Your Guide to the Perfect Weekend in Honolulu: March 17–19, 2018

Chinatown gets a dose of Irish charm, famous chefs talk farm-to-table and the Lyon Arboretum helps protect native plants from the ground up.

March 14, 2018

Marisa Heung,

St. Patrick’s Day falls on Saturday this year, which means you’ve got zero excuses to miss Murphy’s Bar & Grill’s annual Chinatown block party. Head to Nu‘uanu Avenue and Merchant Street for the biggest, greenest, most Irish bash on the island. Plus, help preserve Hawai‘i’s rainforests by removing invasive plants from Mānoa and check out a free panel discussion about the farm-to-table movement, led by two James Beard-recognized chefs.

PHOTO: David Croxford

St. Patrick’s Day Block Party

Saturday, March 17, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Honolulu’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day block party returns to Chinatown, and this one’s got something for the whole family (yes, even the kids). Murphy’s Bar & Grill will open at 11 a.m. for a delicious Irish lunch of corned beef and cabbage, Gaelic steak, Irish whiskey cake and more. If you don’t mind eating outside, we suggest heading straight for the parking lot across the street, which will have a main food booth serving all the same dishes, plus a fish-and-chips booth, an oyster booth, drinks and St. Patrick’s Day souvenirs. A keiki fair from noon to 3 p.m., with face painting, balloons, crafts and more, will keep your little leprechauns (and you) happy. At 4 p.m., send the kids home with grandma and head to Nu‘uanu Avenue and Merchant Street for more booths, stages with live entertainment, dancing and plenty of people dressed in wacky green outfits.

Free admission, Nu‘uanu Avenue and Merchant Street. For more information, go here.

Lyon Arboretum Volunteer Day Workshop

Saturday, March 17, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.

How do you keep Hawai‘i Hawai‘i? One way is to protect our native forests. The Lyon Arboretum and the O‘ahu Invasive Species Committee are calling for local volunteers to help remove high-threat invasive plants from Mānoa. Volunteers will assist the Lyon Arboretum Grounds Department in uprooting select invasive species, landscaping, trail restoration and more, all while gaining firsthand knowledge on gardening and local botany. Tools and mosquito repellent will be provided, just come wearing pants and long-sleeve shirts, closed shoes and a rain jacket (this is Mānoa, after all). Parking is tight, so we suggest getting there early. Otherwise, you can park in the Paradise Park lot for $3.

Free, Lyon Arboretum, 3860 Mānoa Road. For more information and to register, go here.

photos: Renea Veneri Stewart, Courtesy of Vivian Howard

Surfjack Talk Story Sessions #CookYourHeritage Feat. Vivian Howard and Ed Kenney

Monday, March 19, 6 to 8 p.m.

The farm-to-table movement is growing, and there’s a good reason why: Locally sourced ingredients make food taste better, are more nutrient rich and, most importantly, promote sustainability. But why should we try to convince you when you can hear it from nationally acclaimed chefs? On Monday, North Carolina resident and James Beard Award-winning chef Vivian Howard is joined by local restaurateur and James Beard-nominated chef Ed Kenney at The Surfjack for “Recipes for Life: Why Our Culinary Heritage Matters,” a panel discussion focusing on today’s need for farm-to-table food. Mahina & Sun’s will be serving small bites from recipes by Howard. The event is free to attend, or spend $45 to receive a signed copy of Howard’s New York Times best-selling recipe book, Deep Run Roots: Stories and Recipes from My Corner of the South.

$0–$45, The Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club, 412 Lewers St. For more information and to register, go here.

Plus: Coming Up

HONOLULU Family Fun Run Presented by First Hawaiian Bank

Saturday, March 31, 7:30 to 10 a.m.

Lace up your shoes for the HONOLULU Family Fun Run presented by First Hawaiian Bank, Saturday, March 31, 7:30 a.m. at Ala Moana Beach Park. Family members of all ages can enter the 5K fun run, a leisurely walk/run filled with selfie stops, snack stations and entertainment. Kids ages 3–10 can also participate in a 500-meter keiki dash. Afterward, head over to the keiki fun zone for games, a bouncy house and more.

$15–$20, Ala Moana Beach Park, 1201 Ala Moana Blvd. For more information and to register, go here.

Looking for more things to do? Check out our events calendar.