Where to find Aloha Festivals, Hawaii’s biggest street parties, that last all of September
Hawaii’s Aloha Festivals take place throughout September, with the main block-party celebrations happening on the island of Oahu. This year’s festivals will celebrate “keiki,” the Hawaiian word for children, who will be taught how to blow a conch shell and how to hula dance during the festivities.
Locals and visitors are welcome to attend the festivals that start Saturday and continue through Sept. 30 at various venues on the island. All activities are free to view.
The top three events will take place in Waikiki, beginning with the Royal Court Investiture at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Royal Hawaiian Resort.
Dressed in royal cloaks and adorned with floral lei, the king, queen, prince and princess will be introduced on land that was once the home of a real Hawaiian princess.
Celebrating its 65th anniversary, the Waikiki Hoolaulea will be held along Kalakaua Avenue, the main drag through Waikiki, from 7 to 10 p.m. on Sept. 23. Thousands of people take to the street each year for Hawaii’s largest block party, with plenty of food and entertainment.
The festivals culminate with the 71st annual floral parade the morning of Sept. 30. Colorfully dressed men and women on horseback, marching bands and floats covered in flowers will make their way through the streets of Waikiki from 9 a.m. to noon.
Given the 2017 theme, “Children Are Our Garland of Love,” several new activities are planned to engage youngsters, including:
— Conch shell-blowing contest, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 16 at the Pearlridge Center in suburban Aiea. Tourists are welcome to watch as kids, according to tradition, use shells from the life-giving sea to create sounds that flow across the land. The shopping mall will also host other activities for young and old alike.
— Kids Day, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Royal Hawaiian Center in Honolulu. A concert by elementary school children and traditional chants performed by middle school students are among the events.
— Hula workshops, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 23 at Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk. That evening, children will perform their newly learned skills in traditional and contemporary hula. (Pre-registration is required for the workshops and fees apply.)
ALSO
6 great Las Vegas football bars and restaurants where fans can watch, drink and eat
Free admission to Honolulu museum during reenactment of World War II attack
Set foot in San Diego in late September, just as Cabrillo did
Sign up for The Wild
We’ll help you find the best places to hike, bike and run, as well as the perfect silent spots for meditation and yoga.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
