Oahu's festivals and events provide visitors and locals an opportunity to embrace the multi-cultural heritage, deep traditions and customs that are special to Oahu.
Whether it is a cultural festival highlighting Hawaii's diverse people and their origins, an energetic concert series, top amateur and professional sporting competitions and championships, or a culinary event featuring the island's top chefs, there is sure to be something for everyone.
Here is a listing of notable festivals and events (all are subject to change without notice):
Monthly/Weekly
First Friday of every month
First Fridays
This free event invites people of all ages to downtown Honolulu's galleries and studios to view work by various artists. More than 20 galleries participate in the evening's events, which include live music, street entertainment, wine tasting, and shopping in downtown's antique stores. Guests can also experience the many bars, clubs and restaurants that make downtown a unique destination.
Last Friday of every month
ARTafterDARK
Offering a new twist on pau hana (happy hour), the Honolulu Academy of Arts presents an evening that invigorates the senses with a combination of food, art, music, dancing, and drinks. The theme for each event is based on the museum's current feature exhibition and provides a fun and social way to view art in a festive atmosphere.
Fridays throughout the year
Rockin' Hawaiian Rainbow Revue
This weekly activity at the Super Pool of the Hilton Hawaiian Village is a favorite among visiting families. Enjoy a tribute to Duke Kahanamoku and a crescendo of torch lights, hula dancers, drums, and a huge fireworks finale.
Various weekends throughout the year
Sunset On The Beach
Enjoy a free film on a 30-foot screen under the stars on Queens Beach in Waikiki. Movies range from action to comedy and are always family friendly. Live entertainment and food vendors add to the event. Arrive early to score a great seat and catch a glimpse of the setting sun.
January - March 2012
January 9-15, 2012
Sony Open in Hawaii
The Sony Open in Hawaii kicks off the PGA Tour by bringing 144 of the world's best professional golfers to Oahu's exclusive Waialae Country Club each January. Tournament participants include Ryo Ishikawa, Zach Johnson, Justin Leonard, and 2011 winner, Mark Wilson. The six-day event is one of the largest charity events in the state of Hawaii and has raised more than $11 million for local not-for-profits since 1999.
January 25-28, 2012
Ala Moana Center's Annual Chinese New Year Celebration
The 2012 celebration will feature lion pole jumping, a Kung Fu demonstration, lion dancing, an appearance by the Narcissus Court, and fireworks. Lions dancing throughout the Center will collect lai see (lucky red envelopes) from shoppers and participating merchants.
January 29, 2012
NFL Pro Bowl
One week before the Super Bowl, the biggest names and hardest hitters in the National Football League (NFL) travel to Oahu for the NFL Pro Bowl, where all-star professional football players from the AFC and NFC battle for conference bragging rights at Aloha Stadium. Events prior to the game include an autograph session, open practices, clinics, and tailgate party.
January 21, 2012
22nd Annual Moanikeala Hula Festival
The fragrance of fresh flower lei and melodies of ancient Hawaii will fill the air as some of the world's most gifted hula dancers and halau (schools) come together at the Polynesian Cultural Center for the first hula event of the year. The 22nd Annual Moanikeala Hula Festival is the longest running and first of PCC's cultural events. The Festival, which honors the legacy of kumu hula "Aunty" Sally Wood Naluai, features hula halau from across Hawaii and beyond.
February 12, 2012
Great Aloha Run
The Great Aloha Run is an 8.15 mile foot race that starts at Aloha Tower in Honolulu and ends at Aloha Stadium in Halawa. A three-day Sports, Health and Fitness Expo occurs during the weekend of the race and includes an array of exhibition booths offering unique products and services, entertainment, workshops, and more. The annual event was recognized nationally by Runners' World magazine as one of the top "100 Great Road Races."
February 17, 2012
The Kahala Event & Bridal Showcase
The Kahala Hotel & Resort will host its annual bridal showcase on Feb. 17 in the resort's Maile Ballroom. The free event showcases everything from gowns and cakes to floral displays, themed linens and amenities for the bride-to-be.
February 18-19, 2012
Waikiki Aquarium Aloha Koi Society Show
The Waikiki Aquarium will host the 4th Annual Aloha Koi Society Show on Feb. 18-19. This event will showcase hundreds of top-quality koi for the public to view, as well as educational
seminars and keiki activities. Read our feature on the Waikiki Aquarium.
February 21, 2012
Chinatown Arts and Culture Street Festivals
Join thousands of people as they gather in the streets of Chinatown to celebrate Mardi Gras. The City & County of Honolulu presents these festivals, which feature live entertainment, food vendors, dancing, and local product vendors.
February 23 & 25, 2012
Hawaiian Islands Invitational
This February, professional soccer teams from the United States, Australia, Japan and Korea will face off at Aloha Stadium in the inaugural Hawaiian Islands Invitational. The new international soccer event pits 2010 MLS Cup champions, the Colorado Rapids, against Yokohama FC from Japan, Melbourne Heart FC from Australia, and Busan I'Park FC from Korea in a thrilling two-day tournament. Training camps, soccer clinics and local cultural events will also take place during the week of the Invitational.
February 25, 2012
2nd Annual Hawaii Chocolate Festival
Dole Cannery Shops will host the 2nd Annual Hawaii Chocolate Festival. Events include chocolate tastings, guest speakers, chocolate inspired spa lounge, chocolate garden, coco café and tea house, live entertainment, and more. The festival was created to raise awareness about Hawaii's growing cacao industry and to solidify chocolate as the state's newest "ambassador of aloha."
March 2-4, 2012
Honolulu Festival
The 18th annual Honolulu Festival celebrates cultures from across the Pacific. This three-day celebration of art, music, dance, and crafts is filled with spectacular sights and sounds, including aboriginal dance performances and cultural demonstrations. The festival culminates with a parade in Waikiki, followed by the newly added Nagaoka Hanabi fireworks display. Read more about the Honolulu Festival.
March 19-25, 2012
Shop a Le‘a
Ala Moana Center's fifth annual week-long spring shopping event, Shop a Le‘a presents locals and visitors with more than 150 experiences in fashion, health and beauty, active lifestyle, home décor, travel, and cuisine. Included as part of the Shop a Le‘a lineup are fashion shows and trunk shows, exclusive products, Center-stage events, a center-wide gift-with-purchase, mall-wide shopping and dining offers, and much more. (808) 955-9517
April - June 2012 Events
July - September 2012 Events
October - December 2012 Events
