Exciting events, neighborhoods, museums, and galleries underscore Oahu's lively urban arts scene. Don't miss Kakaako's colorful POW! WOW! Hawaii murals, Chinatown's galleries, extraordinary exhibits, and world class festivals. 

"Floating City"

The USS Missouri was a floating city with a population of over 2,500 men during WWII. The ship had a variety of facilities to accommodate life onboard including a barber, cafeteria, and even dental office. Spanning over three football fields in length – 887 ft., a culture was born, men lived their lives, and adventure took place. You can take on the same adventures our brave Sailors experienced throughout the ship by touring the historic Mighty Mo, inside and out. To purchase your tickets today, visit www.ussmissouri.org


7th Night Free Offer with Luau Tickets


Get your 7th Night Free, plus two tickets to the Waikiki Starlight Luau, featuring modern and ancient hula performances, acrobatic fire-knife dancers, beautiful music and authentic Hawaiian cuisine. This fabulous package includes two tickets to the luau per seven-night stay.

http://www.hiltonhawaiianvillage.com /specials-and-packages

10% off advance booking discount at Polynesian Cultural Center

Receive 10% off when you book 10 days in advance. Join us for a one of a kind adventure as you travel through time and experience the history and culture from six different island nations. Savor a variety of typical Hawaiian foods as you stroll through the outdoor Hukilau Marketplace where you can grab souvenirs, Hawaiian jewelry, Polynesian art and more. Finish off your day with a traditional Hawaiian Luau and the award-winning show Ha: Breath of Life.
https://www.polynesia.com/


POW! POW! Hawaii – February 10-18, 2018 – powwowhawaii.com

Every February, Honolulu's trendsetting Kakaako neighborhood becomes a vast outdoor canvas as 70 artists from across Hawaii and around the globe gather to paint enormous outdoor murals on the area's buildings and walls. The weeklong POW! WOW! Hawaii, now in its eighth year on Oahu, is a global creative arts and music festival that enables artists to collaborate creatively while showcasing and sharing their work with the local community. Beyond the large-scale murals, POW! POW! Hawaii features live art installations, workshops, gallery shows, film screenings, concerts, and more. Every event, except for the last night's concert, is free to the public. POW! WOW! Hawaii is the flagship event, and the organization also sponsors events across the U.S. mainland, and in Asia, the South Pacific, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Middle East.

Jasper Wong, Oahu native, artist, and POW! WOW! founder, explains the philosophy behind the global arts events and its passion for public art: “POW! WOW! enables everyone to access and engage in the creative process because we bring art right into the community. Artists create together while locals and visitors witness the painting and participate in all of our programs.”

Wong also emphasizes the organization's commitment to arts education and the local creative community. “Once POW! WOW! is over, the impact lasts and not just because the murals beautify the city. We sponsor an ongoing School of Art and a School of Music for local Oahu students who then get to paint and perform at POW! WOW! Hawaii on Oahu. We also started Lana Lane Studios, which provides affordable studio space for creative artists here on Oahu.”

POW! WOW! Hawaii kicks off with Honolulu Night Market, a large outdoor music and art party, on February 10, and continues with the Thinkspace Exhibition at Honolulu Museum of Art February 11, the UDEF Break Dancing Competition at Ward Warehouse February 16, and the Foot Golf Tournament with Kicks to the Pitch and Paradise Soccer Club on February 18. Live mural painting starts February 12. Check powwowhawaii.com for schedule updates.




Discover Honolulu's Art Inspired Neighborhoods
Kakaako

Kakaako is one of Honolulu's hottest urban neighborhoods, with great places to dine, shop, and hang out. If you miss POW! WOW! Hawaii, you have all year to tour the hip Kakaako neighborhood and view the large-scale murals created during the February arts and music festival. In fact, locals and visitors wander throughout Kakaako looking for fantastic photo ops with these colorful and dramatic murals. All the striking wall art is within walking distance to SALT at our Kakaako (saltatkakaako.com), the neighborhood hub brimming with a growing collection of eateries, pubs, and shops. Special events also draw crowds to SALT at our Kakaako. Paakai Marketplace, held the third Friday and Saturday each month at 5 pm, showcases unique local products and Native Hawaiian culture and features local artists, crafters, cultural practitioners, and performances. Nearby in Kakaako Park, Eat the Street (streetgrindz.com) is an enormous street food rally, the last Friday of every month from 4 pm to 9 pm, perfect for enjoying the culinary creations of more than 40 local food truck vendors, live music, and entertainment. Elsewhere in Kakaako, the Ward Village South Market is home to MORI by Art + Flea (morihawaii.com), an artistically curated shop featuring works by Hawaii's creative artists, designers, and makers. They also have a new shop at Hawaii State Art Museum. The second Friday of every month, Art + Flea is a live market and showcase for fashion, food, music, and entertainment featuring many of the artists whose work is found at MORI by Art + Flea. Discover independent artists, vintage collectors, food trucks, local bands, and DJs at this monthly event. Follow Art + Flea on Instagram @artandflea for special pop up events, markets, and film screenings.

