I've been going to the Punahou Carnival at Punahou School for years as it was a mere 7 minute walking distance from where I once lived. But for this year, it was a different experience, not just travel wise but overall. As expected, parking can be difficult to find for this weekend event. You can either pray to the street parking gods to have a spot available nearby the campus or pay at nearby locations like Central Union Church or neighboring school and churches ranging from $10.00 to up to $30.00. Food items and games (except for the E.K. Fernandez games) can be purchased through scrip. There are many scrip booths available on campus for you to purchase scrip from. Most of the crowd tends to go to the scrip booth at the entrance of the school, but I found it more convenient to go to the other areas like by the white elephant tent or kiddie land as the lines are much much shorter. One key thing to remember is that the booths only accept credit/debit, Apple Pay or Google Pay to purchase scrip. No cash will be accepted. One scrip is 50 cents, a whole sheet of scrip is $10. It does tend to get busy during this event and it is highly expected that you will be waiting in line for the food. Unfortunately this year, the food was just...meh. The regular gyro that costs about 15 scrip had an equal amount of protein and onion (if you know me well enough, I'm not a fan of raw yellow onions). The noodles (that I always look forward to) that costs about 10 scrip with char siu, was bland and didn't have that many char siu pieces. The teri burger (9 scrip, 10 with cheese) was nostalgic but also meh. But the most upsetting food we had this time around was their famous (turned infamous for us) Portuguese bean soup (32 oz. is 18 scrip, limit 2 per person). When we got home and were ready to partake in that so-called hearty, comforting bowl of soup, we were faced disappointment with more broth than the actual ingredients. It was so watery that I was only able to identify only 4.5 pieces of elbow macaroni in that 32 oz! My friend's soup however had a lot of ingredients (she went earlier in the day instead). To make things worse, they moved the soup station further away from everything else, meaning extra walking (without any markings or signages) to just be let down. Although this year's experience wasn't the greatest, it's still the Punahou Carnival, with its usual crowds, usual announcements over the PA, and its nostalgic charm. Hopefully, they'll improve the food quality (the best ones we had from this experience were the malasadas and corn on the cob) and include some signages or arrows to point us of where to go for the hot items instead of letting us go on a hiking adventure up, down, left, and right through the campus. read more

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The iconic Punahou Carnival is like any other popular place so expect crowds, looking for parking, lines, but it's a priceless experience with the right mindset. It's always held the FIRST WEEKEND in February. First, the parking. Only volunteers receive on-campus parking. The public can find free parking on adjacent streets like Dole, Clark, Whitney, Wilder or opt for paying flat rate at Maryknoll School which is a short walk across the street, St. Clements Church about a block west, Shriners Hospital is 2 blocks makai, Central Union Church 2 blocks makai, and St Peter's is 3 blocks makai. Traffic can be crazy around these areas with a lot of pedestrians so extra caution. If I didn't live within walking distance I'd probably Uber over to save time. I give the carnival 4 stars - until the scrips can be purchased online or a QR code. Waiting in line to purchase scrips can be difficult when you're bringing young children. That being said, we purchase more scrip for both days so we don't have to wait in line again. It's fifty cents per scrip or $10 for entire sheet. Credit cards only- no cash accepted. When you enter through main gate there's a scrip booth to the right but also more on the diamond head side which usually isn't as busy. This year there was also one near Bishop Hall (mauka) where more of the keiki games were. I highly recommend the carnival website which gives great info to plan your day. A map shows food, games, bathrooms, scrip booths, art gallery, logo shop, white elephant, plants, fruits/vegs was awesome for us to plan our attack. A list of Punahou games (EK Fernandez is separate) and food booths with amount of scrip needed helped us figure out how much scrip to purchase for both days. It also says which places take scrip or credit cards. The food is basic carnival - which to me always tastes good because of the great memories growing up. Teri burgers, saimin, wok-prepared char siu noodles, malasadas, Portuguese bean soup, Hawaiian plate with kalua pig, rice, poi, lomi salmon, sweet potato, pineapple, hot dogs, spam musubi, corn on cob, taco salad, nachos, mini Haagen Daz ice cream cups, gyros, smoothies, soda, bottled water are all reasonably priced. This is a FUNDRAISER to give financial aid to more students- which are about 30% of the classes. Bathrooms are scattered throughout the carnival and pretty clean. Also have accessible portapotties placed far enough away from activities with portable sinks and soap. Police officers posted at each scrip booth and also entrances/exits, as well as security. The first day on Friday is busy because Punahou and Maryknoll allow students early access. Evenings after-work/school crowd gets busy so if you have small kids it could be a little overwhelming plus walking to your car in dark perhaps bring flashlight as sidewalks are narrow with cracked asphalt, and alerts cars who may be distracted or in a rush to get outta there. Saturday is the busiest since most people have the day off. Not sure why but this year didn't seem as busy- lots of room to walk around and the weather was perfect. It ended earlier at 10:00 PM instead of 11:00. EK Fernandez has their own area for games and rides. You can either purchase at their booth or download QR code and pay for games and rides with your phone. The prizes are nice- really huge stuffed animals and inflatables. Punahou games do not give out prizes at their booths. If you win or as a consolation prize they give out coupons which can be redeemed at the Prize Tent located up top by Bishop Hall (Diamond Head / mauka of White Elephant tent). This was nice because we didn't have to carry it around with us and could redeem upon leaving. The Haku Booth had a sign saying pre-ordered only so check Carnival website for details. They are beautifully made by the students. The Portuguese bean soup and Hawaiian plates are located mauka in the cafeteria. Be prepared to wait in line but it goes quickly as there's a limit of 2. You may sit in the cafeteria to eat or there are groups of tables just outside. They sell small cooler bags if you plan on taking home or we brought our own. There is also a schedule of live music to enjoy. There was NO CHICKEN PLATE this year so we missed that rotisserie chicken cooked at the carnival on campus. The art gallery had moved to Bishop Learning Center because the library was being renovated so we enjoyed checking out the beautiful artwork and paintings for sale which were mostly local artists. In our experience it's always been a very safe and clean carnival- we took our 2 year old granddaughter this year and she loved all the games and a couple of rides like the "hot air balloon" and carousel. Lots of sunscreen, water, and people-watching made it all the more enjoyable. read more

