On Friday, October 9, 2009 from 6pm to 10pm, The Arts District Merchants Association and Honolulu Culture and Arts District present the third annual “Taste of the Arts” Street Festival featuring the food, music and drink of The Arts District, produced by Tim Bostock Productions. This year offers a different slant with a new title: Alternative Taste Street Festival; and a fresh twist for the program.

This Street Festival is a celebration of the alternative styles always present in the Arts District downtown. The Festival is presented in association with the Honolulu GLBT community, and with artists of all persuasions. The GLBT culture has never before been celebrated with a downtown street festival. This event is not exclusively gay but does provide programming for those audiences, especially along Hotel Street, one of the homes of the drag and transgender community for many years.

Alternative Taste will celebrate MANY alternatives, and will provide an exciting and eclectic program for all ages. Over five thousand people are expected to enjoy the Festival through the evening. Nuuanu Avenue will be closed from Chaplain Lane above Marks Garage to King Street, and Hotel Street will be closed from Bethel to Smith. Pauahi Street will be closed from the Marks Garage exit to the Smith -Beretania lot exit. The three music stages and one separate DJ stage will provide continuous entertainment from 6pm to 10pm.

The Main Stage at Pauahi and Nuuanu features hiphop-klezmer-funk mix from Haberdashery, hard local punk from 86List, driving celtic rock from Doolin Rakes and headliners Rolando Sanchez Salsa Band. Next to the main stage will be the ING Direct Café and Otto’s cakes (downtown denizen and cheesecake baker Otto is the mainstay bassist of 86List – also celebrating its CD launch that evening).

The stage at Hotel Street and Smith Street will feature a full Chinatown Follies drag show featuring groups such as Lip Gloss, Paper Dolls and Gender Bender as well as Brandy Lee, Linda Brown, and emcee Raquel (detailed participants to be announced). The Miller Lite DJ Car at the stage will host DJs from Hula’s Bar and Lei Stand. Nearby will be a dedicated wig stand from Roy Venters and LGW Institute of Hair and Design – The Iggy-Box.

At Nuuanu and King Street the Solo Stage will feature Millicent Cummings, Hope Mayo, and others, alongside poets from Youth Speaks Hawaii, improv artists, specialist fire dancers from Hawaii Fire Artists and a large bamboo rig featuring astonishing solo aerial performances from members of Samadhi Hawaii.

Latin DJs including The Lion of Judah will be spinning at Hotel and Nuuanu on the Red Bull DJ stage; mask and stilt walkers from Monkey Waterfall will be moving through the crowd; psychic readers will be setting up folding tables on the sidewalks. The Alternative Market will include information booths on many alternative lifestyle issues, offering activities and sharing materials on cultural and community services. Blue Planet Foundation, Lesbian and Gay Business of Hawaii, Pride Alliance Hawaii, Black Cat Tattoo, Dr. Ray Yoza and Land of Organica Sorbets will be part of the Alternative Market. Temporary tattoos and massages will be provided alongside other alternative healing and alternative energy tents.

Food booths from local restaurants Indigo, Brasserie Du Vin, Murphy’s Bar and Grill, Balé, Café Joy, Tea @ 1024 and Soul de Cuba will be joined by newcomers India Café with vegetarian curries and Hale Kealoha with healthy Hawaiian food, or ai pono. All menu items will be paired with a premium beer, with selections on offer including Blue Moon, Killians, Grolsch, Pilsner Urquell, Miller Chill and Peroni. Draught Miller Lite will be available for $3. Bacardi Mojitos, 1800 Silver T Margaritas, Bombay Sapphire Tom Collins, 42 Below Vodka Bull and other mixed drinks also available from $5.

Alternative Taste Street Festival celebrates the unique character of the Arts District. The street closures will create a large outdoor venue with historic and cultural atmosphere perfect for a community celebration for the whole of Downtown Honolulu. Most of the favorite First Friday galleries will be open. All downtown parking will be open including Marks Garage lot. So stroll through exhibits of fine art, enjoy unique performance and music, taste incredible food and partake in an atmosphere that is part of Honolulu’s trendiest neighborhood.

Alternative Taste 2009 is presented by local nonprofit, the Honolulu Culture & Arts District Association, together with the Arts District Merchants Association, and is sponsored by Miller Lite and Blue Moon Beers, ING Direct Bank, Bacardi, 42 Below, Jack Daniels, 1800 Silver T, Bombay Sapphire, Honolulu Weekly, and Star 101.9 Radio. The City and County of Honolulu and Hawaii Tourism Authority support HCAD. Alternative Taste is produced by Tim Bostock Productions. For more information about the event as it approaches, including program detail, a site map, menus and beer pairing details, please go to www.alternativetaste.com.