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2011 Featured Events
Come dance, sing, eat and be merry at one of Oahu’s many festivals and events this year! Whether you want to immerse yourself into Oahu’s unique arts and culture scene, sway to a distinctly island rhythm or whet your palate with the tastes of Hawaii, there is something for everyone to enjoy on Oahu, the true Gathering Place of Hawaii. Below is a listing of notable festivals and events (all are subject to change without notice, please check organization sites and contact for further information):
Saturday, April 30, 2011
9th Annual Waikiki SPAM Jam
The Waikiki SPAM® Jam is an exciting annual street festival that takes place on Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki. The event celebrates the unusually high consumption of SPAM® in Hawaii and features a variety of Honolulu’s finest restaurants serving up SPAM®-inspired creations. Two entertainment stages provide non-stop entertainment ranging from hula dancers to local musicians, and the event even includes a “Mr. or Mrs. SPAM®” contest to honor the most SPAM®-crazed fan on Oahu. Proceeds from the event benefit the Hawaii Food Bank.
www.spamjamhawaii.com
May 1, 2011
Lei Day Celebration
On May 1, a celebration including entertainment, food booths and a lei making contest takes place at the beautiful Queen Kapiolani Park and Bandstand in Waikiki and is followed by an honoring of Hawaii’s alii at Mauna Ala and Kawaiahao on May 2. This year marks the 82nd anniversary of the celebration of Lei Day in Hawaii. www.honoluluparks.gov
Mid-May
Annual World Fire Knife Competition
Competitors from around the world come to the Polynesian Cultural Center every year to vie for the title of world’s best fire knife dancer. See who can brave the flaming nifooti while twisting, turning and performing innovative routines never seen before. The stunning visual displays keep spectators on the edge of their seats.
www.polynesia.com (808) 293-3333
May 15, 2011
Honolulu Triathlon
Triathletes from around the world visit Oahu each May to compete in the Honolulu Triathlon. The triathlon features 1.5K swim, 40K bike and 10K run courses that begin and end at Ala Moana Park. Events leading up to the triathlon include “Hustle Up the Hyatt Stair Race” and a short-distance kid’s triathlon at Kapiolani Park in Waikiki. www.HonoluluTriathlon.com
Wahiawā Pineapple Festival
Join the local community at the Annual Wahiawā Pineapple Festival and discover the rich history of pineapple in Wahiawa and Hawaii. Highlights include delectable cuisine by renowned Chef Alan Wong, pineapple-themed recipes from Roy’s Restaurants and 3660 on the Rise, and trolley tours of Wahiawa town.
www.hawaiipineapplefestival.com or (808) 227-8229
Hawaii Food & Wine Paradise
Enjoy a four day gourmet getaway. Local and visiting chefs, winemakers and spirit experts come together to create a epicurean fantasy for guests as they experience one-of-a-kind culinary events including romantic luncheons, Hawaiian beach-side barbeques, food and wine luncheon panel, and a banquet under the Hawaiian Moon.
www.hawaiifoodandwineparadise.com
May 30, 2011 - Memorial Day
Lantern Floating Ceremony
Every year on Memorial Day, thousands of people gather together at Magic Island at Ala Moana Beach Park to honor ancestors and loved ones who have passed away. More than 1,100 candle-lit lanterns are set afloat on the ocean, a traditional Buddhist rite originating in Japan. The ceremony also combines the local culture of hula with the Japanese Shomyo Choir and Taiko drums.
www.lanternfloatinghawaii.com
June 10 – 12, 2011
Pan Pacific Festival-Matsuri in Hawaii
This special three-day celebration begins with Hawaiian festivities on Friday evening, including a block party where last year, more than 40,000 people enjoyed the entertainment and food. The celebration includes a hula festival held at Ala Moana Center, where spectators have the rare opportunity to see hula groups from Japan perform with Hawaiian hula hālau. The event culminates with a grand parade along Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki.
