Honolulu Events and Festivals
(Honolulu, Hawaii - HI, USA)
There is always some sort of festival or event taking place in Honolulu and it seems that not a day goes by without something interesting happening on Honolulu streets, in the parks and on the Waikiki beaches. New Years Eve and Chinese New Year are special occasions in Honolulu, where street parties, festivals and parades are a colorful and exciting occasion for all involved, while hula competitions and a number of swimming, surfing and sailing events are also very popular.
Honolulu's helpful tourist information centers are happy to provide the latest information about current events and festivals in Honolulu. Many of Honolulu's events and festivals attract large crowds of both participants and spectators, providing tourists with a range of things to see and do whilst visiting in Honolulu.
National Public Holidays
- 1st January - New Year's Day
- Third Monday in January - Martin Luther King Day
- Third Monday in February - Washington's Birthday
- 26th March - Prince Kuhio Day
- Late March / early April - Easter Monday
- 1st May - Lei Day
- Last Monday in May - Memorial Day
- 11th June - Kamehameha Day
- 4th July - Independence Day
- First Monday in September - Labor Day
- Second Monday in October - Columbus Day
- 11th November - Veterans Day
- 4th Thursday in November - Thanksgiving
- 25th December - Christmas Day
Honolulu Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015
January
- Ala Wai Challenge - last weekend in January, an all-day event in Ala Wai Park, Waikiki consisting of traditional Hawaiian games such as spear throwing, bowling, tug of war and an outrigger canoe race
February
- NFL Pro Bowl - first Sunday in February, the National Football League's pro players compete in this annual gridiron all-star game at the Aloha Stadium
- Chinese New Year - late January / early February, one of the biggest celebrations in Honolulu's Chinatown
- Narcissus Festival - around Chinese New Year, a cultural festival including cooking, cultural fair and a queen pageant
- The Great Aloha Run - third Monday in February on President's Day, a race involving thousands of runners from the Aloha Tower to Aloha Stadium
March
- Hawaii Challenge International Sportkite Championship - first weekend in March, kite flyers from around the world compete at Kapiolani Park in the oldest event of its kind in the world
- Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade - March 17th, this annual celebration of Ireland's St. Patrick is set in Waikiki (Fort DeRussy to Kapiolani Park) and consists of lots of bagpipe playing and celebrating throughout the day
- Annual Easter Sunrise Service - late March/early April, a gathering for the Easter sunrise services in the wonderful National Cemetery of the Pacific, Punchbowl Crater
April
- Honolulu International Bed Race Festival - mid-April, a popular fund raiser carnival with games and rides for the kids and a bed pushing race through Honolulu's streets to raise money for local charities
May
- Annual Lei Day Celebration - May 1st, an annual holiday for Hawaiians that features lei-making contests and pageantry
- Memorial Day - late May, held at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Punchbowl by the US armed forces to recognize fallen soldiers
June
- King Kamehameha Hula Competition - third weekend in June, perhaps the most famed hula competition held in the Neal Blaisdell Center, with participating dancers coming from as far away as Japan
July
- Fourth of July Fireworks - July 4th, the annual day of independence celebrations take place at the Desiderio and Sills Field, Schofield Barracks, and consists of lots of games, food and fireworks
- Walter J. McFarlane Regatta and Surf Race - early July, a regatta for outrigger canoes consisting of numerous events
- Hawaii International Jazz Festival - mid-July, a jazz festival featuring many popular artists, jam sessions and evening concerts held in the Sheraton Waikiki
August
- Hawaii State Fair - early August, held in the Aloha Stadium, this event features entertainment, cultural exhibits, Hawaiian agricultural products and local food
- Duke Kahanamoku Beach Doubles Volleyball Championship - mid-August, teams must register in advance at this oldest running beach volleyball competition in Hawaii
September
- Waikiki Rough-Water Swim - Labor Day, this popular swim from Sans Souci Beach to Duke Kahanamoku Beach in Waikiki is for competent swimmers only as it is in the open ocean
- Na Wahine O Ke Kai - last weekend in September, an exciting international outrigger canoe race from Molokai to Waikiki
October
- Intertribal Powwow - early October, held in Thomas Square in downtown Honolulu, the event marks Native American culture and features arts and crafts, entertainment and displays by the American Indian Pow-Wow Association
November
- World Invitational Hula Festival - early to mid-November, a dancing competition for dancers from various countries held in the Waikiki Shell
December
- Honolulu Marathon - early December, a marathon race including more than 30,000 competitors
- New Years Eve - December 31st, a veritable feast of parades and partying around the streets of Honolulu