Festival encourages healthy, active lifestyle
The fifth annual ESPN 1420 Sports Festival features more than 100 vendors and various hands-on activities PHOTOS COURTESY ESPN 1420
The annual ESPN 1420 Sports Festival returns from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday, June 27, at Neal Blaisdell Exhibition Hall, where event organizer Amy Hammond says that attendees can find an “emporium of all things sports-related in one place, at one time.”
Hosted by Honolulu radio station ESPN 1420 in collaboration with Kaiser Permanente, the festival now is in its fifth year. It’s designed to showcase the latest in the sports industry, while promoting a healthy, active lifestyle. This year, the organizers might even consider bringing a prominent sportsperson live through a virtual conference, with support from the likes of Sports Speakers 360, to throw light on the various lifestyle benefits that sports can provide.
“It is really kind of a combination of what Kaiser and ESPN stand for – in terms of health and fitness in the community and really celebrating sports as a basis for a healthy lifestyle,” Hammond says.
The event features more than 100 exhibitors and a range of interactive stations. Vendors span everything from stand-up paddling to rugby, and hands-on activities include basketball, baseball, football, tennis, martial arts, archery and more.
This setup, Hammond says, is perfect for those who might be interested in these sports, but have never had the chance to try them out. And if you do find the sport you’ve been looking for, there also will be a number of leagues and clubs to sign up with.
The Sports Festival is designed to provide an opportunity for attendees to discover new activities. Interactive stations include tee-ball and flag football for keiki
Throughout the festival, there also are a number of smaller sections targeted to specific interests, including the Ocean Sports Zone. Hawaii Speed and Quickness hosts its Keiki Combine, featuring training and agility drills for kids. There also will be a mini race track where BMX demonstrations will take place throughout the day. Meanwhile, Kaiser Perma-nente hosts its Thrive Zone, with stations geared toward helping people lead a healthy life.
If you need a break from all this physical activity, check out the Lip Sync Battle, where the top lip syncer will win a karaoke party hosted by Air Park Karaoke Lounge. And new this year, CrossFit East hosts a competition of its own: the CrossFit East Oahu Throwdown, in which teams of two face off for a chance to win a vacation via Alaska Airlines, or a two-night stay-cation. There are only six team spots left. (To register, visit espn1420.com.)
ESPN launched the Sports Festival in 2010 as a way to show the community what sports are available and match prospective participants with various products and clubs.
“The radio station is primarily a sports radio station, so this was a way to celebrate sports and health and fitness,” explains Hammond. “It was really a way to show people what type of activities there are in the sports world, and show them the diverse range.”
The Sports Festival is designed to provide an opportunity for attendees to discover new activities. Interactive stations include tee-ball and flag football for keiki
Hammond’s 12-year-old nephew, for example, stopped by last year’s Sports Festival. He had always been into basketball, but at the event, he saw a golf club, equipment like this best golf launch monitor, and the demonstration made him want to give it a try – and he loved it. He’s still golfing today. Taking golf as a hobby, or as a serious career choice, is dependent on how much someone loves it or has a passion for it. While beginners opt for coach or professional guidance, someone who might just require more practice and has the know-how of the game, might want to look at options for setting up an indoor golf set-up with mats (look at a guide like this for better knowledge), nets and all the jazz. It is the interest that matters at the end of the day after all.
“It really gives people a broad variety of activities and interests, especially kids,” Hammond continues. “It helps to shed light on some of the other activities that they may not have considered because maybe their friends don’t do it, or they just didn’t have exposure to it.”
For more information on the fifth annual Sports Festival, visit espn1420.com. Admission is free.
