Spring break may be over, and even if students didn’t get to travel to an exotic location, they still have a chance to get a taste of paradise right on Creighton’s campus.

Creighton’s Hui O Hawaii club is hosting its annual Lu’au Saturday, and this year’s event is going to be bigger than any in past years.

Arts & Sciences senior and president of Hui O Hawaii Shara Mahoe said the purpose of the club and the Lu’au is to create a home and a sense of community for Hawaiian students on campus.

“With the club, it’s a home away from home for the Hawaiian students. We have over 250 [Hawaiian students] altogether,” Mahoe said. “We’re also inclusive for others to come and learn about our culture with the Lu’au.”

Mahoe said the Lu’au is the biggest event of the year for the club and it’s an opportunity to incorporate the different cultures of Hawaii and expose students to Hawaiian culture.

“We’ve been preparing for this since last year, the day after last year’s Lu’au,” Mahoe said.

Jolie Ku’ulei Brehm, Arts & Sciences senior and Lu’au chair, said the event is more significant this year and is themed “Kanawai Ho’olilo Moku’aina,” which means “Celebrating Hawaii’s Statehood.”

“This year marks the 50th year of Hawaii becoming a state, so we figured it was the best time to do it,” Brehm said.

The event will be held in the Kiewit Fitness Center gymnasium. The club is expecting nearly 1,000 attendees and is planning on filling four courts in the gym.

Hui O Hawaii collected donations and sponsorships from various businesses and families from Hawaii and around Omaha to help fund the event.

The Lu’au features Henry Ahloo, a Hawaiian chef who is flown in every year, who prepares 14 different entrees for the guests.

This is Ahloo’s sixth year as chef for this event.

Hawaiian-Asian foods are featured, including pineapple and cake for desserts. The guests are allowed unlimited amounts of food. Following the dinner, the entertainment show begins.

The Lu’au features many different types of dances and performances, including Polynesian, Samoan and Maori (from New Zeleand).

Kailene Dela Cruz, Arts & Sciences senior and executive assistant of Hui O Hawaii, said the show is preformed by Creighton students and involves the crowd.

“Creighton students perform during the show and they’re not just from Hawaii – anybody can do it. There are people who are not from the club who are still performing the Lu’au,” Cruz said. “We give everybody the chance to participate in the cooking, dancing and decorations.

“We’re very exclusive and inclusive. We bring them out and then bring them in.”

Mahoe said the event has been popular for many years and is a great opportunity for families and students to experience Hawaiian culture first-hand through authentic food and dance.

“There’s something for everyone. We get a lot [of people] from the outside community who contact us about coming and they bring their kids,” Mahoe said.

“We call it a ‘family’ event because not only do we put it on as a family, but it’s open for families to come.”

In addition to the dinner and show, there will be a silent auction that features a free Sheraton Hotel stay for three days and also baskets of authentic Hawaiian items.

The Center for Student Integrity is giving away tickets to the Lu’au for free, but tickets are expected to go fast.

If students are not able to get tickets from the CSI, they will be on sale through Friday in the Skutt Student Center by the fireplace from 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and in Brandeis Hall from 5-7 p.m. or until tickets are sold out.

The doors open at 4 p.m. on Saturday and the dinner begins at 5:15 p.m. in the KFC gymnasium.