www.pan-pacific-festival.com or (808) 926-8177
Garlic & Ginger Festival of Hawaii
Formerly known as the Garlic Festival of Hawaii, this event also features ginger, a locally grown product. Many great restaurants – Roy’s, Sansei, Waikiki Parc, Side Street Inn, Dynasty, Gordon Biersch, Tropic Diner, Pacific Club, and 3660 On the Rise provide some of their most delicious dishes. Highlights of the festival include garlic ice cream, garlic massages, a wine tent, martini bar, Budweiser station, silent auction, a fresh produce tent, Garlic & Ginger Lover’s Store, and logo items. The event benefits the American Red Cross-Hawaii Chapter and Palama Settlement. http://garlicfestivalhawaii.com or (808) 545-4195
Annual King Kamehameha Floral Parade
This colorful celebration honors the reign of King Kamehameha, who was responsible for uniting the Hawaiian Islands under his rule in 1795. The parade features brightly decorated floats, energetic marching bands and traditional pau riders, who represent a Hawaiian royal court on horseback. The parade traverses the streets of Honolulu, from Downtown through Waikiki, and ends with an awards presentation, craft demonstrations and food booths at Kapiolani Park.
Hawaii All-Collectors Show
Don’t miss the opportunity to find the perfect gift from Hawaii at the Hawaii All-Collectors Show at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall. This annual collectibles and antiques show and sale features more than 200 booths with one of the largest selections of Hawaiiana under one roof.
www.ukulele.com or (808) 941-9754
Saturday, July 16, 2011, 9 am to 4 pm
Prince Lot Hula Festival
This all-day festival held in the beautiful Moanalua Gardens showcases hula hālau (troupes) gracing the hula mound for spectators to enjoy. The festival is immersed in Native Hawaiian culture and features crafts, kapa making, lauhala weaving, lomilomi massage, traditional Hawaiian games, and more.
www.mgf-hawaii.org or (808) 839-5334
Annual Haleiwa Arts Festival Summer Event
Experience a broad spectrum of traditional, contemporary and ethnic arts at Haleiwa Beach Park in the historic town of Haleiwa. This event includes visual artists, musicians, singers, dancers, demonstrations, storytelling, student art displays, historical trolley tours, and arts and craft activities for children. Browse and purchase unique works by artists of all ages and cultural backgrounds.
www.haleiwaartsfestival.org or (808) 637-2277
Sunday, July 17, 2011 - 9:30 am - 2:30 pm - Kapiolani Park Bandstand
Annual Roy Sakuma Ukulele Festival Hawaii
Local ukulele legend Roy Sakuma and his sponsors are helping to keep the ukulele alive with the largest festival of its kind in the world, attracting audiences of thousands. The free two-hour concerts showcase the finest ukulele players, along with national celebrities, Hawaii’s top entertainers, and an ukulele orchestra of more than 800 students, mostly children. The festival benefits Ukulele Festival Hawaii, a charitable non-profit organization.
www.roysakuma.net/ukulelefestival/index.htm or (808) 732-3739
Annual Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Festival
Slack key guitar originated in Hawaii in the 19th century with Hawaiian paniolo (cowboys), and is continuing to gain popularity today, with slack key collection albums having won Grammy awards in the Best Hawaiian Music category for the last three years. The Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Festival, founded in 1982, celebrates the cultural importance, perpetuates, and preserves the unique acoustic guitar art form, “Kī hōalu,” which means “loosen the key.” The festival features performances by well-known slack key musicians and Grammy winners.
www.slackkeyfestival.com or (808) 226-2697
Made in Hawaii Festival
Enjoy this three-day celebration highlighting the unique products of Hawaii. More than 400 exhibitors offer everything made in Hawaii from art, clothing, food, home furnishings, jewelry, toys, fresh produce, and plants, to authentic Hawaiian handicrafts.
