FORIMMEDIATERELEASEMediaContact: KristinJackson,JacksonINKkristin@jacksonink.net808-428-1625FOURTHANNUALHONOLULUEKIDENANDMUSICFESTIVALTOBEHELD

ONMAY22,2016

AnnualRaceBringsThousandsofRunnersandCulminatesWithStar-StuddedConcertattheWaikikiShell

HONOLULU–February17,2016:TheHonoluluEkidenFoundationinvitesyouto“HoʻohuiPaʻani”or“Beunitedinplay”attheFourthAnnualHonoluluEkidenandMusicFestival.Lastyear,theFoundationbroughtover1000runnersofallagestogetherforamarathonrelayraceandmusicfestival,andonceagainwelcomesrunnerstoregisterforits2016eventonMay22nd.

TheHonoluluEkidenandMusicFestivalculminatesinastar-studdedconcertattheWaikikiShell,includinginternationalsuperstargroupMAGIC!,whosesmashhit“Rude”hastoppedthechartsineightcountries.Thethrillinglineupalsoincludestheall-girlpop-rockbandsensationSCANDAL.

Participantsoftherelayareencouragedtoregisterintwotosix-memberteamsbeforeMay16.TheregistrationfeeincludesparticipationintheEkidenraceandadmissiontothenighttimemusicfestivalattheWaikikiShell(ticketsarefirstcomefirstserveforthefirst2,000participants).

TheHonoluluEkidenandMusicFestivalistheonlyofitskindinHawaii,bringingJapanʻsEkidentraditionofamarathon-lengthrelayracetotheislands.InancientJapan,theEkidenwasamethodtopassalongimportantnewsfromprovincestothecapitalwithmultiplemessengerscompletingdifferentsegmentsofthejourney.Todaytheeventsymbolizesteamworkandcooperationtoachieveacommongoal,withracesheldthroughoutJapan.

Itisthegoalofthe2016EkidentopromotetourismtotheIslands,fosterculturalunderstandingbetweentheresidentsofHawaiiandJapanandprovideawayforfriends,co-workers,runningandmilitarygroupstogetherinaracethatfostersteamwork,competitionandmostimportantlyfun.

“EkidenracesareverypopularinJapan,wheretheybringpeopletogetherforfriendlycompetition.OurgoalistobringsomeofthatgoodwilltoHawaiianddevelopastrongerrelationshipbetweenthepeopleofHawaiiandJapan,”saidHonoluluEkidenFoundationSecretaryJonNakata.“Formany,afullmarathonmightbetoomuchofachallenge,butnow,participantscanformateamandcompletetheracewithfriends,familyorco-workers.”

EventDetails

The26.2mileracewillstartandendatKapiolaniParkandwillfeaturesixsegments,witheachmembercompletingoneormorelegsoftherace,thenhandingoffasashtobewornbythenextracer.Prizeswillbeawardedtothetopfinishersinfifteendivisions,includingyouth,highschool,university/college,corporate,Heroes,familyandkamaʻaina.

AswithEkidenracesinJapan,localvolunteerswillencouragerunnersatthestations,addingtothefunandexcitementoftheevent.

ImmediatelyfollowingtheEkidenracefromapproximately9:00a.m.–12:30p.m.everyoneisinvitedtounwindandrechargeaswecontinueto“HoʻohuiPaʻani”withanentertainmentfestival.AnexcitingvarietyofHawaiianandJapaneseentertainmentwilltakeplaceattheKapiolaniBandstand,adjacenttotheEkidenfinishline.Theawardsceremonywillstartapproximatelyat10:30a.m.

ThefestivitiesattheWaikikiShellkickoff4:45p.m.withawelcome.Theconcertbeginsat5:45p.m.withaspeciallocalguestartisttobeannounced,followedbytheperformancesofSCANDALandMAGIC!Formoreinformationvisitwww.hnlekiden.orgortopurchaseticketsfortheconcertonly,visitwww.ticketmaster.com.

