Your Guide to the Perfect Weekend: Sept. 22–23, 2017
A lineup of the weekend’s best events.
This weekend is all about going back in time. Celebrate Hawai‘i at one of the nation’s oldest cultural celebrations, escape the heat and spend the day at Queen Emma’s summer retreat in cool Nu‘uanu, or head to the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor for a peek into the World War II era through vintage photographs and film. Plus, a calligraphy workshop at The Pineapple Patio is your perfect opportunity to make snail mail cool again.
PHOTO: courtesy of aloha festivals
65th Annual Waikīkī Ho‘olaule‘a
Saturday, Sept. 23, 7 to 10 p.m.
Started in 1946, Aloha Festivals is a monthlong cultural celebration and Hawai‘i’s opportunity to share the aloha spirit with the world. Aloha Festivals’ annual Waikīkī Ho‘olaule‘a, one of Hawai‘i’s largest block parties, takes place this Saturday with the arrival of the Royal Court and continues with an evening of food, fun and live entertainment. Held along 12 blocks on Kalākaua Avenue (between Lewers Street and Kapahulu Avenue), guests can enjoy fresh eats from local food vendors, purchase handmade lei and watch hula performances and live music on multiple stages. Thousands of locals and visitors attend the Ho‘olaule‘a each year, so we suggest leaving the car at home. Biki, anyone?
Free, Kalākaua Avenue, between Kapahulu Avenue and Lewers Street. For more information on this and other Aloha Festivals events, go here.
SEE ALSO: Your Guide to the 2017 Aloha Festivals Celebrating Hawaiian Culture
Living History Day
Saturday, Sept. 23, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Here’s one instance where it’s totally OK to live in the past. On Saturday, the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor brings the World War II era to life with Living History Day, an event in affiliation with Smithsonian magazine’s Museum Day Live!, which grants free admission to participating museums across the nation (you can download the free ticket on its website). This year, the museum focuses on the role film and photography played in chronicling the events that took place during World War II. In addition to a special screening of Finding Kukan, an award-winning documentary revolving around Hawai‘i’s Li Ling-Ai, activities include demos on the best ways to preserve vintage photos, the process of colorizing black-and-white photos and swing dancing, plus a museum-wide scavenger hunt.
Free, Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor, 319 Lexington Blvd. For more information on this and Museum Day Live, go here.
SEE ALSO: How One Female Chinese-American Filmmaker Inspired Another, Decades Later
PHOTO: Courtesy of anna claire calligraphy + design
Modern Calligraphy Workshop
Friday, Sept. 22, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
While texts, emails and messages always do the trick, there’s nothing quite as special as sending (or receiving) a handwritten note—except, perhaps, one that features beautiful calligraphy. Infinitely versatile skills, calligraphy and hand lettering give any card instant upgrades, but they do take practice. The Pineapple Patio gives you the chance to learn the ins and outs from a pro this Friday, when it hosts calligraphy artist Anna Claire (of Anna Claire Caliigraphy + Design) for an introductory workshop on modern calligraphy. The cost covers all the basic tools you’ll need for the class, including ink, nibs, a calligraphy pen and practice pad, as well as complimentary drinks and light pūpū.
$100, The Pineapple Patio, 2038 S. King St. For more information and to purchase tickets, go here.
41st Annual Day at Queen Emma Summer Palace
Saturday, Sept. 23, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
We’re always looking for ways to beat Hawai‘i’s hot weather. This Saturday, why not retreat from the heat in cool, secluded Nu‘uanu, at the very same place Queen Emma herself would escape to during the hot summer months? The annual Day at Queen Emma Summer Palace is a celebration of Hawaiian culture and history, featuring local food, live music, hula and pop-up shops on the grounds of Queen Emma Summer Palace. The palace houses several ancient Hawaiian artifacts, as well as a wealth of information on the history of the Hawaiian monarchy. Visitors can delve deeper into Hawaiian tradition with cultural demos on the old-school method of poi pounding and kapa making. Stop by the marketplace and shop an assortment of haku lei, jams and jellies, poke bowls, gelato and more.
$0–$6. Queen Emma Summer Palace, 2913 Pali Highway. For more information on this event, go here.
Looking for more things to do? Check out our events calendar.
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