Your Weekend: The Best Family Events-Month Dec. 19, 2018

Our picks for the weekend's best family events.

Photo: Courtesy of Hawaiʻi Bowl

Holiday Food Drive

Encourage your family and neighbors to donate to the Hawaiʻi Food Bank’s first-ever “holiday food drive.” Non-perishable food items and/or monetary donations will be accepted on Saturday at the nonprofit group’s center in Mapunapuna. Santa will be at the event to take photos and meet keiki. If members of your group do not have time to drop off their donations in Mapunapuna on Saturday, you can organize a mini “food and fund drive” to collect their donations and designate a driver to get to the storehouse. To create a group, fill out this online form. 

• All ages
• Free
• Saturday, Dec. 22. 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Hawai’i Food Bank. 2611 Kilihau St.
• hawaiifoodbank.org

Seasons of Light and Kaluokaʻahina: The Enchanted Reef

Spend Saturday afternoon in the Hōkulani Imaginarium for back-to-back movies that are educational for kids. At 1 p.m., Seasons of Light will explain the origins of Christmas trees, Hanukkah menorahs, Santa Claus and the star of Bethlehem. Then at 2 p.m., the animated film Kaluokaʻhina: The Enchanted Reef will introduce kids to sawfish Jake and his reef fish buddy Shorty, who set out to save their tropical coral reef after a volcanic catastrophe. Tickets may be purchased, cash only, at the box office 30 minutes prior to the show.

• All ages
• $6 for children ages 4 to 12; $7 for students, military and seniors over age 65; $8 general admission.
• Saturday, Dec. 22. 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.
• Hokulani Imaginarium, Windward Community College. 45-720 Keaʻahala Road, Kāneʻohe
• (808) 235-7433 reservations line is open from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.
• aerospace.wcc.hawaii.edu/imaginarium.html

Hawai’i Open

Want to see a tennis match, featuring Grand Slam champions? Attend the Hawai’i Open at the Blaisdell Arena from Dec. 21-23, a three-day event that includes a celebrity match on Saturday evening to raise funds for victims of the Hawaiʻi Island volcano.

• All ages
• $20 and up
• Friday to Sunday matches, Dec. 21-23, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday charity event, Dec. 22, 6 p.m.
• Blaisdell Arena, 777 Ward Ave.
• (808) 745-3000
• hawaiitennisopen.com

SoFi Hawaiʻi Bowl

If you’re a football fan, watch the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors face off against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in the SoFi Hawai’i Bowl at Aloha Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 22. This will be the first time in more than decade that the bowl will not take place on Christmas Eve.

• All ages
• $15 to $45
• Saturday, Dec. 22. 5:30 p.m.
• Aloha Stadium, 99-500 Salt Lake Blvd.
• (808) 944-2697
• thehawaiibowl.com

Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic

And for followers of college basketball, the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic will take place on Dec. 22, 23 and 25 in the Stan Sheriff Center, featuring eight college teams Indiana State, Colorado, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, University of Hawaiʻi, Rhode Island, Bucknell, Charlotte and Texas Christian University.

• All ages
• $10 and up
• Various times. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 22 and Dec. 23; Tuesday, Dec. 25
• Stan Sheriff Center, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. 1355 Lower Campus Road
• (808) 944-2697
• espnevents.com/diamond-head-classic

Free Milk and Cookies

Snack on complimentary cookies and milk while you view the Honolulu City Lights on Saturday evening. The free snacks will be available while supplies last, so you might want to get there early. If you miss the treats (or are still hungry!), you can buy malassadas from Leonard’s truck, poi mochi from Uncle Lani’s and non-alcoholic drinks from The Thirsty Coconut and Hawaiʻi Cold Brew Co. To entertain the kids, balloon twisters and tattoo artists will have their booths next to the illuminated “Joy” sign, and the keiki-sized pirate ship, carousel and helicopter ride will be up and running in front of the sculpture at Sky Gate Park. Santa also will be at his post inside Honolulu Hale from 7 to 9 p.m., daily, through Christmas Eve. The city lights are scheduled to stay on through 11 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 1.

• All ages
• Free
• Saturday, Dec. 22. 6 to 8 p.m.
• Entrance, Honolulu Hale. 530 S. King St.
• honolulucitylights.org

Extended Shopping Hours

• Ala Moana Center: Sat, Dec. 22, 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sun, Dec. 23, 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Mon, Dec. 24, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. alamoanacenter.com
• Kahala Mall: Sat, Dec. 22, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sun, Dec. 23, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Mon, Dec. 24, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. kahalamallcenter.com
• Windward Mall: Sat, Dec. 22, 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sun, Dec. 23, 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Mon, Dec. 24, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. alamoanacenter.com
• Kahala Mall: Sat, Dec. 22, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sun, Dec. 23, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Mon, Dec. 24, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. windwardmall.com
• Pearlridge Center: Sat, Dec. 22, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sun, Dec. 23, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Mon, Dec. 24, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. pearlridgeonline.com
• Ka Makana Aliʻi: Sat, Dec. 22, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sun, Dec. 23, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Mon, Dec. 24, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. kamakanaalii.com
• International Marketplace: Daily, including Christmas Day, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. shopinternationalmarketplace.com