A Sunday in the country with refreshing food and drink may be just the tonic for the hustle and bustle of living in and around metropolitan Honolulu.
It is what Hawaii Polo Club has offered for more than 50 years in Mokuleia, and, far from the exclusivity often associated with the sport of kings, attendees can bring their kids, their grills, coolers, beach gear and more. Flavorful plates and drinks are also offered for sale.
The summer polo season has begun on the North Shore, and every Sunday through Sept. 4, the Mokuleia club will host afternoon polo matches with performances by popular Hawaii musicians to follow. Hoku Award-winning musician and HAPA co-founder Barry Flanagan performs Sunday.
HAWAII POLO CLUB Where: 68-411 Farrington Highway, Waialua
When: 1:30 p.m. Sundays; gates open at 11 a.m.
Cost: $12 for 16 and older, keiki free.
Info: hawaii-polo.org or 220-5153
“It’s cheaper than going to the movies,” said Mark Tarone, Hawaii Polo Club’s co-director of the attendee experience.
Lulu’s Mexican Grill, by Lulu Esquivel, is “our season-long restaurant that’s on-site,” Tarone said.
Dishes offered include ceviche of marinated ono with Waialua tomatoes, jalapenos, cilantro and Maui onions, as well as carnitas tostadas and mango salsa.
The club has a bar offering its signature Summer Breeze cocktail, made with dark and white Koloa Rum and cold-pressed pineapple, apple, and other juices from Juic’d Life, which also serves its own offerings in the vendor area, near the 50-yard line.
Award-winning Il Gelato, with locations in Kahala Mall and the North Shore Marketplace in Haleiwa, also has a booth serving up its chilly, refreshing, handcrafted gelatos and sorbets.
“It’s a perfect summer treat. We’re happy to have Il Gelato there,” Tarone said.
While organizers encourage attendees to support the locally based food vendors, “tailgating is fully welcomed,” Tarone said. Many families come, park on the ocean side of the field and set up their grills and coolers, and enjoy the beach. The polo grounds now have a new outdoor shower for guests to use after a swim in the “calm water where the ocean meets the beach.”
The season will move from Summer Breeze to another theme in July, during which the sights, sounds and flavors of Hawaii’s paniolo, or cowboy, culture will be honored. August and September bring about the Sustainable Harvest theme, intended to showcase factors that make Oahu’s North Shore a leader in sustainability culture, Tarone said.
Aside from weekend matches, the Hawaii Polo Club also offers horseback rides as well as polo lessons.
