Your Weekend: The Best Family Fun in Honolulu for July 22–28, 2021

Photo: Courtesy of Sea Life Park

Manana Mele Pau Hana at Sea Life Park

There’s a new happy hour on the Windward side. When the park closes, pau hana begins at the Beach Boy Lānai on weekend afternoons with free admission to the area. Unwind and let your keiki dance and play while enjoying live music and favorite local dishes such as, Garlic Butter Shrimp Plate, BBQ Kālua Pork Sliders, Dole Whip and keiki slushies. This weekend’s line-up features: George Kuo & Friends (Friday), Mark Yim & Friends (Saturday), and Kamalu (Sunday).

• All ages
• Free admission and parking. Food and drink available for purchase.
• Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• 41-202 Kalaniana‘ole Highway, Waimānalo
• (808) 259-2500
• sealifeparkhawaii.com, @sealifepark

See also: 🐬  Our Guide: Sea Life Park

Image: Courtesy of Hawai‘i State Art Museum

Maintenance: A Live Interactive Performance

We are giddy at the return of live theater, especially when it’s al fresco. Bring your family downtown to the Hawai‘i State Art Museum for a unique performance set in the charming sculpture garden. Keiki will be entertained by a story of a duo of unworldly maintenance people tasked with scrubbing the statues and the distractions they encounter. Stay afterwards for a stroll through the museum’s exhibits, but heads-up that the “I Love Art” hands-on activity gallery is still closed due to COVID precautions.

• All ages
• Free
• Two performances on Saturday, July 24 at 10:30 a.m. and noon
• 250 S. Hotel St.
• (808) 586-0900
• hisam.hawaii.gov, @hawaiistateartmuseum

See also: 📚  30 Hawai‘i Keiki Books to Add To Your Library

Photo: Courtesy of Ward Village

Little Free Diverse Library at Ward Village

With only nine days left to complete the Hawai‘i State Public Libraries’ Summer Reading Program, pick up some fresh material for your bookworms at a new public bookcase at Victoria Ward Park. The free library is whimsical and colorful thanks to artist and designer Jana Lam and celebrates the themes of equity, diversity and representation with the books and authors housed inside. You can borrow and return books at your leisure and even squeeze in a game of soccer or tag on the park’s grassy lawn, too.

While you are in the neighborhood, walk (or scooter) two blocks down Auahi Street to view the new outdoor StoryWalk installation fronting Village Books & Music. You’ll discover oversized pages of the fan favorite book, The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister. Hurry, the pages will only be up through July 31!

• All ages
• Free
• The library is at Victoria Ward Park, 980 Auahi St. The StoryWalk installation is outside Village Books & Music, 1142 Auahi St.
• friendsofthelibraryofhawaii.org/villagebooks

Visit the Library

Speaking of reading, we were thrilled during a recent visit to find that the tables and chairs were back in our neighborhood library and that we were no longer held to time slots set on the hour. If you haven’t been back to browse in a while, it could be time to visit again. And even with just little more than a week left, it is not too late to sign up for the Summer Reading Program. Log your minutes online for prizes. All you need is 100 minutes to qualify to enter to win four roundtrip tickets from Alaska Airlines. Teens can earn personal pizzas from Pizza Hut and there are incentives for younger readers and adults. You’ll even earn a certificate for a free snack from McDonald’s just by signing up.

• Summer reading program runs through July 31.
• librarieshawaii.org

Photo: America Lopez, Hawai‘i Public Radio

Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob the Musical! Livestream

Grab your popcorn (and seaweed snacks) for the last weekend of virtual stage performances of the underwater adventures of SpongeBob SquarePants and his Bikini Bottom friends live from Hawai‘i Theatre. The musical stars local keiki age 5 through 18 who attended the Pacific Academy of Performing Arts’ Summer Intensive Theatre Camp.

• Ages 6 years and older
• $10 per screen. Livestream tickets can be purchased here.
• Friday, July 23 and Saturday, July 24 at 6 p.m.; Saturday, July 24 and Sunday, July 25 at 1 p.m.
• (808) 791-1397
• hawaiitheatre.com