Bon dance season in Hawaii is now under way. The Japanese observance of o-bon — Hawaii shortens the word to “bon” — honors the spirits of family members who have passed away. You’ll find o-bon festivals slated for just about every weekend at Hawaii hongwanji missions and temples, from June through August. According to tradition, […]
Hawaii will celebrate its King Kamehameha Day this weekend — and next weekend — with ceremonies, parades and other cultural celebrations paying tribute to King Kamehameha the Great, who established the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810 and was its first monarch. The first King Kamehameha Day, proclaimed by King Kamehameha V to honor his grandfather, King
The annual Pan-Pacific Festival — a convergence of Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Hawaiian cultures — is slated to get under way in the Honolulu area on Fri., June 8. Now in its 33rd year, the three-day international festival will feature dance and theatrical performances and demonstrations as well as a hoolaulea (block party) and a
If you happen to be in the Islands tomorrow, you’ll be in one of the best places on the planet to witness a rare celestial alignment, during which Venus passes between the Earth and Sun. The planet’s trek across the disk of the Sun — known as a transit of Venus — will be under
The National Football League announced yesterday that it will stage its 2013 Pro Bowl in Hawaii. The all-star game, in which the NFC (National Football Conference) squares off against the AFC (American Football Conference), is slated for Jan. 27 at Oahu’s Aloha Stadium — one week before New Orleans hosts Super Bowl XLVII. The
Allegiant Air, a Nevada-based airline owned by Allegiant Travel Company, announced today that starting in mid-November it will provide nonstop air service from Monterey, Calif. to Honolulu. The addition of the community between Los Angeles and San Francisco brings the airline’s planned mainland-Oahu lineup to include seven cities in Western states. According to a news
At sunset on Mon., May 28, Memorial Day, some 3,500 glowing lanterns will illuminate the waters edging Ala Moana Beach Park’s Magic Island on Oahu. Inscribed with messages to loved ones who have passed away and prayers for a peaceful future, the lanterns—perched atop miniature floating boards—will be launched before a shoreline crowd expected to
The USS Arizona Memorial’s construction grew out of a wartime resolve to honor those who lost their lives during the Dec. 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. It was dedicated on Memorial Day, 1962. The 184-foot-long memorial structure spans the mid-portion of the sunken battleship — the final resting place for many of the ship’s 1,177
Hawaii-filmed Battleship, an action-adventure/science-fiction movie, is now making its box-office debut in theaters across the country, with star billing going Liam Neeson, Taylor Kitsch, Brooklyn Decker and Rihanna. But that list, in circulation among movie critics and box-office news and in advertisements, omits specific mention of one ahem, HUGE star who is featured prominently in
If you’re near Waikiki’s shoreline this weekend, expect to see stoked surfboard-toting groms. Wondering what a grom is, exactly? Should we consult Websters? Wikipedia? No, dude. For this definition, we’re turning to the surfologists at Riptionary. According to their ever-evolving surfer lexicon — under the category of “Surf Culture” — grom is explained as a term
The fifth annual Hawaii Wine & Food Festival at Ko Olina on Oahu will feature a Thursday evening of premier wine pairings followed by more primo vino and fashion shows on Friday and Saturday evenings. Oh, and plenty of delish dishes and music. Among the chefs is the “Stiletto Chef,” model-turned-chef Candice Kumai, who is
Allegiant Air, a Nevada-based airline owned by Allegiant Travel Company, announced today that in November it will start providing nonstop air service from the mainland to Maui. Also, it will add four cities in Western states to its mainland-Oahu air service lineup. The carrier is now offering introductory fares as low as $199 one-way, including