RaceDetails

TeamEntryFees Until5/16 5/17–5/21

• 2-personteam $120 $140 • 3-personteam $180 $210 • 4-personteam $240 $280 • 5-personteam $285 $335 • 6-personteam $300 $360

RaceFormat

The26.2-milecourseisdividedintosixsections.Relayteamscanconsistoftwotosixparticipants.Theracewillbeginwiththefirstmemberoftheteamatthestartlinewearingtheteamsash.Therewillbethreerelaystationstodelineateeachsectionoftherace,whereteammembersmusttransferthesashtothepersonwhowillcompletethenextsection.Forteamswithfewerthansixmembers,eachmembermaycompletemorethanonesection.However,multiplesectionsmustbecompletedconsecutivelybythesameperson(i.e.,runner#1cancompletesections1and2,butnot1and3).Everysashcontainsanelectronicchipthatwillregisterateachrelaystation.Teamsmustcompletesections1,2,and3withinthreehours;thereafter,sections4,5,and6musteachbecompletedwithinanhour.Thus,themaximumalloweddurationtocompletetheentirecourseissixhours.

EkidenSchedule

• 4a.m.–Assembleatstartingline

• 5:30a.m.–Racestart

“Ho’ohuiPa’ani”(be“unitedinplay”)

• 9:00a.m.–12:30p.m.

• 10:30a.m.–AwardsCeremony

ConcertSchedule

• 4:45p.m.–GatesOpen

• 5:45p.m.–Concertbegins

Formoreinformationortoregister,pleasevisitwww.hnlekiden.org.

Runnersmustpickupracedayinformationpacketsandsashesforteamentrantsatthe2016HonoluluEkidenExpo,heldonMay21stattheHawaiiConventionCenter,3rdfloorfrom10:00a.m.–5:00p.m.LateregistrationwillbeacceptedonMay21,2016.

AboutHonoluluEkidenFoundation

TheHonoluluEkidenFoundationwasformedonJan.3,2013topromotetheadvancementofpeaceandsocialwelfareamongpeopleinthePacificRim,includingHawaiiandJapaninparticular,throughamateursportsandculturalactivities.TheEkidenandconcertwillproviderecreation,exercise,entertainment,culturalexchange,andaneconomicboosttothelocalcommunity.

AboutMAGIC!

Asonehalfofthein-demandwritingandproductionduoTheMessengers,GrammyAward-winningsongwriterandproducerNasrihaspennedmusicforeverybodyfromJustinBieberandPitbulltoChrisBrownandChristinaAguilera.HegarneredaGrammyAwardinthecategoryof"BestR&BAlbum"forChrisBrown'sF.A.M.E.in2012.HehasnowformedabandwithMarkPelli,drummerAlexTanasandbassistBenSpivaktocreateasoundthatcombinesreggae,rock,pop,

andalittlesoul.ThatsounddistillsCaribbeanflavor,arena-sizebombast,andglisteningmelodiesintoanundeniablyintoxicatingmusicalpotion.ThisisMAGIC!

"IwanteverybodytojoinusonthisMAGIC!adventure,"saysNasri."It'sastressfultimeoutthere,andpeoplearestrugglingtofindhopeinbalance.Thismusicismeanttoputyouinagoodmood.Wewanttobringpeopletogethertohaveagoodtime.It'snotaboutus.It'saboutthemusic.Wewantyoutobeapartofthatenergyandapositivemusicalworld."

AboutSCANDAL

SCANDALwasformedinAugust2006byfourhighschoolgirls–Haruna,Mami,Tomomi,andRina,whometinanOsakavocalanddanceschoolcalledCaless.TheystartedthrillingliveaudienceseveryweekendatShiroteninOsakaCastlePark.Soon,theystartedgettingoffersfromclubsinOsakaandKyoto.

In2008,theyreleasedthreesinglesandamini-albumwhileperformingshowsintheUnitedStates,France,andHongKong.ThatOctober,Scandalreleasedtheirmajordebutsingle,"Doll",underEpicRecordsJapan.Thebandhasperformedthethemesongsformanyanime,including"ShōjoS"and"Harukaze"forBleachand"ShunkanSentimental."forFullmetalAlchemist:Brotherhood.Withnumerousoverseasperformancesandanimethemesongs,Scandalhasbuiltaconsiderableinternationalfanbase.