A seventh annual Joy of Sake event will take place in Honolulu later this summer. The event celebrates the art of sake brewing and will feature tastings of more than 250 premium sakes.

Those attending will be able to taste the full spectrum of sake styles in the junmai, ginjo, daiginjo and kimoto categories, including recipients of silver and gold awards from the U.S. National Sake Appraisal, a rigorous blind tasting conducted by 10 judges from the U.S. and Japan held every year in Honolulu prior to The Joy of Sake.

The U.S. National Sake Appraisal in Honolulu and The Joy of Sake events in all three locations are sponsored by the International Sake Association. Top restaurants serve appetizers to complement the sakes, featuring a variety of cuisines.

The Joy of Sake traveled to San Francisco for the first time in 2003 and to New York in 2004. It has been held in each city every year since 2004.

The event will be held Aug. 23 at the Hawai'i Convention Center. Tickets are $65 in advance, $70 at the door (if available) and may be ordered online at www.joyofsake.com or by calling 739-1000.