Punahou Carnival - Catch a fish and win coupons to redeem for prizes! - Festivals Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I ended up at the Punahou Carnival yesterday and it actually didn't rain. If you know about the Punahou Carnival you know that it always rains during that time. It was also a lot less crowded. I could actually walk through the place without being shoulder to shoulder with people. I don't really ride the rides anymore. I just go for the food. I usually get the fried noodles and chicken plate. I didn't see those this year. I did get their Portuguese bean soup, malasadas, acai bowl and beef nachos. There wasn't a line for the nachos and acai bowl, but the lines were long for the malasadas and soup. The wait for the soup was an hour and a half. Yes, I stood in that line with everyone else to get soup. The line was backed up all the way to the parking lot. They limited everyone to four containers. It wouldn't be worth it to stand in that line to get just the 5oz. size. I got three of the 32oz. containers. The lines for the malasadas weren't as bad, but they limited each person to a dozen. The hubby had to stand in line twice to get the two dozen, while I was in line for the soup. After the malasadas, he went to get the acai bowl and I was still in line for the soup, lol. Ahhh, fun times! To my surprise they didn't raise the prices. Scripts were 50 cents each. The 32oz. soup was 17 scripts, dozen malasadas were 10 scripts, acai bowl was 17 scripts and beef nachos was 10 scripts. read more

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Worse experience at this year 2025 carnival even after attending regularly since 20 years+. The shorter lines for food, games, rides & other offerings speaks for itself. Prices increased & quality decreased. For example, one Teri cheese burger went from $3.50 to $5 & malasadas 50 cents to $1, etc. The smoothies was a great option in the past but luckily I checked out what was being used to determine which flavor was best to meet my preference. They changed the recipe to some liquid fruit juice base and ice while in the past they used sherbert as an add-in. They offered 2 flavors in the past but this year, 3. But I opted out as it's misleading sounds more like a slushie rather than a "smoothie!" This year, no EK Fernandez food booths- cotton candy, candy apple, lemonade, pizza, etc that most carnival goers are familiar and expect. There was more open unutilized space on the field where they could have added more rides. The rides were majority geared toward younger aged kids- elementary "maybe" intermediate kids. In the past they seem to offer a better balanced variety for all ages to enjoy. Plus, EK Fernandez rides was setup for Card credit which is more modernized form of payment, I see it for more of a deception forcing people to spend more where it's harder to track the loaded amount against cost of the rides which may lead to confusion, frustration and overspending. Friday night, they reported they ran out of food items around 9. Poor planning apparently. It was just so much disappointment all around. Ugh let's not forget the event hours which used to close 11pm in the past but closure at 10pm was indicated. Even the sound booth with announcements- often irritating in the past but announcements were minimal. And before kids could pay tickets to put in an announcement request but Idk so different this year. The planning committee needs to be replaced and more thought out approaches is needed to be pursued for execution to be effective. If the 2 designated malasada lines are short, hours modified, limited food options, limited rides and open space to sit to eat your food and crowd allows to walk freely without rubbing shoulders when passing, somethings wrong & needs to be addressed if the expectation for the carnival to continue and maintain event annually to maximize profits for families to enjoy, as something needs to be changed. I'm sure I wasn't the only carnival attendee who wasted their time and ended up disappointed. I'm considering not returning next year after this bad experience. Hate to compare, but I used to think Punahou hosted the best carnival event, but I'm sure I'll enjoy I'olani Annual fair better this year! read more

