12 Things to Look Forward to at the Best of Honolulu Festival 2017
Here’s why you need to attend the Best of Honolulu Festival.
1. Start your day off right at the first-ever HONOLULU Family Fun Run.
Bring your family, including the little ones, for this event that kicks off at 8:30 a.m. This fun and festive run will get your keiki moving and grooving while raising money for the school of your choice. Keiki ages 3–10 years old can participate in a 500-meter dash. Family members of all ages can enter the 3K fun run, a leisurely walk/run with selfie stops, snack stations, entertainment and more. Sign up here.
2. Plenty of free parking.
Don’t worry about paying for street parking or losing out on a coveted spot downtown. The Frank F. Fasi Municipal Building parking lot located at the corner of Alapa‘i and Beretania streets will have free parking all day.
3. Check out the Health and Wellness Zone.
Kaiser Permanente sponsors this fun-filled area and shares tips and games to keep your family healthy and happy.
4. Eat your heart out.
After working up a sweat with your keiki in the morning at the HONOLULU Family Fun Run, fuel up on ‘ono grinds from BAO TAO’N, Inferno’s Pizza, Da Hawaiian Poke Co. and more. Don’t forget dessert—Sweet Revenge will be debuting its new gelato pies, while Il Gelato Hawai‘i will be dishing out some favorite flavors to beat the heat. Thirsty? Shaka Tea, Jamba Juice and ICE HNL have you covered. Don’t forget to vote now for Shaka Tea’s newest flavor, which will be announced at the festival. Newcomer ICE HNL will serve up smokin’ cold drinks that look as cool as they taste.
5. A keiki zone.
Photo: Colin Cross
Dave & Busters is sponsoring a keiki zone, where keiki can play free games and win prizes. ColorWhims Hawai‘i will be offering face painting, balloon animals and glitter tattoos.
6. Pamper yourself.
The European Wax Center will offer samples of its body, face and brow products, as well as free brow consultations. Visitors to their booth that post an image of their brows using the #EWC808 hashtag that day will be entered to win a $50 gift card to the European Wax Center.
7. Shopping for everyone.
PHOTO: COLIN CROSS
Coco Moon will be offering discounts on most of its baby clothing collections, with some items marked as low as 60 percent off. Local designer favorite Jana Lam will return sporting new crossbody bags featuring adjustable leather straps, a new everyday tote and new, colorful prints. Other hot picks include Yireh’s summery, socially conscious dresses, HVN Apparel’s upcycled tees made from plastic bottles and Kira Hawai‘i’s locally crafted timeless jewelry pieces.
8. Your keiki could be on the next HONOLULU Family cover.
HONOLULU Family will be hosting its annual Cover Kids Search, and your child could be next! A professional photographer will take your child’s photo on site for free—HONOLULU Family is waiving the $10 Cover Kids entry fee for this event.
9. Gear up at one of the many community booths.
Several of Hawai‘i’s service organizations will be in attendance, from Make-A-Wish Hawai‘i to the Hawaiian Humane Society. Child-care and development organization PATCH will be offering free referrals to help you find and choose quality child care, free resources on child development and parenting, and other useful services and information for families and children.
10. Hang out with your little ones in My Gym’s enclosed toddler play area.
My Gym will be providing a mobile gym set that your kids can enjoy for free, so you know they’ll be tuckered out by the time your family heads home for the day.
11. Pay A Friend and win big.
Title sponsor American Savings Bank will be giving out money just for using its “Pay A Friend” feature on its mobile app or for showing your ASB card at the ASB booth. There’s also a lucky drawing for a $100 Amazon gift card every hour. That’s right, every hour. There’s fun for the kids, too—keiki can join in on a football toss for prizes!
12. Live entertainment will be playing throughout the event.
Catch favorites including headliners Kimie Miner and Paula Fuga at the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Card and Mileage Plan stage, then pump up the jams with DJ 720 and DJ Jimmy Taco. Na‘ehu, Shawn Garnett, and The Performing Artist Academy’s “Rhapsody” Choir will also perform.
The Best of Honolulu Festival takes place Saturday, Aug. 5, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Honolulu Hale Civic Grounds. Admission is free. Learn more here.
