Honolulu Events
- Overview
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January
Queen
Emma’s Birth
Held in
early January
Location:
Queen Emma’s Summer Palace
808-595-2167
Admission
Free
Queen
Emma’s Summer Palace, managed by the Daughters of Hawaii, will be open to the
public for tours.
Sony
Open in Hawaii
Held in
mid January
Location:
Waialae Country Club
808-742-7669
Admission
Charged
Come to
Hawaii for this exciting season launch event, a tournament that brings together
top-notch competitors and the stunning tropical splendor of the 50th state. A
week long event for visitors, Hawaii residents and TV viewers all over the world
to enjoy.
Annual
Korean Festival
Held in
mid January
Location:
Kapiolani Park in Waikiki
808-524-7441
Admission
Free
Hawaii
Korean Chamber of Commerce presents its annual Korean Festival at Kapiolani Park
in Waikiki. Experience Korea's many sights, sounds and flavors. There is
something for everyone including food from Korean restaurants, cooking
demonstrations and live entertainment including traditional and contemporary
Korean music and dance.
Aloha
State Square & Round Dance Festival
Held in
late January
Location:
Ala Wai Golf Course Ballrooms
808-672-3646
Square
Dancers from all around the world join with Hawaii dancers to enjoy a week of
"Friendship Set to Music". Events on the island of Oahu include a luau, local
dancing, festival workshops, evening dances, and whale watching cruise. Mainland
callers & cuers will lead the festival events.
Whales
Tails and Sunset, Stargazing Sails
Held late
January – early February
808-306-7273
Admission
Charged
Sail on a
42 ft. private catamaran on coastline noted for its clear, warm skies,
stargazing, and humpback whales. A quest to experience nature's most awesome
sights - a Hawaiian sunset, the full moon's path across the water, and possibly
humpback whales, along with viewing of the major constellations and planets.
February
Valentine’s Day Special at the Polynesian Cultural Center
Held on or
around Valentine’s Day
Location:
Polynesian Cultural Center
800-367-7060
Admission
Charged
La'ie
lights up with a romantic setting under the stars at the Polynesian Cultural
Center featuring North Shore dining and entertainment like no other.
February
NFL Pro
Bowl
Held in
mid February
Location:
Aloha Stadium
212-450-2000 (NFL)
Admission
Charged
The best
players at their positions from the AFC face their counterparts from the NFC in
the Leagues All-Star Game NFL Pro Bowl at the Aloha Stadium. Game time is
2:30pm.
Whale
Tails, Chocolates and Champagne Sunset Sail
Held on
Valentine’s Day
808-306-7273
Admission
Charged
Sail
takes place on a 42 ft. private catamaran on leeward coastline noted for its
clear, warm skies, phenomenal in views of constellations and planets.
The Great
Aloha Run, Family Health, Fitness & Sports Expo
Held in
mid February
Location:
Neal Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall
808-945-3594
Admission
Free to registered runners, charge for others
One of
Hawaii's largest community celebrations of health, fitness & sports; the Great
Aloha Run has an event for everyone in the family and culminates on Monday with
the Annual Great Aloha Run from Aloha Tower to Aloha Stadium with entertainment
along the route and at the finish.
Keiki
Great Aloha Fun Run & Circus Party
Held in
mid February
808-732-2835
Admission
Charged
The
approx. 1 1/2 mi. course is open to children 12 years and under. Adults must
register with children under 5 years of age. Fun Run starts at 8:30 a.m.
starting from the NBC Exhibition Hall entrance facing Ward Ave. (Great Aloha Run
Family Health, Fitness & Sports Expo), then around McKinley High School and
ending at the West Concourse driveway (parallel to Ward Ave.) of the NBC
Exhibition Hall. After the fun run, children will enjoy extreme fun inflatables,
entertainment, snacks and refreshments.
Aloha
International Spirit Championships
Held in
mid February
Location:
Waikiki Shell
800-840-4772
Admission
Charged
Cheerleading and dance teams from all over the world will compete at the
beautiful Waikiki Shell.
Volcano
Party Festival
Held in
late February
Location:
Varies throughout Honolulu
808-242-4900
Volcano
Party Festival is a fundraiser for Maui AIDS Foundation. This event is a 3 day
weekend of dance parties at various locations in Honolulu.
