• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Urban Bliss Life logo

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • contact
  • shop
  • cookbooks
  • cooking classes
  • resources
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • 30-Minute Meals
    • Air Fryer Recipes
    • Appetizer Recipes
    • Asian recipes
    • Bread Recipes
    • Breakfast Recipes
    • Cookie Recipes
    • Dairy-free Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Entertaining Recipes
    • Filipino Recipes
    • Gluten-Free Recipes
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Holiday Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • 5 Ingredients
    • Kid-Friendly Recipes
    • Main Dish Recipes
    • Make-Ahead Recipes
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Side Dishes
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Snack Recipes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Seafood Recipes
    • Vegan Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Cocktail Recipes
    • Dog Treats
  • Wine
    • Oregon Wine Guide
    • Washington Wine
    • California Wine
    • Food and Wine Pairing
    • Wine Country
    • Wine Tips & Wine Pairings
  • Travel
    • Europe
      • Greece
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Liechtenstein
      • The Netherlands
      • Switzerland
      • The UK (United Kingdom)
    • Canada
    • USA travel
      • California
      • Colorado
      • Hawaii
      • Idaho
      • Montana
      • Nevada
      • New Mexico
      • New York
      • Oregon Travel Ideas
      • Utah
      • Washington
      • New Orleans
    • Travel Gear
    • Japan
    • Travel Tips
    • Hotels
    • Family Travel
  • Restaurants
  • About
    • Work With Urban Bliss Life
    • Press
    • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Fall Recipes
  • All Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • About
  • Work With Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Urban Bliss Life » Travel » Hawaii » 14th Annual Waikiki SPAM Jam

    Published: May 6, 2016 / Updated: March 16, 2020 by Marlynn Jayme Schotland · This post may contain affiliate links.

    14th Annual Waikiki SPAM Jam

    4 shares

    The 14th Annual Waikiki SPAM Jam was a feast for all senses, as chefs served up some of the most creative culinary concoctions utilizing Hawaii's favorite ingredient: SPAM. 

    2016 Waikiki Spam Jam on UrbanBlissLife.com

    I was born on the beautiful island of Guam, a territory of the United States in the Pacific Ocean. My parents, along with my great-grandmother and I, moved to Portland, Oregon when I was two years old.

    In Guam, SPAM is a very popular food. Even after we moved to the States, I would eat SPAM, rice, and eggs for breakfast and sometimes lunch, several times a week. It was my favorite meal, and to this day, even though I hadn't eaten SPAM in many years (until last weekend!), the thought of SPAM, rice, and eggs brings feelings of comfort, warmth, happiness... home.

    So when I had the opportunity to travel to Honolulu, Hawaii for the 14th Annual SPAM Jam, I was SO excited.

    Jump to:
    • What is Spam?
    • Why do Pacific Islanders love Spam?
    • Waikiki Spam Jam VIP reception
    • Tweet Up
    • 14th Annual Waikiki Spam Jam
    • Spam Jam Tips

    What is Spam?

    spam cans

    If you are unfamiliar with SPAM, it's a canned meat product that was introduced in 1937. The ingredients are: pork with ham, chicken, water, salt, potato starch, and sugar.

    Basically, it's sort of like sausage in a can. It's not a health food by any means, but it has a long shelf life, which brings me to why it's such a big deal on the Islands.

    Why do Pacific Islanders love Spam?

    can of spam

    Because it has a long shelf life, SPAM was shipped over to our military bases as a protein source during World War II. During the war and the occupations that followed, SPAM was introduced to Hawaii, Guam, the Philippines, and other Pacific Islands. If you live on any of the Pacific Islands, food is rather expensive. It's also difficult for many foods to grow on the islands, and shipping large food items is very expensive. SPAM found its way into the regular diets of these places, and people learned how to cook it in many different ways to make it interesting.

    By the end of the war, the military purchased over 150 million pounds of SPAM.

    That's a lot of SPAM! And I bet back then, they would never have imagined it the way SPAM was presented at the 14th Annual SPAM Jam.

    Waikiki Spam Jam VIP reception

    The 14th Annual Waikiki SPAM Jam took place on Saturday, April 30th, from 4-10pm along Waikiki's bustling Kalakaua Avenue. It's a free event, open to the public. However, food is available for purchase at individual stands, and all proceeds generated benefit the Hawaii Foodbank and other local charities, including the Waikiki Community Center and Visitor Aloha Society.

    I was so fortunate to be able to attend thanks to the event's presenting sponsor, Outrigger Hotels and Resorts.

    view from outrigger hotel on waikiki

    The festivities actually kicked off with a VIP reception the night before at Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort's in a beautiful suite with large outdoor terrace with sweeping ocean views. The suite is #123 and is often rented for weddings and special events, so if you're thinking about getting married here, check it out!

    2016 Waikiki Spam Jam: Ahi Tuna Tacos

    Guests were treated to an incredible buffet, filled with some SPAM and non-SPAM dishes, including my favorite: ahi tuna tacos.

    2016 Waikiki Spam Jam: Pork Ribs

    These pork ribs were another favorite of the night.