Chinatown
Honolulu's historic Chinatown is a cutting edge arts, dining, and nightlife area with exciting galleries, boutiques, and an ever expanding array of restaurants and bars that can be enjoyed every day of the week. Head to Chinatown for the monthly First Friday Art Walk (firstfridayhawaii.com) from 5 pm to 9 pm to visit galleries and artists' studios, enjoy live free entertainment, shop the unique stores, and stay late to dine and hit the bars and clubs. First Friday stops can include galleries such as The Arts at Marks Garage (theartsatmarks.com), Louis Pohl Gallery (louispohlgallery.com), Pegge Hopper Gallery (peggehopper.com), and Ravizza Brownfield Gallery (ravizzabrownfield.com). Visit the Hawaii State Art Museum (sfca.hawaii.gov) which stays opens late and offers free admission and live entertainment and Ong King Arts Center (ongkingarts.com) which hosts a variety of musical performances and exhibits. Chinatown Artists Loft provides an opportunity to visit artists' spaces, view their work, and speak with the artists. Visit firstfridayhawaii.com for details on gallery shows, artists' studio visits, DJs and band performances, wine tastings, and other special events. 



Oahu Museums
Honolulu Museum of Art (honolulumuseum.org) Discover international caliber special exhibits and permanent collections featuring European, American, Hawaiian, and Asian art in three of Honolulu's most beautiful buildings. Special exhibits include the Catherine E.B. Cox Award Exhibition Ground: New Work by Charles Cohan (through 3/25/18) featuring this Hawaii artist's large-scale prints and print blocks. Disasters of Peace: Social Discontent in the Manga of Tsuge Tadao and Katsumata Susumu (through 4/15/18) takes a look at manga, Japanese graphic novels or comics. Trade Cloth from the Coromandel Cloth (through 4/4/18) features textiles from India. Abstruction: The Sculpture of Erick Swenson (3/1/18-7/29/18) will showcase this contemporary artist's work. You can also visit Spalding House, the museum's second location high above Honolulu in Makiki Heights, and Shangri-La, Doris Duke's historic home, (now undergoing renovations).

Hawaii State Art Museum - HiSAM (sfca.hawaii.gov)
HiSAM features wonderful exhibits that showcase the artists of Hawaii while interpreting the rich artistic, cultural, and ethnic traditions of the islands. Current exhibits include HAWAII: Change & Continuity which tells the story of nature's bounty and human impact on a fragile environment. Accession showcases recent addition to the Art in Public Places program. EMPHASIZED: eye on scale explores how artists play with scale. Process Under Pressure showcases a diverse selection of prints. Enjoy free ongoing programs: First Friday, a family-friendly evening of art and live music the first Friday of each month from 6-9 pm. Second Saturday, drop in any time 11am -3 pm and spend 30 mins to complete a make and take art activity. Art Lunch, a free "Meet the Artist" lecture series, 12-1 pm the last Tuesday each month.

Bishop Museum (bishopmuseum.org)
Built in memory of a Hawaiian princess, Bishop Museum inspires visitors through the exploration and celebration of the extraordinary history, culture, and environment of Hawaii and the Pacific. Holo Moana: Generations of Voyaging (through 6/24/18) celebrates the resurgence of long distance ocean voyaging using celestial navigation once practiced by ancient Polynesians and Hawaiians. The exhibit, a collaboration between Bishop Museum and the Pacific Voyaging Society, explores the renaissance of this ancient art over the last 40 years and the training of today's young ocean navigators. The interactive exhibit traces the Malama Honua three year, worldwide voyage of the Hokulea, the Hawaiian sailing canoe. Exhibit highlights include an immersive experience that brings to life the winds used by voyagers, a full-dome projection theater with audio narration, a touchscreen interactive of crewmembers and legs of the voyage, and a four-screen video wall with scenes from the worldwide voyage.  

