Your Guide to the Perfect Memorial Day Weekend in Honolulu: May 22–28, 2025
Honor fallen service members, see the live-action Lilo & Stitch, frolic in the sunflower fields, discover aquatic dinosaurs and more.
Photo: Courtesy Of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Lilo & Stitch
Showtimes starting Thursday, May 22
Catch the live-action remake of Disney’s 2002 animated movie in theaters this weekend. Not only is the story set in Hawai‘i, but there are a ton of local ties, from screenwriter Chris Kekaniokalani Bright to actors Tia Carrere and Amy Hill to musicians such as Iam Tongi and the Kamehameha Schools Choir.
Rated PG, theaters across O‘ahu, movies.disney.com, @liloandstitch
SEE ALSO: Things to Do on O‘ahu in Summer 2025 (Part 1)
Photo: Laura Dornbush
Sunflower Festival
Starting Friday, May 23, Tuesdays to Sundays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., through mid-July
The fields are blooming once again in Waimānalo! For a super summery outing, spend the day at the farm. Take selfies with cheery blooms, sip on the famous Nalo Made Lemonade and munch on fresh-picked Dakota sweet corn.
Family-friendly, $10 kama‘āina admission, free for 2 years and under, Waimānalo Country Farms, 41-225 Lupe St., waimanalocountryfarms.com, @waimanalocountryfarms
SEE ALSO: I’m Almost 6 Feet Tall. Here’s What It Was Like Staying at Hawai‘i’s First Capsule Hotel
Photo: Courtesy of Girl Scouts of Hawai‘i
Lei of Aloha
Saturday, May 24, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Join this community effort to sew 10,000 lei honoring the fallen service members buried at the Hawai‘i State Veterans’ Cemetery. Flower donations are needed, including plumeria blossoms, bougainvillea, stephanotis and crown flowers. On Sunday, Girl Scout troops will place American flags and drape the lei on veterans’ gravesites.
Family-friendly, free, Windward Mall, Center Court Stage, 46-056 Kamehameha Highway, Kāne‘ohe, gshawaii.org, @girlscoutshi
SEE ALSO: In the Mood for Lei: Where to Take Lei-Making Classes on O‘ahu
Photo: Courtesy of Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawai‘i
Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawai‘i
Monday, May 26, 6:30 p.m.
Honor loved ones who have passed by writing messages on paper lanterns and releasing them on the calm waters of Ala Moana Beach Park. Arrive early if you’d like your own lantern, distributed on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 10 a.m. Or submit a remembrance online to be included on a collective lantern floated by volunteers.
Free, Ala Moana Beach, 1201 Ala Moana Blvd., Ala Moana, lanternfloatinghawaii.com, @shinnyolanternfloatinghawaii
SEE ALSO: We Tried It: Volcanic Wedgeee Waterslide at Wet ’n’ Wild Hawai‘i
High Watah Concert at Mililani Walmart
Friday, May 23, 3 to 4 p.m.
Your Aloha Friday errands just got a little more chill. Listen to the smooth, soulful sounds of this reggae band in an alfresco acoustic performance outside the store. Stick around after the show for a meet-and-greet and to score Procter & Gamble product giveaways.
Free, Walmart, 95-550 Lanikuhana Ave., Mililani, @webcohawaii
SEE ALSO: Things to Do on O‘ahu in May 2025
Photo: Stage 9 Exhibits
Expedition Dinosaur: Into the Deep
Opening Saturday, May 24, through Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026
Nerd out at this new Bishop Museum exhibit all about oceanic and aquatic reptiles from the Mesozoic Era. You’ll learn about the Jurassic seas through up-close and personal displays, including lifelike animatronic dinosaurs with realistic movements and sounds, plus a fossil dig simulator and augmented reality sandboxes.
Family-friendly, $24.95 adult kama‘āina admission, $20.95 youth kama‘āina admission (ages 4-17), 1525 Bernice St., Kalihi, bishopmuseum.org, @bishopmuseum
Collector Megalopolis
Saturday, May 24, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday, May 25, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Trade Pokémon cards, shop for comics, browse sports cards and snag pop culture treasures from more than 40 pop-up vendors. Don’t miss the chance to pose for photos with cosplay characters too.
Family-friendly, free admission, Pearlridge Center, Mauka and Wai Makai Center Courts, 98-1005 Moanalua Rd., ‘Aiea, hicollector.com, @hicollector
Photos: Courtesy of Dr. Gail Okawa
Gail Okawa: Book Talk and Signing
Saturday, May 24, noon to 1:30 p.m.
In commemoration of the 10th anniversary of Honouliuli National Historic Site, hear stories about Hawai‘i’s Japanese immigrants who were unjustly interned during WWII. Author Gail Okawa will lead a talk story and sign copies of her book Remembering Our Grandfathers’ Exile about her grandfather’s arrest and the broader story of incarceration and exile on the mainland.
Free, Pearl Harbor National Memorial Theater, 1 Arizona Memorial Place, Pearl Harbor, nps.gov, @honouliulinps
Ice Cream Social
Saturday, May 24, 2 to 4 p.m.
Nothing says old-fashioned fun like all-you-can-eat sundaes and a serenade by barbershop-style singers. Chow down on Dave’s Ice Cream served with all the toppings, followed by a 45-minute chorus concert. The event is a fundraiser for The Sounds of Aloha Chorus, a local a cappella group.
Family-friendly, $20 adults, $15 kids under 12, Wai‘alae Elementary School, 1045 19th Ave., Kaimukī, soundsofaloha.org
Photo: Courtesy of Hibiscus Half Marathon
Hibiscus Half Marathon
Sunday, May 25, 5:30 a.m.
With half marathon, 15K or 5-miler options, this run (or walk) is flexible and family-friendly. You’ll start and end at Kapi‘olani Park and enjoy scenic motivation as you make your way past Diamond Head with views of the Pacific.
$70–$125, Kapi‘olani Park, Waikīkī, tropicaltriplecrown.com, @hibiscushalfmarathon
Laura Dornbush is a regular contributor to HONOLULU Magazine.
