Your Weekend: The Best Family Fun in Honolulu for April 8-14, 2021
Pose with sunflowers, pick up a free bag of keiki activities, listen to a daylong ʻukulele concert and more.
Photo: David Croxford
Waimānalo Country Farms Sunflower Drive-Thru
The sunflowers are in bloom on the Windward side and the family-owned farm’s fields are open for photo ops. Time slots are half-an-hour long and include driving time from the entrance to the photo area. Only one car is allowed in for each online reservation, so your entire party needs to be in a single vehicle. On the way out, you can also pick up the farm’s signature lemonade, watermelon, local honey and, on weekends, seafood boils. Bring cash. Credit cards will not be accepted for food purchases.
- All ages
- $10.84 per person.
- Slots are open now through May 12. Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Waimānalo Country Farms, 41-225 Lupe St., Waimānalo
- (808) 306-4381
- waimanalocountryfarms.com, @waimanalocountryfarms
Photo: Courtesy of Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources
Mauka to Makai Expo
Download and print coloring books and activities, fact cards and environmentally aware stories through the website of this year’s expo. The event is typically held at the Waikīkī Aquarium and that is where you can go to pick up a free swag bag of items either Friday, April 9 or Thursday, April 22. You do need to register ahead of time as the bags are available while supplies last. I’m sure my kids will love the finger puppets of Native Hawaiian birds and ʻōhia crowns from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the online games from Project Wet (I built a colorable poster for my kids of a dog in a park slipping on a banana peel) and the Mālama Honua Voyage app where kids can build their own Polynesian voyaging canoe.
- All ages
- Free
- Activities are online now at maukatomakaiexpo.com
- Register by Thursday, April 8 for swag bag pickup on Friday, April 9 through eventbrite.com
SEE ALSO: Meet the Hawai‘i Family That Makes the World’s Most Famous ‘Ukulele
The ʻUkulele Festival in years past. Photo: Courtesy of ʻUkulele Festival Hawaiʻi
Ukulele Festival: Local Spotlight
The celebration of one of our state’s favorite five-string instrument is virtual this year, so go to YouTube for a full day of live music as a part of your Sunday soundtrack. Performers include Kelly Boy Delima of Kapena, Abe Lagrimas, Jr. and Bryan Tolentino. The performance this weekend as well as a workshop with Jake Shimabukuro on May 16 and performances by international players in June all lead up to the virtual event on July 18. Organizers are hoping to bring the in-person festival back in 2022.
- All ages
- Free
- Sunday, April 11, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- Find the full lineup and details for the monthly events on ukulelefesthawaii.org
Photo: Karen DB Photography
Register: ʻOhana Volunteer Days at Waimea Valley
The day isn’t until next weekend, but spaces fill up quickly so you should reserve yours ahead of time. Kids will do a variety of outdoor tasks, from pulling weeds to hauling away branches. Expect the work to be hands-on and dirty, but ultimately satisfying. After the work is done at 11:30 a.m., volunteers are free to wander the gardens, play cultural games and, if you’re lucky, to take a dip in the pool under the waterfall, if it is open. The general Hānai ʻĀina workday is scheduled for this Saturday, April 10, but you will be hiking up to a ridge so the work is best for older kids.
- Free
- All ages
- RSVP now for the workday on Sunday, April 18, 9-11:30 a.m.
- Waimea Valley, 59-864 Kamehameha Highway, Haleʻiwa
- Call (808) 638-5855 or email volunteers@waimeavalley.net
- waimeavalley.net/volunteer
SEE ALSO: Volunteering Opportunities Families Can Do Right Now in Honolulu
Image: kellyyang.com
Read: Front Desk
Congratulations to author Kelly Yang, the winner of this year’s Nēnē Award for youth literature. Yang immigrated from China to America when she was 6 years old and watched as her parents works in several different motels. Her book Front Desk tells the story of a 10-year-old Chinese-American girl who works at the front desk of a motel. Her parents clean it and hide other immigrants inside. Aside from being selected by local 4th, 5th and 6th graders as their favorite nominee, the Yang’s debut work has won myriad other awards ranging from the Asian Pacific American Award for Literature and best book honors from Amazon and The Washington Post. But, more importantly, the tale is entertaining and is followed by two more for binge reading. Who could argue that?
The Hawaiʻi State Public Library does have some copies checked in to various libraries, or you can put the audio book on hold. $16.99 for hardcover, $7.95 for paperback.
SEE ALSO: 30 Hawai‘i Keiki Books to Add To Your Library
