7 Reasons to Get Out

December 2008

November 13, 2008

Tiffany Hill,

Visions of Sugar Plums
Dec. 12-14, 19-21

Become part of Clara’s dream world in the holiday tradition of The Nutcracker, performed by the Hawaii State Ballet. One hundred dancers take the stage at St. Louis High School’s Mamiya Theatre. 947-2755 or visit www.hawaiistateballet.com.

PHOTO: COURTESY HAWAII STATE BALLET

Bright Ideas
Dec. 6-31

The weather outside may not be frightful, but you can at least get into the Christmas spirit at the opening night of the 24th annual Honolulu City Lights celebration, complete with the Electric Light Parade, lighting of the 50-foot Christmas tree, a concert and the hoisting of the two-ton Shaka Santa on the Honolulu Hale fountain via crane. 768-4385.

Edible Architecture
Dec. 7

Design, and build your dream house—then eat every bit of it at the Gingerbread Family Festival, with gingerbread from Napoleon’s Bakery. Held at the Neil Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall, family packages are $39 with proceeds going to Easter Seals Hawaii. Call 948-4000 or visit www.eastersealshawaii.org.

Photo: Courtesy Easter Seals

World Class Spectating
Dec. 8-20

Photo: Courtesy Van’s triple crown of surfing

Watch the world’s best surfers catch the gnarliest waves at the Billabong Pipeline Masters, part of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing at North Shore’s Pipeline. The competition will be held on the four days with the biggest and best waves. Call 596-7873 or visit www.triplecrownsurfing.com.

Musical Fairytales
Dec. 13-14

Narrated by Lost’s Jorge Garcia, the musical rendition of Prokeofiev’s beloved fairy tale, Peter and the Wolf comes to the Neil Blaisdell Concert Hall. The Honolulu Symphony will also perform songs from the French story Ratatouille as well as Firebird from Stravinsky’s fairytale ballet.
Call 792-2000 or visit www.honolulusymphony.com.

Donate to the Dark Side
Dec. 17

Photo: Miho Williams

Forget elves, Santa’s little helpers this year are Darth Vader and his Stormtroopers. From 6 to 9 p.m. the 501st Legion (members of the Star Wars costuming organization) will take over Honolulu Hale on a mission to collect toys for the annual Toys for Tots Program, sponsored by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. The collection box is open from Dec. 6-17. For more on Toys for Tots call, 257-1033.

Hunt for the New Year
Dec. 31

For an unconventional New Year’s Eve party, scavenge your way across Honolulu in the 3rd annual Quest for Father Time. The treasure hunt race—complete with a treasure map, gadgets and clues—will ultimately lead you to the VIP destination with prizes awarded to the top three teams, an open bar, pupu buffet, band and a New Year’s champagne toast. Call 266-0478, or sign up at www.ravenchase.com, $125 per person.

This article appears in the December 2008 issue of HONOLULU Magazine.