March
Annual
Dance Concert
Held in
early – mid March
Location:
Honolulu
808-956-7655
Admission
Charged
A large
cast of UHM dance students/community members perform in this blend of artistry,
athleticism, dynamism, and energy. The program closes with a collaboration of
UHM's resident faculty members employing a variety of flying and climbing
apparatus to accentuate the beauty of motion in space.
Annual
Hawai’I Invitational International Music Festival
Held mid –
late March
Location:
Throughout Honolulu
800-448-2374
Admission
Free
High
school, junior high, college band and pageantry units perform in competition for
two weeks in Waikiki. Free concerts at Kapiolani Bandstand, plus the Annual
"Salute to Youth" parade held at sunset on Kalakaua Avenue starting at Ft.
DeRussy.
Annual
Easter Sunrise Service
Held on
Easter Sunday, usually late March – early April
Location:
Held at the National Cemetery of the Pacific
(Punchbowl) at 6:15 a.m.
Gates
open at 4:30 a.m. Parking is available in the Crater. A special bus makes two
trips from Waikiki.
April
Hawaii
Scottish Festival
Usually
held in early April
Location:
Honolulu and surrounding area
808-262-7550
Highland games and athletics! Men's and women's competition and
prizes, entertainment: Piping, music, song & dance, plus traditional food and
vendors.
Annual
Hawaii Music Award
Usually
held in early April
Location:
Honolulu
808-951-7550
Admission
Charged
A
spectacular night of entertainment, music, awards and comedy. The annual
fundraising event for the Music Foundation of Hawaii, a nonprofit organization
in support of music in the schools. Hawaii's top entertainers, musicians and
celebrities perform a variety of music to include Traditional Hawaiian, Island
Music, Jazz, Rock, Latin, Classical, Country Music.
Aloha
Marlin Golf Tournament
Usually
held mid – late April
Location:
Varies by year
408-828-2302
Admission
Charged
A unique,
interactive travel experience pairing participants with their favorite NFL
Celebrities.
Shakespeare’s Birthday Bash
Held in
late April
Location:
Kennedy Theatre Main stage
808-956-7655
Admission
Free
Terence
Knapp celebrates the Bard's birthday with readings, songs and stories.
Hawaii
Quilt Guild Annual Exhibition
Held late
April – early May
Location:
Honolulu
808-532-8700
The
Academy Art Center presents the best new quilts by contemporary Hawaiian
quilters. Always a popular exhibition, this quilt show is one of the biggest in
Hawaii. Sponsored by the Hawaii Quilt Guild.
May
Annual
Dolphin Convocation
Usually
occurs in early May
808-330-2502
Each
year, during this time, huge numbers of dolphins (millions) gather in the waters
between Bali and Lombok islands, Indonesia swimming in a gigantic wheel or
spiral pattern. No one knows exactly why this happens. In Hawaii, similar
occurrences take place (although usually "only" in the numbers of 100-200
spinner dolphins) during the same time. Join a marine biologist team to venture
out and look for any correlations in Hawaiian waters in the spring.
Lei Day
at the Polynesian Cultural Center
Held in
early May
Location:
Polynesian Cultural Center
800-367-7060
Admission
Charged
May Day
is Lei Day in Hawaii and the Polynesian Cultural Center welcomes lei makers from
around the islands to show off their handiwork in a lei exhibit and competition.
Check out the islands finest or bring your own and see how you place.
The
Samoa Festival at the Polynesian Cultural Center
Held in
mid May
Location:
Polynesian Cultural Center
Admission
Charged
The
Annual Samoa Festival highlights the culture of Samoa through demonstrations,
performances in the Samoan village at the PCC. It features a high school and
college arts festival on Saturday, which allows local Samoan clubs to compete in
coconut husking, basket weaving, and banana peeling, as well as Samoan
oratorical skills, their ability to play the music, and to perform traditional
dances. A highlight of the festival is the annual World Fire knife Dance
Competition.
Annual
World Fire Knife Dance Championships
Held mid
May
Location:
Polynesian Cultural Center
Admission
Charged
Fire
lights up the night in Laie once again as the Polynesian Cultural Center holds
its annual test of champions in the World Fire knife Dance Competition.
Competitors from around the world vie for the title of world's best. See who can
brave the flaming nifo'oti while twisting, turning and innovating routines never
seen before. Tickets go fast, so make reservations early.