Let's do an update for post COVID Carnival 2024! 2024 has rolled around and a few things are different. The theme of course has changed to "Explore the Shore." I guess some coastal theme? Really running out of ideas here kids, but can't blame them after a dozen dinosaur, space/future, music/movie, cowboy, western, safari, etc have all been done. Plus, the theme doesn't really matter, it's about having fun. And how do you have extra fun? With great tips of course! So here are a bunch! Alumni booth has been moved indoors so there are THREE places to get air conditioning without being injured, with the other two being art gallery and silence auction. Art gallery has moved to Bishop, which is the octagon shaped three story building next to kiddie land. The carnival is going almost cashless in that you can only buy script from the script booths with debit or credit cards. Touchless payments are good to go just like they were in the 2023 carnival. You can still buy full sheets of script from the Dillingham box office with cash, aka the theater where Variety show is held. Kiddie land now has its own script booth so you don't have to leave the area when your kids burn through $50 in script in 20 minutes. You know, the amount you thought would be good for several hours. Yeah, rethink that and then go buy more script. Haiku Leis and Jams and Jellies are now on a ticket system. This should reduce congestion and wait times.  It's a bold strategy Cotton, we'll have to see if it pays off for Punahou. Most of the big EK rides will not be there, however, the centrifugal like Zero Gravity will be making an appearance. A host of other smaller kid friendly rides will be there. EK's big tent of games will also be there but all EK attractions must be paid for by EK fun cards which can be bought and reloaded at the Carnival. EK fun pass CANNOT be bought with script, only cash at the EK fun pass booth. Chicken plate is still on hiatus (insert sad face here), but you can still get a full meal at Hawaiian plate north of the Carnival grounds. Bring sun screen and your reusable water bottles, which can be refilled for free with chilled filtered water at several  locations on campus. Check out my earlier review for more still relevant tips! read more

First time ever to the Punahou carnival and it's getting better and better as the night went on. We arrived around 6pm on a Saturday night. First parking was a challenge, but we managed to find some space at the church parking lot at least for $10 but it was not the closest to the school. Then the Scrips booth by the entrance had huge lines! So glad we found out about the other booths and the lines were significantly shorter. Except for the soup and malasadas, the wait for other food was not ridiculous. For carnival food, the burger and beef nachos were pretty good. I wish the corn was grilled. The malasadas were hot and fresh but personally I just don't care for malasadas but prefer a Chinese or an Okinawa donut instead. I love the cheese and ground beef on the nachos that I ate two plates myself lol. I was pleasantly surprised by the very reasonable prices, usually carnival and fair food are ridiculously overpriced with poor quality with a long wait. Their rides and games were also very affordable! For the rides, I went on the helicopter one with my toddler son and he absolutely loved it. We all went on the carousel too and had fun. It's my son's first time holding a golf club and he enjoyed the range a lot! Aside from the somewhat crazy, at times unmanageable crowds and parking situation, overall it's a fun night for all of us! read more

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Punahou Carnival is an Annual Event usually held the first weekend in February! It usually rains but this past Carnival was sunny blue skies! The Junior class is responsible for choosing the theme, song and booth names and manning the food, drinks, games, plants, and white elephant booths. Of course there are a lot of volunteers helping them including parents, staff and alumni. This is Punahou's largest fundraiser! And people come to this 2 day event: Friday and Saturday 11am to 11pm. There are so many booths! Food includes Punahou's famous 1 script malasadas; gyros, corn, noodles, hamburger, smoothies, acai bowl, Portuguese Bean soup, and Hawaiian Plate. There are kiddie games that always is fun for kids because they can win tickets to redeem for prizes! There is the popular white elephant tent that usually has a line! Also, there is a Silent Auction, Art Gallery and plant booth. You need to check it out next year! You'll be sure to have lots of fun! Bring lots.of monies and patience for the long lines! read more

