This week brings Earth Day, and this weekend brings the 8th annual Grow Hawaiian Festival at Bishop Museum. The free event features native Hawaiian culture and native plants, and teaches families about conservation and sustainability.

The festival got its start over a decade ago on the Big Island, hosted at the museum's Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden in Captain Cook. But it found a home in Honolulu in 2006, and a lead sponsor in Hawaiian Electric. On April 25, the three-acre Great Lawn at Bishop Museum will again put the spotlight on the plants of Hawaii, with a popular plant sale by Hui Ku Maoli Ola, and a plant clinic staffed by the Oahu Master Gardener program at UH.

Saturday's keynote presentation will be by the Polynesian Voyaging Society, which will cover the plants being carried on the voyage, as well as provide an update on the Hokulea and Hikianalia as they continue on the Mālama Honua worldwide voyage.

Just in case plants aren't quite enough to keep kids occupied, there will be art and craft demonstrations by several Hawaiian artisans, including lei making, lauhala weaving, jewelry making, kapa making, and more. And for tired and aching adults, there'll be traditional lomilomi massages by Pa Ola Hawaii. Shoppers can get their fix at the farmer's market and a showcase of made-in-Hawaii products.

Everyone can enjoy live music and entertainment, including performances by Kupaoa and Natalie Ai Kamauu, and hula from Ke Kai O Kahiki and Halau Na Pualei O Likolehua. And there will be plenty of food options, from Lanai Tabura's famous "Aloha Plate" truck to Mark Kaahaaina's culinary creations from Waianae (with dessert from Ono Pops and Kettle Corn Hawaii).

A number of local non-profit and community groups will be represented, sharing the many ways they work to perpetuate Hawaiian culture. And, of course, Hawaiian Electric will be on hand with exhibits on clean energy, energy conservation, and electrical safety.

If all that wasn't enough, the rest of the Bishop Museum's many exhibits will also be open to all.

The 8th annual Grow Hawaiian Festival runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, 2015 at Bishop Museum (1525 Bernice Street). Admission is free for Hawaii residents and military families (with valid ID). Parking is always tight, but in addition to the museum lot, additional parking will be provided at Farrington High School, Kapalama Elementary School, Damien Memorial High School and the Hawaii Carpenters’ Union.

For more information on the event, visit the Grow Hawaiian Festival page on the HECO website, or connect with the company on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram.

Photos courtesy Hawaiian Electric.