Honolulu Festival

The famous finale of the Honolulu Festival is just two days away! Mark your calendars — the stunning Nagaoka Fireworks Show will illuminate the skies on Sunday, March 10 at 8:30 p.m.! 🎇 Spectators are encouraged to arrive at the beach early to reserve their viewing spots.

Following the Grand Parade, the Nagaoka Fireworks Show has marked the finale of the Honolulu Festival since 2012. While fireworks are usually considered celebratory and entertaining, these convey a strong message of peace. We’ll see you soon under the sky filled with fireworks!

We’re just days away from the Grand Parade at the 2024 Honolulu Festival, on Sunday, March 10, from 4 to 8 p.m. Be sure to stay for the Nagaoka Fireworks Show at 8:30 p.m. too!

Pro tips: Plan to arrive early to save your spot. Kalakaua Avenue will be closed at 3:30 p.m. Kuhio Avenue will be open as usual.

Park at paid public lots like the Honolulu Zoo or at shopping centers like the Royal Hawaiian Center or International Market Place around Waikiki.

To avoid traffic, we strongly recommend using public transportation.

For the parade route and a list of opening performers, check out
https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/event-parade/.

Did you know that the Honolulu Festival is an educational opportunity for the students and communities of Hawai‘i?! This Friday, March 8 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., hundreds of local elementary and middle school students will converge at the Hawai'i Convention Center for an immersive behind-the-scenes cultural experience. 🇯🇵

For many years, the Honolulu Festival Foundation has created education-oriented events where students can learn about different regions, dances, and songs alongside visiting cultural groups and see the parade floats, such as the Daijayama dragon, up close!

We’re just a few days away from the Friendship Gala on Friday, March 8, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.! 🎎

Tickets are still available for those who wish to delight in delicious food and cultural entertainment.

Proceeds allow the Honolulu Festival Foundation to offer enriching educational programs and opportunities to increase the global understanding and awareness of local school children. Purchase tickets today at https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/friendship-gala-ticket/.

Mahalo to all who came to our press conference yesterday at Waikiki Beach Walk ! What a great day to get all the details on the 2024 Honolulu Festival, taking place March 8-10, highlighted by a weekend of free cultural performances and exhibits, the Grand Parade on Kalakaua Avenue, and the spectacular Nagaoka Fireworks Show over Waikiki Beach. 🎆

Huge thanks to our featured speakers Deputy Consul General Mikio Izawa Consulate General of Japan in Honolulu｜在ホノルル総領事館 , Ka‘ili Trask O‘Connell from the Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts, Makana McClellan from the Office of the Governor, and Sean Dee of Outrigger Hospitality Group. Shout out to Chinagu Eisa Hawaii for their amazing energetic performance. 🎌

We’ll see you next week!

🎏 It’s time for an ULTIMATE HONOLULU FESTIVAL GIVEAWAY! 🎏

We’re giving away a pair of tickets to the Friendship Gala on Friday, March 8 and admission for two into the Nagaoka Fireworks Show viewing area, so you can experience the best Honolulu Festival yet!

To enter this giveaway, head to our Instagram before it closes on March 4.

Get a taste of Japan at the one-of-a-kind Japan Food Festival on Saturday, March 9 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, March 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.! 🍱 The Honolulu Festival’s Sister Event, held on the first floor of the Hawai‘i Convention Center, will feature various Japanese seafood dishes, food tasting sessions, workshops, and entertainment such as tuna dismantling shows and musubi cooking demonstrations. 🍙

For more information, visit https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/schedule/28th/2024-03-09/japan-food-festival-in-hawaii-2/.

The famous finale to the Honolulu Festival is back with the stunning Nagaoka Fireworks Show on Sunday, March 10 at 8:30 p.m.! 🎇 The Nagaoka Fireworks Show has marked the finale of the Honolulu Festival since 2012 and while fireworks are usually considered celebratory and entertaining, these convey a strong message of peace.

The two cities who were once enemies in World War II have since become sister cities. Honolulu suffered the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese Navy without warning, and Nagaoka is the hometown of Isoroku Yamamoto, who directed the attack and fell victim to the bombing by the U.S. Army. It has since been significant for the two cities to reconcile and promote the friendship between the U.S. and Japan, which contributes to world peace. ✌️

Read more about the history of the Nagaoka Fireworks Show at the Honolulu Festival at https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/festival/nagaoka-fireworks/.

