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Oahu’s Pow! Wow! fest elevates and celebrates street murals as the art they are

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An already colorful Honolulu neighborhood is set to get fresh coats of paints as Pow! Wow! Hawaii — which has at its core murals and their creators but includes also block parties, talks, breakdancing and a concert by Eminem — kicks off 15 days of events beginning Friday.

Pow! Wow! Hawaii, now in its ninth year, has left more than 330 murals on walls throughout Honolulu’s Kakaako neighborhood, a district sandwiched between downtown and Waikiki.

Hawaii isn’t its only festival; it has street art festivals in 17 cities worldwide, including Long Beach. They allow artists to legitimize, on a grand scale, what otherwise might just be considered graffiti.

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The artists at the Hawaii event, including Shepard Fairey, Jasper Wong and Nanea Lum, will take to the streets with their brushes, spray guns and buckets of paint Feb. 11-16.

“It is in no way a competition,” organizer Kamea Hadar said in email. “[We are] just beautifying the community and sharing culture.”

Pow! Wow! “passports” include a map identifying the painting locations that can be found throughout Kakaako.

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Segway of Hawaii leads twice-daily, 90-minute tours that introduce participants to the artwork as well as the neighborhood’s cafes, coffee shops and boutiques.

The Kakaako Waterfront Park/Pow Wow Mural Tour costs $139 and departs at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. You must be at least 10 years old and must not weigh more than 275 pounds.

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Festival goers also will have a chance to interact with the artists when they’re not working. Logan Hicks will discuss his paintings during a public forum Feb. 12, and Fairey will speak Feb. 14. Both talks begin at 7 p.m. at Wade Warehouse, 449 Cooke St.

Also as part of this year’s festival, Eminem and Bamp will perform in concert 7:30 p.m. Feb. 15 at Aloha Stadium. Tickets start at $39.50.

If you miss the festival, you still can see the artists’ efforts throughout the year. Look online for a list of most of the more than 330 murals painted in previous years. Their locations also are included.

travel@latimes.com

@latimestravel

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