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I have to admit, it's been a bit since I've been to the Punahou carnival. I was talking to my friend Keoki, an alumni who made me want to go a. We were talking about malasadas. Since he was pulling a shift there, I decided to check him out. Yay!!!! No rain!!!! We found parking right across the street, too. We hit some good deals on the plants-50% off! They had will call, too! That was nice. Got into the express line for malasadas and was pleased to find out you could buy up to three. So, duh! My husband and I got three each. Then into the teri cheeseburger line. Yum!!! The Portuguese bean soup line was a bit too long for me. Maybe next year. The gyro line moved very quickly. Then, it was on to the games. I liked that they had a "players card" system, but the games were quite expensive. Also, as we stood in line to buy the card, an employee walked down the line with preloaded $50 cards; do you didn't have to wait. However, that was less than 10 games. We still had lots of fun - nice date night plus I'm supporting my niece's school. Will see you next year!! read more

Who can not resist going to the Punahou Carnival, its a tradition here on Oahu and more so if you live in Honolulu. I'm just a sucker for carnival food and willing to wait in the loooong lines for my fix. My fav is the portugese bean soup and i always pray i get the middle or bottom of the pot, its the most hearty soup you will every have. Next is the malasada, something about their malasada that sets it apart, whether it be the texture or sugar coating something makes them irresitible. My next fav is the orange dream smoothie its simple ingredients and not too sweet and just right, then the gyros, hamburger, corn on cob and noodles, yes, I normally have one of each when I go. All that walking and talking in lines makes me hungry. Their newest booth is a snack booth, if you haven't given it a try, go try it next time, I'm in love with their popcorn (taste like movie theatre kind), and you can add toppings or arare, etc. Cannot go carnival without checking out the art gallery, white elephant, buff n blue logo store and carnival items, this year they had eden in love carnival bags and amazing circle blankets, got one of each and also they came out with new lunch bags (they were selling at portugese bean soup). Passed on plants this year due to ants they found before carnival. One last stop of the O Men booth they sell the big island produce, if the malasada lines are super long I go to get produce and normally by end of night you get a really good deal. read more

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The First Friday and Saturday of February is always Reserved in my book for Punahou Carnival! I remember attending carnival in elementary school, then high school when I attended Punahou, then as an Alum, till now that I'm a parent with 2 boys there! It will always hold a special place on my heart. This year 2022 Marks the 90th Year that Punahou School has had this annual family event which benefits the Punahou Financial Aid fund for students. The Carnival is put on by the Junior class and takes a year of preparation for 2 days on Fun! 2021 carnival was held entirely On Line due to Covid and this year 2022 we were able to have food booths, white elephant, kiddie games and employees, parents and current students were able to attend with vaccination but it was reduced to 1 day instead of 2. I'm crossing my fingers maybe next year in 2023 it will be back to normal! The top grindz at Punahou carnival that everyone flocks to are Malasadas, Portuguese bean soup, Gyros, Teri Burgers, fried noodles, Hawaiian plate, corn, smoothies, acai Bowls and hand dipped chocolate ice cream bars! In addition to food we have a silent auction, art gallery, plant sale, mango chutney, fresh produce, fresh Haku leis, rides and games! The reason that the Punahou Carnival is so successful every year is that there are tons of volunteers who donate thousands of hours to make it a success! Praying next year it will be back to normal. I'll be there usually working a few shifts then walking the carnival eating and loving the family atmosphere. read more

Punahou Carnival - 2022 carnival no rides but food booths and kiddie games. Only punahou students and families allowed:( - Festivals Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Attended the 2023 punahou carnival for the first time and I was blown away impressed! The food was sooo delicious for carnival food. Loved the Portuguese bean soup: it was full of meaty goodness. The gyro wrap was very delicious that I got 2 extra wraps to-go. The smoothie was yummy. The price was so fair that I had extra scripts to buy food to take home. I would love to go back every year just for the delicious food! read more