With performers from all over the world, you won’t want to miss the amazing cultural performances at three different locations: Hawai‘i Convention Center, Ala Moana Center Stage and Waikiki Beach Walk. At the Honolulu Festival, performers from various regions of the Pacific Rim including Hawai‘i, Japan, Australia and the U.S. mainland showcase their amazing talents to Hawai‘i and beyond. 🌎

Performances vary from traditional and modern dance and music to arts and crafts. With more than 100 participating groups, it’s one of our favorite parts of the festival!

For a full schedule of performers, visit https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/group/.

Not only is the Honolulu Festival a fun-filled celebration of cultures, it is also an educational opportunity for the students and communities of Hawai‘i. One of the ways it supports education is through the Maui Mikoshi Contest, where high school students from the island of Maui design Japanese “Mikoshi,” a decorative portable shrine.

Congratulations to H.P.Baldwin High School for winning this year’s Maui Mikoshi Contest! Find them visiting Honolulu Festival and marching in the Grand Parade with their award-winning Mikoshi. The winning Mikoshi will also be displayed at the Hawai‘i Convention Center during the Festival!

The long-awaited Sake & Food Fest is back at the Hawai‘i Convention Center on Saturday, March 9 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, March 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.! It’s a must-try activity during the Festival! 🍶

The exhibit features a learning and free sampling experience on Japanese alcohols such as sake, shochu, and awamori. Admission to the event is free, however sake sampling is for adults 21 and older. For more information, visit https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/schedule/28th/2024-03-09/sake-food-fest-3/.

Discover more than 100 booths from Japan, Hawai‘i and other Pacific countries at the Honolulu Festival Craft Fair open on Saturday, March 9 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, March 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ✨

Enjoy a vibrant array of multicultural exhibits, local craft vendors, children's game area and a bon dance in the Kamehameha Exhibit Hall of the Hawai'i Convention Center! Don’t just browse around — this is your chance to make your own crafts and interact with exhibitors from various parts of the Pacific Rim! Vendors include Any Kine SNAX, Corn_Onoz_Hawaii, Dip Into Paradise, illuminated ART Hawaii, Haitai Hawaii, and more!

Delight in sumptuous small plates crafted by renowned O‘ahu restaurants and enjoy live music while celebrating cultural harmony at the Friendship Gala on Friday, March 8 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.! 🎎

The Friendship Gala is open to the public (ticket purchase required) and promotes friendship and international goodwill between the people of Hawai‘i and the Asia-Pacific region. Proceeds allow the Honolulu Festival Foundation to offer enriching educational programs and opportunities to increase the global understanding and awareness of local school children.

Purchase tickets today at https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/friendship-gala-ticket/.

It’s the most magical, grand way to conclude the 2024 Honolulu Festival! Starting at Saratoga Road and continuing along Kalākaua Avenue, the Grand Parade fills the streets with performers, lively music, marching bands, spectacular parade floats and cultural demonstrations. 🤩

Mark your calendars — the Grand Parade happens on Sunday, March 10 with opening performances at 4 p.m. and the parade from 4:30 to 8 p.m.!

Want to be a stage performer or parade participant in the Honolulu Festival this March 9 to 10? It’s not too late! Applications for parade participants have been extended until Feb. 11 and stage performer applications have been extended until Feb. 10! 🎉

Apply to be a stage performer and parade participant in the Honolulu Festival! Get your applications in at the link below. ⬇️

https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/stage-application-process/

Mark your calendars! From March 8 to 10, the 28th Annual Honolulu Festival returns for a weekend of exciting activities, performances, and events! It’s an unforgettable experience that transcends borders and celebrates the beauty of cultural harmony throughout the Pacific Rim. 🎆

28TH ANNUAL HONOLULU FESTIVAL Open to All ,March 8-10, 2024 28TH ANNUAL HONOLULU FESTIVAL TO CELEBRATE A SPECTRUM OF PACIFIC RIM CULTURESGrand Parade, Nagaoka Fireworks Show, and Free Cultural Performances Open to All...

Things we can’t wait for at the 2024 Honolulu Festival this March 8 to 10:
✨ Friendship Gala
✨ Cultural Performances & Exhibits
✨ Craft Fair, Exhibitions, Food & Ennichi Corner
✨ Sake and Food Fest
✨ Japanese Film Festival
✨ Grand Parade
✨ Nagaoka Fireworks Show

And so much more! For a full schedule, visit https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/event/.

