Your Weekend: The Best Family Events-Sept. 26, 2018

Our picks for the weekend's best family events.
Honolulu Family Team,


Photo: Courtesy of Windward Community College

The Windward Ho‘olaulea offers hands-on experiments, activities, and arts and crafts.

Windward Hoʻolauleʻa

Did you miss the hoʻolauleʻa in Waikīkī last weekend? Good news: The annual Windward Hoʻolauleʻa offers a day of hands-on activities and entertainment on the keiki-friendly green lawn of Windward Community College. Maunalua and Keauhou are among the musicians who will be performing throughout the event; the Hokulani Imaginarium will offer a $3 show (a 60-percent discount for adults); a marketplace will feature 50 crafters and businesses; and classic car enthusiasts will show off their rides. But the main draw for most families are the activities including rocket-making, Gyotaku prints, chemistry-based ice-cream making, Hawaiian woodcarving, origami, face painting and garden tours. Bring cash for food booths, featuring Olay’s Thai Food Express and Kupono Hawaiian Food, or in case your kids will want to go on Xtreme Fun Rides. The event does not allow alcohol and coolers.

  • All ages
  • Free admission. Xtreme Ride wristbands are $20.
  • Saturday, Sept. 29. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Windward Community College. 45-720 Keaʻahala Road, Kāneʻohe.
  • windwardhoolaulea.com

Kidz Day at Wet ʻn’ Wild

Oʻahu’s waterpark will offer discounted admission, prize giveaways, face painting for keiki and photo ops with storybook princes and princesses from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Your family also can enter for a chance to win a staycation, a TV, park passes and other goodies.

  • All ages
  • $25 general admission for adults, $9.99 for children if you present the online coupon at the park entrance. 
  • Saturday, Sept. 29. 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaiʻi. 400 Farrington Highway, Kapolei.
  • wetnwildhawaii.com

Taste of Chinatown Festival, Frolic Hawai‘i’s PokeFest, HONOLULU’s Hale ‘Ainas

A trio of great food events offers everything from family-friendly activities to dressed-up date night and girls night destinations. Saturday afternoon, the Taste of Chinatown Festival will have a dozen restaurants in Chinatown offering $5 samplers of their most popular foods including Korean-fried-chicken sliders, “kokonut” sorbet, calzones, grilled corn, fresh poke bowls, and cool beverages. Visit tasteofchinatownhonolulu.com to pre-order tickets and select your plates, then pick up your selections at the restaurants while your kids decorate lanterns and get their faces painted. Then, in the evening, head to Frolic Hawai‘i’s PokeFest to try poke nachos, ‘ahi yuzu poke and other recipes from 15 places including Fresh ‘Ahi Off the Boat, Gochi Grill, Poke on Da Run, Tanioka’s and Off the Hook. If you can’t get enough, join the Poke Pound eating contest for a chance at a trip for two to Las Vegas.

Sunday, leave the kids at home to dress up for a night under the stars with some of HONOLULU Magazine’s readers’ and editors’ best restaurants at the Hale ‘Aina Awards. Chefs from Artizen at MW, Budnamujip, Koko Head Cafe, Orchids at Halekūlani, Pai Honolulu, Pint + Jigger, Plumeria Beach House, Stage and The Pig & The Lady will serve up everything from pipi kaula poke salad to frozen s’mores under the stars of Waikīkī. Yes, there will be vegetarian dishes and the ticket price includes wine, beer or two specialty cocktails. Want more? Click here to see the full menu.

Taste of Chinatown

  • All ages
  • Free admission. $5 per tasting plate, preorder online.
  • Saturday, Sept. 29. 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Face painting is 10:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Calligraphy and lantern decorating is 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
  • Smith Beretania Park, 37-49 N. Beretania St.
  • tasteofchinatownhonolulu.com

PokeFest

  • All ages
  • Free admission. Dish prices vary. PokePasses, which allow you to skip the line and pick up a set number of appetizer-size portions, are available for $35 and $50.
  • Saturday, Sept. 29. 4 to 8 p.m.
  • Ala Moana Center, behind Morton’s Steakhouse.
  • honolulupokefest.com

35th Annual Hale ‘Aina Awards

  • 21 years and older
  • $150
  • Sunday, Sept. 30. 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
  • The Royal Hawaiian, A Luxury Collection Resort, 2259 Kalākaua Ave.
  • hnltix.com

Celebrate Safe Communities

Bring the kids to Pearlridge Center on Saturday to learn about crime prevention, personal safety, and community programs. There will be live entertainment in the Uptown and Downtown Center Courts, vehicle displays and educational opportunities for all ages. The kids can meet McGruff the Crime Dog, while grownups register them for keiki I.D.s If you have expired prescription and over-the-counter medicines at home, drop them off at the booth managed by Hawai’i Medication Take Back Program, which will safely dispose the drugs.

  • All ages
  • Free
  • Saturday, Sept. 29. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Uptown and Downtown Center Courts, Pearlridge Center. 98-1005 Moanalua Road, ‘Aiea.
  • pearlridgeonline.com

Party City Face Painting

Get a headstart on Halloween with free face painting sessions at the Party City store on Nimitz Highway. While there, gather ideas and inspiration for the costumes your keiki will wear this year. No purchase necessary for face painting.

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