    2016 Waikiki Spam Jam: Spam Musubi


    And this Hello Kitty SPAM Musubi was adorable!

    Tweet Up

    Spam Mascot

    On Saturday, there was a SPAM Jam Tweet Up right before the festival started. I got to meet SPAM Can himself!

    hello kitty mascot

    He also photobombed by picture with Hello Kitty.

    2016 Waikiki Spam Jam on UrbanBlissLife.com

    We were also able to try all of the dishes that would be served at SPAM Jam beforehand and do our Instagram/Snapchat/Twitter/Facebook thang without the throngs of people around us. That was a nice touch.

    2016 Waikiki Spam Jam on UrbanBlissLife.com

    At the end of the Tweet Up, many prizes were raffled off, including two big prizes from sponsor Alaska Airlines: 80,000 miles, and MVP Gold status through 2017. Oh how I wanted to win either of those! I love flying Alaska Air!!

    Alas, I did not win those... but I did with one of the SPAM Hello Kitty Musubi kits pictured above, and I am honestly SO excited. I can make a Hello Kitty SPAM Musubi like the one pictured above from the VIP reception! So fun!

    14th Annual Waikiki Spam Jam

    When it was time for the main event, Kalakaua Avenue outside of Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort transformed from a bustling shopping district to a busy festival.

    2016 Waikiki Spam Jam on UrbanBlissLife.com

    More than 25,000 people were expected to attend this year's SPAM Jam. I love how the festival went from afternoon into night, allowing for more of the family-friendly atmosphere during the day and more of a party mode at night.

    dog wearing spam outfit

    The event was family-friendly and dog-friendly. This SPAM dog was my personal hero of the night. Check him out, riding in style with a fan inside his stroller!

    2016 Waikiki Spam Jam on UrbanBlissLife.com

    You could find ALL THINGS SPAM at this festival, folks. T-shirts, stuffed animals, bags, stickers, oven mits... you name it! I'm kicking myself for not getting one of the I Heart Spam trucker caps.

    2016 Waikiki Spam Jam on UrbanBlissLife.com

    Like all festivals, there were long lines at times for certain booths. And it wasn't just the food booths; the line above was for Long's Drugs, which was giving out some really cool prizes after you played one of their booth games.

    And of course, I can't forget the SPAM-filled glorious food served up at the SPAM Jam. Fifteen food vendors served up some truly creative dishes, all using SPAM as the main ingredient. Here are a few of my favorites:

    2016 Waikiki Spam Jam on UrbanBlissLife.com

    BUHO created these SPAM Tacos which were one of my favorites. I loved the fresh pineapple salsa!

    2016 Waikiki Spam Jam: SPam Fritters with Pineapple

    Chai Waikiki presented these cool looking SPAM fritters with fresh pineapple.

    2016 Waikiki Spam Jam: Spam mac and cheese bites

    The Hard Rock Cafe made these inventive and tasty SPAM Mac & Cheese bites.

    2016 Waikiki Spam Jam: Spam Chips

    SPAM chips, anyone? These were also from the Hard Rock Cafe.

    2016 Waikiki Spam Jam: Spam Flan

    This dish won my vote for most beautiful dish: Mac 24/7 made a coconut SPAM flan with Kona coffee salted caramel and candied SPAM. What a way to transform SPAM!

    2016 Waikiki Spam Jam on UrbanBlissLife.com
    2016 Waikiki Spam Jam: Spam Lettuce wraps

    PF Chang's was on hand with a SPAMified version of their popular lettuce wraps. 

    The popular chain souvenir store ABC Stores served these beautiful and tasty SPAM Kamikazes.

    There were many more dishes and two live stages with bands performing throughout the event. It was a fun, lively, highly entertaining festival that I definitely recommend attending if you are planning to visit Honolulu, Hawaii next year.

    Spam Jam Tips

    If you are planning to attend in the future, here are five quick tips:

    1. Bring cash. Most vendors only take cash.
    2. Bring water. Although it was hotter than most food festivals I have attended, I didn't feel as cramped and sweaty as I have at other food festivals. Still: you want to bring your own water to make sure you stay hydrated while eating all of that SPAM.
    3. Make a plan ahead of time. Take a look at the SPAM Jam website before you go and mark off the booths you definitely want to check out. That way, you can be sure not to miss them.
    4. Give yourself enough time. Since the event is six hours, you might be tempted to drop in for just a bit and then head out. Take time to listed to some of the live musicians because they really do a good job of booking highly talented acts for this event. I was blown away by the live music!
    5. Wear comfortable shoes. SPAM Jam takes place on one of Honolulu's busiest and most popular main avenues, which is closed off for the event, but there aren't a lot of places to sit down. You will be spending most of your time walking from one booth to the next.

    The date has already been set for next year's event: mark your calendars for April 29, 2017!


    I'll be sharing more TRAVEL BLISS from this trip next month, including a look at the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort and my amazing flight over Oahu with Novictor Helicopters!


    Have you ever tried SPAM before? Which of these dishes looks the most interesting to you?