Several new events are included in the line-up at Our Kaka'ako for 2018. In addition to Pa'akai Marketplace, the popular SALT Bar Crawl occurs on the third Saturday of every month starting at 5 p.m. Village Bottle Shop and Tasting Room, Moku Kitchen, and Bevy Bar at SALT at Our Kaka'ako feature different breweries each month. SaltAtKakaako.com

On-going, First Friday of every month from 6-9 p.m.
Hawaii State Art Museum
View contemporary Hawaii art and enjoy live musical performances. Exhibition galleries are free and open to the public during this time.
www.sfca.hawaii.gov

On-going, Last Friday of every month from 4-9 p.m.
Eat The Street
Celebrate Hawaii's food trucks with over 40 food trucks and vendors. This event attracts over 7,000 people eager to sample the best street food Hawaii has to offer. www.eatthestreethawaii.com

On-going, On the third Saturday of every month
Honolulu Night Market
Kakaako comes alive with an evening event that combines fashion, live music, art, shopping and local food. Held under the Honolulu city lights, this monthly night market celebrates the best of urban island culture featuring local artists, designers, musicians and chefs.
www.honolulunightmarket.com

On-going, Every last Thursday of the month
Art + Flea
Discover a unique monthly shopping experience for Hawaii's talented creatives to showcase their goods and talents. Over 60 independent artists, vintage collectors, food trucks, handmade aficionados and fashion designers are featured at each event, drawing an eclectic crowd of shoppers, music and art lovers alike.
www.artandflea.com

On-going, third Friday and Saturday of the month
Paakai Marketplace
Discover unique local products and Hawaiian culture at SALT at Our Kakaako. The monthly event, held in in collaboration with PAʻI Foundation, features live music and is a free, family and pet-friendly event, starting at 5 p.m.
SaltAtKakaako.com

December 7, 2017
Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade
Decorated F-104 Starfighter join bands and floats, to parade down Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki, to honor and pay respect to the Pearl Harbor survivors, our veterans, active duty military and their families. The parade takes place on the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack. Parade starts at 7pm at Fort DeRussy in Waikiki and proceeds down Kalakaua Avenue, to Kapiolani Park.

December 10, 2017
Honolulu Marathon
Thousands of runners from around the world participate in the Honolulu Marathon, a 26.2-mile course with spectacular views of Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head.
www.honolulumarathon.org

December - February
Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational In Memory of Eddie Aikau
Each winter the world's best big wave surfers are invited to Waimea Bay on Oahu's North Shore to compete in the Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational In Memory of Eddie Aikau. The Eddie can only be held when surf measures at least 20 feet (Hawaiian scale) for a full day. The holding period for the event is between December 1 and the last day in February. When the surf is big enough, thousands flock to watch the worlds' best big wave surfers compete in the prestigious surfing competition.  www.quiksilver.com

February 19, 2018
Great Aloha Run (GAR)
The 8.15-mile run starts at Aloha Tower in Honolulu and ends at Aloha Stadium in Halawa. GAR has an inclusive philosophy with divisions for elites, age groups, wheelchair and hand-cycle competitors, Sounds of Freedom (military running in formation), and those who just want to walk with friends. GAR has been recognized nationally as one of the top "100 Great Road Races" by Runner's World Magazine. There's also a three day sports, health, and fitness expo over the race weekend.
www.greataloharun.com

March 1 – 4, 2018
Wanderlust Yoga Festival
Turtle Bay Resort welcomes this ultimate mind, body, soul, and wellness festival featuring yoga and meditation instructors, musical performers, top chefs, and wellness speakers and leaders. Inspiration and rejuvenation await at this multiday outdoor retreat in paradise.
https://wanderlust.com/festivals/oahu/

March 9-11, 2018
24th Annual Honolulu Festival
The 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, cultural demonstrations and a vibrant parade through Waikiki.
www.honolulufestival.com

April – June, 2018
Mele Mei 2018
The 8th Annual Mele Mei Celebration is going to be the biggest year yet! Music and hula events are held from April through June at various hotels, venues, on the beach and statewide. From ukulele to steel guitar, traditional Hawaiian music to slack key, island reggae to rock-and everything in between-Mele Mei has something for everyone.
www.melemei.com

April 8, 2018
Hapalua Honolulu Marathon Half Marathon
Sponsored by Honolulu Marathon Association, the event is expected to draw more than 5,000 runners. The start of the Hapalua is by The Duke Kahanamoku statue in Waikiki and finishes in Kapiolani Park. Both walkers and runners are welcome.
www.thehapalua.com

April 28, 2018
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 consisting of several of Honolulu's finest restaurants which will be serving up Spam in many different ways, so you can experience the enormous variety of its applications. A variety of Hawaiian craft booths will also be set up on the street.
http://spamjamhawaii.com

April 29, 2018
Haleiwa Metric Century Ride
The annual John B. Kelley Haleiwa Metric Century Ride begins and ends in Kaiaka Bay Beach Park on the Northshore of Oahu. The course takes riders through Haleiwa Town, out towards Kaena Point, then back along the shores past Waimea Valley, Sunset Beach, Kahuku, and Kaaawa. All skill levels and ages are welcome.
www.hbl.org