www.madeinhawaiifestival.com or (808) 533-1292
Joy of Sake Festival
Join visiting brewers from Japan and sake enthusiasts from Hawaii and Japan to sample this year’s newly released fall sakes. More than 250 sakes, including gold and silver award winners from 2008’s U.S. National Sake Appraisal, will be featured. The Joy of Sake is the largest sake tasting held outside of Japan and offers a rare opportunity to experience great sakes in peak condition.
www.joyofsake.com
Duke’s OceanFest
Duke’s OceanFest is a weeklong series of events that serve to honor famed Hawaiian waterman, Duke Kahanmoku. Surf contests, surf polo, tandem surfing, and a special luau are just a few of the events that will take place during the week at Waikiki Beach. Funds raised from OceanFest will benefit the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation college scholarship and athletic grants program. www.dukefoundation.org
Annual Okinawan Festival
The Hawaii United Okinawa Association presents the largest ethnic festival in the state of Hawaii. A parade through Waikiki featuring entertainers from Okinawa and Hawaii kicks off the three-day festival at Kapiolani Park celebrating Okinawan culture with food, entertainment, arts, crafts, and cultural activities. On Sunday evening, all are welcome to help cap off the festivities by participating in Hawaii’s largest traditional Japanese Obon dance.
www.okinawanfestival.com or (808) 676-5400
Hawaii Writers Conference
Formerly known as the Maui Writers Conference, the Hawaii Writers Conference is the premier event of its kind in the world attracting more than 1,500 authors, screenwriters, journalists, and the top literary agents, editors and film executives. Past presenters have included Ron Howard, Carl Bernstein, Nicholas Sparks, and James L. Brooks. The Hawaii Writers Conference consists of a Hawaii Writers Retreat with workshops in fiction, nonfiction and screenwriting and a Hawaii Writers Conference with over 100 workshops and lectures for aspiring writers to learn about the craft, publishing and film, with one-on-one consultations. www.HawaiiWritersConference.com or (808) 739-5500
Taste of the Arts
The annual event held in Honolulu’s downtown/Chinatown Arts District showcases local restaurants. Celebrity chefs display their talents with live demonstrations while local jazz musicians jam on the event’s stage. The event brings together an upscale crowd of food, wine and art lovers.
http://www.artsdistricthonolulu.com/artsdistrictevents1.html
October 13 – 23, 2011
Annual Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF)
Established as the premier international film event in the Pacific, HIFF showcases features and documentaries from Asia, the Pacific Islands and Hawaii, and all films depict their region/culture in a culturally accurate way. HIFF is a statewide event and the only one of its kind in the U.S. It has more than one dozen screening sites on six Hawaiian Islands and draws an audience of 65,000 or more from around the state, the nation and the world.
www.hiff.org or (808) 528-3456
November 12 – December 20, 2011
Vans Triple Crown of Surfing
The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing returns to the North Shore of Oahu for the men’s series and women’s Roxy Pro at Sunset Beach. Kicking off with the Op Pro at Haleiwa, the series continues with the O’Neill World Cup of Surfing and women’s Roxy Pro at Sunset Beach, and lastly the Billabong Pipeline Masters at the infamous Banzai Pipeline. Oahu’s North Shore is home to these final events on the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) 2009 calendar that will crown surfing’s new world champions. www.triplecrownofsurfing.com
December 11, 2011
Honolulu Marathon
Thousands from around the world travel to Oahu each year to participate in the Honolulu Marathon. The 26-mile scenic course includes spectacular views from world famous Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head. www.honolulumarathon.org
Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
The Sheraton Hawaii Bowl pits a team from the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) against a team from the powerful PAC-10 in the annual college football bowl game played at Honolulu’s Aloha Stadium. Exciting past Hawaii Bowl games included the University of Hawaii’s three-overtime victory over the University of Houston in 2003 and the University of Hawaii’s win over Arizona State University in 2006 that solidified Hawaii’s star quarterback, Colt Brennan, as one of the nation’s best. www.sheratonhawaiibowl.com
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