    Many thanks to Outrigger Enterprises Group for sponsoring my trip to Honolulu and Waikiki SPAM JAM. As always, all opinions and photos are my own. 

    « Cinco de Mayo Tequila Mojito Recipe
    Whale Watching in Victoria BC »
    4 shares

    Get recipes, travel tips, deals and more delivered to your inbox!

      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Craven says

        December 05, 2017 at 10:44 pm

        I was there at the Spam Jan a few years ago and also did the Movie on the beach, we loved it, but not so much of the Spam lol

        Reply
      2. Manuel Thompson says

        September 19, 2017 at 12:48 pm

        Great article ! It’s very amazing advice , extremely helpful,
        I’m really appreciate thanks for your sharing !!!!!

        Reply
      3. Tara W. says

        May 25, 2017 at 3:47 am

        Growing up I thought spam was disgusting. However, the next time I'm in Hawaii I might have to check out some of their options.

        I'd say spam jam has me the most intrigued.

        Thanks for opening up my mind to try something new!

        Reply
        • Marlynn Jayme Schotland says

          May 28, 2017 at 7:58 pm

          I hear that from a lot of people in the US about their original thoughts on Spam ;) It's a weird food if you haven't grown up with it, for sure! Thanks so much, Tara!

      4. Pech says

        May 10, 2016 at 7:29 pm

        My main experience with spam is musubi but I'm totally jealous of the Hello Kitty version!

        Reply
      5. Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman says

        May 09, 2016 at 2:44 pm

        Oh my goodness, Marlynn - what an amazing event! Just scrolling through all of your pictures made me smile. (I especially love the photobombing SPAM Can in the Hello Kitty shot!) My Dad served in the Pacific theater during WWll, and when I was a child, he used to buy a can every once and a while, slice it up thin and fry it crisp, and then and eat it with eggs and toast for breakfast. I can't remember the last time I had SPAM, but just remembering the pop and sizzle and vaguely bacony smells in our kitchen brings a sort of comfort to me.

        Reply
      6. Kusum says

        May 09, 2016 at 10:22 am

        Oh I had never heard of SPAM and there is festival for it, so cool! Looks like so much fun and lovely pictures too. I should definitely give this a try ;)
        xx, Kusum | http://www.sveeteskapes.com

        Reply
      7. Rosie from Blog To Taste says

        May 08, 2016 at 8:49 pm

        What! Spam Jam!? I want to go! I love spam, which is weird because I never get to eat it. People are so weird about spam. But a friend spam and egg sandwich is on the top of my favorite things list. Take me with you next time?

        Reply
      8. Leah says

        May 07, 2016 at 6:11 pm

        Who knew there were so many types of Spam. We always are it for breakfast when we would go camping. I actually haven't had it in a really long time, kinda makes me think I should revisit it.

        Reply
      9. Catherine says

        May 07, 2016 at 5:44 pm

        Wow, that is a lot of SPAM, and a lot of ways to cook it! Plus that's a LOT of people who love SPAM! I've never tried it, but I appreciate it more after reading this post and learning a little about its history.

        Reply
      10. Danielle says

        May 07, 2016 at 1:09 am

        Oh my gosh people in Hawaii love spam!!! I've heard that before but a festival for it?! WOW! haha that's awesome. That food looks amazing, I am so hungry while I'm reading this. Awesome pics!

        Reply

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

      Primary Sidebar

      Marlynn Jayme Schotland 2021 profile pic

      Hi! Thanks for stopping by! I'm Marlynn - a cookbook author, writer, photographer, and mom of two teenagers + a lovable lab retriever. Here you'll find my fast, easy, and delicious recipes, wine pairings, and travel guides. I hold a WSET 2 with Distinction in wine, and am a member of Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).

      More about me →

      Featured In

      Urban Bliss Life Press Featured In graphic

      Game Day Recipes

      • Air Fryer Potato Skins Recipe
      • Best Instant Pot Turkey Chili Recipe
      • Creamy Dairy Free Queso Dip
      • Instant Pot BBQ Ribs with Homemade BBQ Sauce

      New Recipes

      • Chocolate Rice Krispies
      • Lobster Pasta
      • 40+ Low Carb Air Fryer Recipes
      • Air Fryer Garlic Bread

      New Travel Tips

      • Best Bangkok Temples
      • Best Pad Thai in Bangkok
      • Brazen Banff
      • Best Things to Do in Banff
      • Twitter
      • Facebook
      • Pinterest
      • Instagram
      • YouTube

      Footer

      ↑ back to top

      logos of media outlets that have featured urban bliss life.

      Recipes

      • 30-Minute Meals
      • 5-Ingredients
      • Air Fryer
      • Asian
      • Dairy-Free
      • Pasta
      • Seafood

      About

      • About
      • FAQs
      • Privacy & Accessibility Policy
      • Terms & Conditions

      Contact

      • Contact
      • Work with me

      As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
      Copyright © 2022 Urban Bliss Life

      All rights reserved. You may not use any photos or recipes on this site for any personal or commercial use without my express written permission.