May 1, 2018
91st Annual Lei Day Celebration
Don't miss this special Hawaiian celebration of lei including entertainment, food booths and a lei making contest takes place at the beautiful Queen Kapiolani Park and Bandstand in Waikiki. 
FB, TRIP https://www.honolulu.gov/parks/program /182-site-dpr-cat/1685-lei-day.html

May 13, 2018
Honolulu Triathlon
Triathletes from around the world visit Oahu each May to compete in the Honolulu Triathlon. The Honolulu Triathlon offers several sporting events and features the famous Olympic and Sprint Triathlon. People of all ages and skill levels are welcome to join our race and compete against fellow triathletes from around the world. http://www.HonoluluTriathlon.com

May 28, 2018 - Memorial Day
Annual 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 8-10, 2018
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 halau. The event culminates with a grand parade along Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki.
http://www.pan-pacific-festival.com

July 4, 2018
Ala Moana Center Fireworks
For the 27th consecutive year, Ala Moana Center will present locals and visitors with one of the largest and most spectacular fireworks shows in the country. In addition to the fireworks, Ala Moana Center will offer a weekend's worth of live entertainment and a mall-wide shopping savings pass. www.alamoanacenter.com

July 15, 2018
10:30 am – 5:00 pm- Kapiolani Park Bandstand
48th 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.
http://www.ukulelefestivalhawaii.org/en/

July 21 & 22, 2018
41st Prince Lot Hula Festival
This two-day festival showcases the best of non-competitive hula and is immersed in Native Hawaiian culture and features crafts, kapa making, lauhala weaving, lomilomi massage, traditional Hawaiian games, and more.
http://www.moanaluagardensfoundation .org/

August 17-19 2018
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.
http://www.madeinhawaiifestival.com
FB, TRIP

August 18-26, 2018
Duke's OceanFest
This weeklong festival features a variety of exciting water sports competitions including longboard surfing, surf polo, swimming, standup paddling and other events paying tribute to Hawai'i's Ambassador of Aloha, Duke Kahanamoku and Hawai'i's local waterman.
DukesOceanFest.com  

August 25-26, 2018
Greek Festival
The 36th Annual Greek Festival, held at McCoy Pavilion at Ala Moana Beach Park, celebrates Greek culture with ethnic food, live entertainment, cultural booths and more. The popular annual festival is sponsored by the Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral. www.greekfestivalhawaii.com

August 25 – 26, 2018
Reebok Spartan Race Hawaii Trifecta Weekend
The Reebok Spartan Race Hawai‘i Trifecta Weekend is Hawaii's largest premier Obstacle Course Racing Event.The obstacles include but not limited to 4-8 foot walls, barbed wire crawls, monkey bars, heavy objects pull and carry, fire jump and a 30 foot tall signature rope climb.  The race is designed to test participants' physical and mental toughness and entitle them to the sense of accomplishment when they cross the finish line.
https://www.spartan.com/en/race/detail /3653/overview

October 24 – 28, 2018
8th Annual Hawaii Food & Wine Festival
Join more than 100 of the world's biggest culinary superstars for this culinary adventure. Experience the natural abundance of Oahu this fall. Featuring world renowned culinary masters, winemakers and mixologists. Highlights include beachside dinners, fireworks, and popular Urban Luau with celebrity chefs from the hottest restaurants from coast to coast.  
HawaiiFoodandWineFestival.com

December 2, 2018
XTERRA Trail Run World Championship
Crown jewel of the XTERRA Trail Run Series. The 21-kilometer half-marathon course is considered the world championship course, and it takes runners through some of the most diverse – and scenic – terrain on the planet winding through Kualoa Ranch on Oahu's northeastern shore. Also includes trail runs, a children's race, and other family events.
www.xterraplanet.com/trailrun/worlds

December 7, 2018
Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade
Decorated F-104 Starfighter join bands and floats, to parade down Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki, to honor and pay respect to the Pearl Harbor survivors, our veterans, active duty military and their families. The parade takes place on the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack. Parade starts at 7pm at Fort DeRussy in Waikiki and proceeds down Kalakaua Avenue, to Kapiolani Park.

December 9, 2018
Honolulu Marathon
Thousands of runners from around the world participate in the Honolulu Marathon, a 26.2-mile course with spectacular views of Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head.
www.honolulumarathon.org
To find MORE UPCOMING EVENTS on Oahu follow us on Facebook or go to www.visit-oahu.com to check out the events calendar


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