenue and North 11th Street.
Ticket prices include a rate for seniors of $17 for the show and dinner, $9 for the show alone, and $12 for the dinner only. General admission is $24, $12 and $16, respectively. Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance at 253-879-3100 and http://tickets.pugetsound.edu.
The event’s organizers, the Hui O Hawai`i student club, have chosen the theme this year of Hali ̒a Aloha, or “cherished memories.” For more than four decades, UPS students have shared the aloha spirit through song, dance, food and story.
“We should remember and appreciate these cherished memories, as they have led us to where we are and who we’ve become,” said Shane Kiyota, president of Hui O Hawai`i. “There is so much to enjoy in Polynesian culture.”
Music will be provided by Northwest Blend, a local group specializing in Hawaiian-infused music, who include the use of four-part harmonies in their songs.
The dinner will include kalua pig, shoyu chicken, lomi lomi salmon, macaroni salad, poi, chicken long rice, haupia, pineapple, and a vegan pineapple stir fry.