Great
Hawaii Jazz and Blues Blowout
Usually
held in mid May
Location:
Kapiolani Community College
808-734-0397
Admission
Charged
The
annual Great Hawaii Jazz and Blues BlowOut features Hawaii’s top jazz musicians
and vocalists.
June
Statue
Decoration Ceremonies Ali’iolani Hale
Held in
mid June
Location:
Honolulu Civic Center
808-586-0333
Admission
Free
The
statue of King Kamehameha I, in the Honolulu Civic Center, is decorated with 13
foot floral leis, which are created on site throughout the day by volunteers.
Music and Hula performances add to the colorful display.
Annual
Pan-Pacific Festival
Held in
mid June
Location:
Kalakaua Avenue, Waikiki
Admission
Free
Waikiki's
famous Kalakaua Avenue hosts a parade and ho'olaule'a (block party). Get set for
a rollicking good time at the block party, with entertainers from Japan and
Hawaii on five stages, street performers, ethnic food booths and more.
Annual
King Kamehameha Celebration Floral Parade
Held in
mid June
Location:
On the streets of Honolulu
808-586-0333
Admission
Free
The
colorful floral floats, glamorous Pa`u riders, outstanding marching bands
traverse the streets of Honolulu beginning at King and Richards Streets,
Punchbowl Street, onto Ala Moana Boulevard, merging into Kalakaua Avenue, ending
at the Queen Kapiolani Park.
Annual
Pan-Pacific Festival - Hula
Held in
mid June
Location:
Ala Moana Shopping Center
808-926-8177
Admission
Free
Come see
hula performers from Japan perform, along with some local hula halaus (schools).
Annual
Pan-Pacific Festival - Culture
Held in
mid June
Location:
Kapiolani Park
808-926-8177
Admission
Free
Under the
blue skies at Kapiolani Park, enjoy demonstrations and exhibitions of Japanese
and Hawaiian culture, comparing and contrasting the two. Enjoy mask-making,
mochi and poi pounding, shamisen and ukulele instrumental corner, traditional
Japanese dance, hula, costumes, Mikoshi and other attractions!
Annual
Pan-Pacific Festival – Ground Golf Hawaiian Open
Held in
mid June
Location:
Ala Moana Park
Admission
Charged
Come see
a friendly competition of Ground Golf. In this simplified version of Golf, the
scores of the top three players of each team determine the winner. Enjoy
watching teams from Japan and Hawaii battle for the championship of this leisure
sport.
Annual
Pan-Pacific Festival – Hawaiian Half Marathon
Held in
mid June
Location:
Race begins at Magic Island
808-926-8177
Admission
Charged to run, free to watch
This half
marathon starts off at 5AM at Magic Island, goes through Waikiki, around Diamond
Head, and finishes at Kapiolani Park, for a scenic, challenging run. Length is
13 miles, and the course is USATF certified. The fun run/walk is 5 miles long,
which is two laps around Kapiolani Park.
Annual
Pan-Pacific Festival – Parade
Held in
mid June
Location:
Begins on Dalakaua Avenue
Admission
Free
This is
the Grand Finale of the Pan-Pacific Festival--Matsuri in Hawaii, wrapping up the
three day event.
Annual
Pacific Coast & Annual Deaf Women’s Bowling Association
Held in
mid June
Location:
Leeward Bowl/Aiea Bown
808-836-6204 or 808-671-6205
Admission
Charged to bowl, free to watch
The
Hawaii Silent Bowlers host the Pacific Coast Deaf Bowling Tourney in Honolulu.
Annual
King Kamehameha Hula Competition
Held in
late June
808-536-6540
Call for
additional information
An
international cultural event which features dance schools from the continental
U.S., Hawaii and Japan. Dancers compete in both traditional and contemporary
hula styles. Categories include male groups, female groups, combined groups,
kupuna wahine (senior women) and individual chanters. Colorful event featuring
as many as 500 dancers accompanied by live music by the best of island
musicians.
Annual
Taste of Honolulu
Held in
late June
Location:
Honolulu Civic Center
808-536-1015
Admission
Charged
Easter
Seals Hawai`i and the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation celebrate the Taste
of Honolulu. Taste of Honolulu is one of Hawaii’s largest outdoor food, wine,
and entertainment festivals. Many of Hawaii’s top restaurants participate. There
are many fun and educational activities, cooking demonstrations, and non-stop
local entertainment. Scrip is sold for tasting portions.