Need more reasons to be part of the Honolulu Festival?! Here are our top three — performers from all over the world, three performance venues and unforgettable experiences! 🎉 The last day to submit applications for vendors, performers and parade participants is Jan. 31.

https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/whatsnew/2023/11/10/our-application-form-for-vendors-and-performers-is-now-available-2/

Calling all vendors, performers, and parade participants! You could be part of the Honolulu Festival this March 8-10. 🎉

Apply to be one of more than 100 vendor booths at the craft fair or a performer in the Honolulu Festival stage or Grand Parade! Get your applications in at the link below. ⬇️

https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/whatsnew/2023/11/10/our-application-form-for-vendors-and-performers-is-now-available-2/

Want to be part of the Honolulu Festival team?! Applications to be a volunteer are open online at the link below. ⬇️

We’re so grateful for all our volunteers who help to put on signature events like the Grand Parade, Nagaoka Fireworks Show, and free cultural performances this March 8 to 10! https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/contact/volunteer/

✨Bronze Sponsors ✨

Thank you to our 28th Honolulu Festival Sponsors！

We are pleased to acknowledge the following companies for their generous support of the Honolulu Festival. We are honored to have such wonderful companies partnering with us for this year. We appreciate all the help and support we have received from our sponsors.

2024 28th Honolulu Festival Sponsors List
https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/sponsors/

✨Silver Sponsors ✨
Thank you to our 28th Honolulu Festival Sponsors！

We are pleased to acknowledge the following companies for their generous support of the Honolulu Festival. We are honored to have such wonderful companies partnering with us for this year. We appreciate all the help and support we have received from our sponsors.

✨Gold Sponsors ✨
Thank you to our 28th Honolulu Festival Sponsors!

We are pleased to acknowledge the following companies for their generous support of the Honolulu Festival. We are honored to have such wonderful companies partnering with us for this year. We appreciate all the help and support we have received from our sponsors.

2024 28th Honolulu Festival Sponsors List
https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/sponsors/

✨Honorary Supporters ✨
Thank you to our 28th Honolulu Festival Sponsors！

We are pleased to acknowledge the following sponsors for their generous support of the Honolulu Festival. We are honored to have such wonderful sponsors partnering with us for this year. We appreciate all the help and support we have received from our sponsors.

2024 28th Honolulu Festival Sponsors List
https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/sponsors/

✨Platinum Sponsors ✨
Thank you to our 28th Honolulu Festival Sponsors!

We are pleased to acknowledge the following companies for their generous support of the Honolulu Festival. We are honored to have such wonderful companies partnering with us for this year. We appreciate all the help and support we have received from our sponsors.

- Ala Moana Hotel by Mantra
https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/ala-moana-hotel-by-mantra/
- Hilton Hawaiian Village® Waikiki Beach Resort
https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/sponsor-introductin-hilton/

2024 28th Honolulu Festival Sponsors List
https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/sponsors/

✨Diamond Sponsors ✨
Thank you to our 28th Honolulu Festival Sponsors！

We are pleased to acknowledge the following companies for their generous support of the Honolulu Festival. We are honored to have such wonderful companies partnering with us for this year. We appreciate all the help and support we have received from our sponsors.

- Kyo-ya Hotels & Resorts
https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/kyoya-hotels-resorts/
- Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa
https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/hyatt-regency-waikiki-beach-resort-spa/
- Outrigger Resorts & Hotels
https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/outrigger-resorts-hotels-and-waikiki-beach-walk/
- Highgate Hotels
https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/highgate_hotels/
- JCB Co., Ltd.
https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/jcb_co_ltd/
- Waikiki Beach Walk
https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/outrigger-resorts-hotels-and-waikiki-beach-walk/

2024 28th Honolulu Festival Sponsors List
https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/sponsors/

Aloha DANCE CONVENTION 2024 will be held on March 9, 2024!

More info - > https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/whatsnew/2023/11/29/aloha-dance-convention-2024-announced/

✨ Corporate Partners ✨
Thank you to our 28th Honolulu Festival Sponsors!

We are pleased to acknowledge the following companies for their generous support of the Honolulu Festival. We are honored to have such wonderful companies partnering with us for this year. We appreciate all the help and support we have received from our sponsors.

- JTB Corp.
https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/jtb/
- Japan Airlines
https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/japan-airlines/
- Hawaiian Airlines
https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/hawaiian-airlines/
- First Hawaiian Bank
https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/first-hawaiian-bank/
- Hawaii Tourism Authority
https://www.gohawaii.com/

2024 28th Honolulu Festival Sponsors List
https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/sponsors/

Volunteer Registration for Honolulu Festival has started! If you would like to participate, please fill out the online form and get ready to have a great time🎉🌺

How to Apply --> https://www.honolulufestival.com/en/whatsnew/2024/01/09/now-accepting-applications-for-volunteers-6/

For the Local and Global participants, Our application form for vendors and performers is now available!

Our application form for vendors and performers is now available! Would you like to be a part of the Honolulu Festival?Our application form for vendors and performers is now available below.■Vendor BoothThe Craft Fai...