Living in Hawaii for the last 39 years, I've only heard about the Punahou carnival but I have never attended it. My family and I actually had the chance to go yesterday. We decided to go at 8pm hoping that it would not be as busy and that their would be ample parking. Parking was a challenge. There was no street parking. We were able to park at Mary knoll. It was $10 for 4 hours. It was a quick 5-10 min walk to the carnival which was fine. Upon entering there were booths to purchase scripts. The carnival was cash less so you have to buy scripts in order to obtain food, play games, and ride the rides. Each script is 50 cents so a page of scrips is $10 for 20 scripts. The food booths rage from 9-17 scripts. My favorite booth was by far the Portuguese bean soup. I even got extra to bring home. I was trying to find the Hawaiian plates but was unsuccessful. The booth with the longest line was defiantly the malasadas. It was 10 scripts for a dozen and there was 1 dozen max per person. I brought my son and daughter in line with me in order to get 3 dozen. The games were much reasonable. Each game was about 2 scripts. My son enjoyed them so much. He didn't want to leave. My son even joked that he wants his own book for scripts the next time. The rides were about 8 scripts. My kids rode the big slide first and then ended with the swing. It was perfect for my kids who are 6 and 8 years old. I was told that the white elephant is something that people stand in line for hours before the carnival even open up. Next year I'm going to do the same lol. Overall, it was a great way to spend a Friday night. We bumped into family and friends that we haven't seen for months and even years. read more

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"Back in time to 99" this years Punahou Carnival theme. This was my first Punahou Carnival and I was very excited. This years carnival was very limited because the event was only open to Punahou students, employees and their households. It was a beautiful sunny day for a carnival. No rides, but lots of fun games and tons of great food. I enjoyed a juicy corn on the cob and a very hearty Portuguese bean soup. We stood inline for 1 1/2 for a Teri cheeseburger.... and was able to enjoy the famous Malasada. No cash exchanged... you purchase scripts with a credit card only and enjoy the fun. Everyone had a good time and enjoyed seeing old classmates, teachers and listening to great music. Parking was plentiful with lots of security everywhere and a cool breeze every now and then. Can't wait for 2023's carnival read more

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No signs. Waited in line for 20 minutes for attendant to tell us cash only. No customer service. $20 a ride. Lacking organization and management just like everything else on the island. All ATM's broken. Terrible experience. Absolutely No Fun read more

Carnival was a blast again! Less crowded than the year before too so that was a plus This year was a little different 1. Normally koala moa does the chicken plate, but due to some unfortunate timing they were unable to participate next year. Hopefully theyll be back next year! Chicken this year didnt look as tasty and i saw some people having issues trying to cut it up 2. Hawaiian plate had a limited qty of vegetarian hekka as an option on sat! Ive never seen that before read more

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This review applies to the 2024 carnival on Saturday night. No rides, and long lines for food because of the strong winds which I believe damaged the burger tent. Basically there was a ton of people but nothing to do and 40+ minutes wait for mediocre food. End of night we were left with script and the only other viable place to use them was the logo store. Definitely if you go on Saturday night don't overbuy script. The lack of adult rides save one or two is a big problem for the future of the carnival. read more

Too expensive for what it is but was nice/different afternoon for sure I wouldn't come back just for the prices

This was my first time going to carnival at Punahou. I've been trying to go for years, but something always comes up. I was mostly excited to check out the carnival eats lol. I love how the juniors, and alumni come together to make this fun event happen. The proceeds raised in two days go to support the financial aid program. That makes it worth all the while to spend all your money on rides and food. Financial assistance to those that need it so that they're able to receive quality education at this private institution.:) Highly recommend taking a bus, carpooling, walking, because parking will be a nightmare unless you do your homework on finding the cheapest one and where it's not full. Parking might be equivalent to Waikiki hotel rates if other lots are full lol. The theme for this years carnival was music through the ages. I went to buy my scrips and started to maneuver through the crowds of families, students, couples, and other carnival lovers like myself. I'm not going to lie, I was getting overwhelmed. I felt there was soo many people, and not enough room. The lines for gyro was a nightmare, so I decided to do a whole loop and chose the shortest food line. I finally found the Portuguese bean soup line. Apparently, 90% of the people on that line had a cooler and a empty zippys bucket. Your only allotted 3 soups per person, so people were purchasing the 32oz, and dumping it into their buckets. One women asked me to help her buy more lol. The verdict for this soup was that it was delicious. It was a bit salty, but beans and meat were tender. The 16oz was enough to satisfy me:) The next stop was the noodles. I ordered it vegetarian, and it came with some green onions and a smoky flavor. I used a little soy sauce and it was just right. I started getting hot from the beating sun. I needed something cold and refreshing. I stopped by the icecream stand since there was two, and chose a strawberry frozen pop. It hit the spot, and alleviated the feelings of being suffocated from the crowds. Lol Next stop was the gyro line. I think this was the longest line out of all. I didn't care, I just wanted that lamb meat dressed in tszaki sauce topped with cucumbers dressed on a warm pita bread. It was worth it! It was hot, flavorful, meaty, and settled well into my stomach. This was devoured quickly. Lastly, was the malasada line. I had three scrips left, and waited on the express line that separated the ones that wanted a dozen. It was hot, fluffy, doughy, and rolled in sugar that made each bite heavenly. I was completely full at this point. I don't know how I kept eating, and how it stayed down. All I have to say the junior class did a great job! Thank you to everyone that participated and volunteered to making this carnival happen! read more