July
4th
of July Annual Sunset Sail – Wild Dolphin Foundation Fundraiser
Held on
the 4th of July
Location:
Varies
808-306-7273
Admission
Charged
The boat
departs just before dusk to capture the glorious sunset. This annual fundraising
event also allows one to view the major summer constellations and planets.
Annual
Te Mahana Hiro’a O Tahiti Festival
Held in
mid July
Location:
Polynesian Cultural Center
Admission
Charged
Drums and
dances of the islands of Tahiti are featured in this exciting celebration at the
Polynesian Cultural Center. Keiki (children) from around the islands will
compete in the dance and drumming competition that draws both locals and
visitors alike.
Paradise Ride – Hawaii’s Ride to Stop AIDS
Usually
held in mid July
Location:
Honolulu
808-285-9866
Admission
Charged
The
Paradise Ride is Hawaii’s fully supported, multi-island cycling adventure that
gives participants the opportunity to visit some of the most scenic sites in
Hawaii and share in the true feelings of aloha while raising funds for critical
HIV/AIDS services. Meals, transportation, safety and mechanical support, and
entertainment are all provided during a week on two wheels. This grass-roots
event is collaboratively produced by the staffs, friends, and volunteers of Life
Foundation on Oahu, Maui AIDS Foundation, and Malama Pono – Kaua`i AIDS Project.
August
Annual
Whakataetae Maori Song & Dance Competition
Held in
early August
Location:
Polynesian Cultural Center
Admission
Charged
Join the
Polynesian Cultural Center as it celebrates the Maori culture with the annual
Whakataetae Festival. Don't miss this unique glimpse into the culture of New
Zealand's people.
September
Ceremony Commemorating the Anniversary of the End of World War II
Usually
held in early September
808-423-0405
Call for
additional information
The USS
Missouri Memorial Association, caretaker of the Mighty Mo holds a ceremony
commemorating the anniversary of the end of World War II. The war ended on the
deck of the USS Missouri on Sept. 2, 1945, when representatives of 10 nations,
including U.S. General Douglas MacArthur, assembled on her deck in Tokyo Bay,
Japan, to receive the surrender documents from Japanese officials.
Girl
Fest Hawaii
Held in
early – mid September
808-599-3931
Call for
additional information
Girl Fest
Hawaii a non-profit multimedia festival incorporates dance, spoken word, visual
art, music concerts, workshops, a film festival, and a panel/lecture series. The
mission is to prevent violence against women and girls through education and
entertainment.
October
Ghost
Ship
Held on
Holloween
808-306-7273
Admission
Charged
A local
storyteller transforms a serene night boat trip into a Ghost Ship! Hear local
legends and "chicken-skin" stories. Proceeds donated to the Wild Dolphin
Foundation.
Hydrofest-Pearl Harbor
Usually
held in mid October
Location:
Pearl Harbor
808-471-0818
Admission
Charged
Annual
hydroplane races, events, food, rides.
November
Hawaii
International Film Festival
Usually
held in mid November
808-528-FILM
Admission
Charged
100 films
from 150 countries, awards.
World Invitational Hula Festival
Usually
held in mid November
Location:
Waikiki Shell
808-436-3185
Admission
Charged
Soloists
and hula halau (hula groups) compete from Europe, Asia, Guam, the Mainland and
Hawaii.
Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Series
Dates vary
in November
Location:
Alii Beach Park in Haleiwa
808-638-7266
Admission
Charged
Starts
with the G-Shock Hawaiian Pro-Men and Women’s Division and Longboard
Championships.
December
Annual
Honolulu City Lights
Held the
month of December
Location:
Honolulu Hale
808-523-4674
Admission
Free
The
Honolulu City Lights are spectacular and a holiday season tradition! The city's
65-foot Norfolk Island pine is lighted at Honolulu Hale. Light Parade, concerts,
indoor Christmas trees and wreaths are all part of the festivities.
Honolulu Marathon
Date
varies in December
Location:
Race begins in Waikiki
808-734-7200
Admission
Charged to run, free to watch
26.2 mile
race from Waikiki to Diamond Head. One of the country’s largest marathon events.
Aloha Bowl Football Classic
Held in
late December
Location:
Aloha Stadium
808-956-6501
Admission
Charged
First
Night Honolulu Party
Held on
New Year’s Eve
Location:
Honolulu
First
Night Honolulu is an alcohol-free party with over 250 events at 75 stages
