Your Guide to the Perfect Weekend: May 5–7, 2017
A lineup of the weekend’s best events.
Sadly, the Honolulu Biennial comes to an end, its final day Monday, May 8. For those of you who totally planned to check it out, but also completely forgot to actually go, the contemporary art fest will hold a closing party this Saturday (and offer HONOLULU readers $10 off tickets!) at The Hub, giving you one last chance to experience the inaugural biennial—which won’t come back around until 2019. Other things up this weekend include a tequila-fueled block party in Chinatown, one of Hawai‘i’s largest book festivals and a Mother’s Day expo, the perfect chance for you to find a gift for Mom.
Photo: Courtesy of the Honolulu Biennial
Honolulu Biennial 2017 Closing Party
Saturday, May 6, 6 to 10 p.m.
After a hugely successful two-month stint, the inaugural Honolulu Biennial is finally coming to an end. Sadly, you'll have to say goodbye to Yayoi Kusama’s installation of whimsically spotted, magenta amoebas at Foster Botanical Garden, along with the many other sculptures, photos and artwork hosted at various Honolulu locations. Monday, May 8 marks the last day of the art festival, entitled Middle of Now | Here—but, before all you lovers of art/procrastinators in life hit the panic button, the Honolulu Biennial is offering one last chance to experience the event before it’s too late. The biennial goes out with a bang at its closing party, this Saturday evening, with all types of traditional and contemporary art including slam poetry, mo‘olelo, hip-hop, live music, hula and interpretive dance. When hunger sets in, food trucks and drinks will be parked outside The Hub, along with 102.7 FM The Bomb radio station DJs mixing the hottest tracks for your enjoyment.
PLUS: HONOLULU readers, rejoice! The Honolulu Biennial is offering all of you $10 off $25 presale tickets. Just use promo code HNLMAG.
$25 presale, $40 at the door. The Hub of Honolulu Biennial, 333 Ward Ave. For more information and to purchase tickets, go here.
Cinco de Mayo 2017 Block Party
Friday, May 5, 6 to 10 p.m.
This month’s First Friday heats things up with a little Latin spice, thanks to one of Mexico’s most celebrated holidays. This year, Honolulu celebrates Cinco de Mayo, which just happens to fall on the first Friday of May, with a Chinatownwide block party for you and your best amigos (sombreros highly encouraged). Lineup of festivities include: DJs spinning it out on three stages, Latin cuisine from Eat the Street vendors, a low-riders motorcycle show, bar-hopping Bingo, sugar-skull face painting and lots more. Three margaritas down and feel like showing off those cajones of steel? Hop onto the mechanical bull and see how long you last, or enter yourself into the chili-pepper-eating contest and see how your fare against some of the world’s hottest chilies. And when those drinks start telling you things like “Go ahead and dance—you’re a natural” and “Maybe you should text your ex? She misses you, too,” just listen to them. After all, when has tequila ever steered you wrong?
Free, Chinatown on Nu‘uanu Avenue and Hotel Street, plus participating bars. For more information on this event, go here.
Photo: Courtesy of The HAwai‘i Book and MUsic Festival
12th Annual Hawai‘i Book & Music Festival
Saturday, May 6 and Sunday, May 7, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“Read? Why should my kid read when we have a perfectly good TV?” said no parent, ever. Whether you’re a dad who dreams of sharing the magic of Harry Potter with your child, or an adult just looking to rekindle a dying literary flame, the 12th Annual Hawai‘i Book & Music Festival this weekend at the Frank F. Fasi Civic Center is one event worth blowing off your weekend vegging plans for. A celebration of books, storytelling and music for people of all ages and tastes, the festival will ignite a spark for learning with special readings and panel discussions with local, national and international authors; pop-up book shops; storytelling performances; food and cooking demos; and more, along with music by local artists throughout the weekend. C’mon, those Bizarre Foods reruns can wait—isn’t that what TiVo’s for?
Free, Frank F. Fasi Civic Center Grounds, 650 King St. For more information and a schedule of events, go here.
20th Islandwide Spring Crafts and Food Expo
Friday, May 5 through Sunday, May 7
Mother’s Day? No sweat, we’re way ahead of the curve: Reservations for brunch by the beach at Waikīkī’s finest, afternoon mother-daughter manicures, then a trip to the North Shore for her first-ever skydiving experience. Um, well, now that you mention it, yes, she is afraid of heights. And, yes, she did burst into tears when we brought the idea up last month … OK, maybe we need a plan B. Thank goodness for the 20th Islandwide Spring Crafts and Food Expo, a three-day affair dedicated to helping you find the perfect gift (or back-up gift) for Mother’s Day. One of the state’s most popular showcases, the expo hosts 200-plus craft and food vendors offering some of Hawai‘i’s most unique local items, plus live music and cash prizes (totaling $10,000!) and the chance to win a 42-inch Sony HD TV. If she’s up for it, why not bring Mom along and let her choose her own gift? You know, something she’ll definitely love.
$4–$5, free for children 13 years and younger. Neal S. Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall, 777 Ward Ave. For more information on this event, go here.
Looking for more things to do this month? Click here for more events.
READ MORE STORIES BY MARISA HEUNG