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Hooray! It's finally time for Punahou carnival. My kids have been talking about it for the last three months. They really enjoy the games and all the rides. They have a nice selection of adult games, children's games, and kiddie games for the little ones. We typically try to go when the carnival first opens and the lines are short. Unfortunately there was a mechanical issue with the Zipper this year so it was closed. I hope that EK Fernandez gives the school a refund since this ride was nonfunctional. We always enjoy the food. We had the fried noodles, saimin, terri burger with cheese, gyros, smoothies, corn on the cob, grapefruit sorbet, taco salad and of course the amazing malasadas!!! I bought three dozen. I even stopped at the buff n blue store and picked up a shirt, hat, and a cool aloha shirt for my husband that was on clearance!!!! Overall we had great family time, got good exercise, and the kids had a lot of fun! We will definitely be back again next year! read more

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I love this carniva! Parking is tough and lines are long but there's a nostalgia to it that makes it worth it! I highly recommend an umbrella and sunscreen because you just never know the weather in February!! Best Lilikoi Butter on the island and the mango chutneys not bad either! read more

Punahou Carnival - Gotta get my fix!! - Festivals Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I missed the carnival last year. I was so sad, being I literally live two blocks from it. I've gone almost every year for the past ten years. I am a thrill seeker and we can not be picky in Hawaii. I also like to support a good cause and where else can you get over priced funnel on the island? This year they had a new way to pay for the rides and some of the food. It's a reloadable card. The first purchase the minimum is $20 which gets you 200 credits. That sounds like a lot but it's not! One funnel cake is 60 credits and most rides are 50 credits and up. It cost a little less to reload. It's more convenient than buying a bunch of script. However, every venue does not take the card. If you want the street food,, corn on the cob, or the gyros, you still need to buy script. So that's a bit of a hassle to have to now stand in two separate lines to get the things you need.. This year there weren't as many rides and It seemed that there were a lot more people, so be prepared to stand in very long lines for anything fun or tasty. Just a note, don't stand in the first line you see. Walk around to the front to see if there are multiple ways to get your food or ride the ride. I got a drink, a funnel cake and rode two rides and it cost us $30. I still have an uneven amount of 13 credits on my card which is annoying because there is absolutely nothing too purchase for that amount. The good thing is, you can use your cards the next year. Overall good fun, it's no six flags but it's for a good cause. I'll be back next year. read more

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Since Hawaii doesn't have Disneyland or anything like the OC (Orange County) Fair, the Punahou Carnival is the next best thing! Yes, we have the 50th State Fair and the annual Farm Fair, but perhaps this carnival is better because it's Punahou. .. This school carnival is run by volunteers and students, parents and alumni of this prestigious school (President Obama's alma mater)! This is a huge fund raiser held on the last weekend of January or the first weekend of February. Sometimes the weather is good and other times, it's rainy and flip flops get stuck in the mud. Other than that, kids and foodies of all ages gather and have a great time! Churches and schools in the area have parking for a flat rate if you can't find free parking on campus or on the street. Once you get on the grounds, buy your Fun Pass from an EK Fernandez kiosk if you're going to be going on any ride. Minimum is $20 to start. The card is reloadable. Buy scripts for food purchases. Malasadas, Portuguese Bean Soup, Taco Salad, and Gyros are some of the most popular items. The White Elephant, Art Sale, and Variety Show are other fun features! Every year, there is a theme. This year, it was "Back to the 50s". The food booths and games had clever titles to match the 50s theme! Very cool! read more

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Expensive? Yes. Delicious food? Yes. Lots of games and rides for people of all ages? Yes. A great date idea? Yes! Punahou Carnival is basically a staple for Hawaii, much like the 50th State Fair or Revive the Live. Every year the school puts a different theme on the event, this year was the circus, last year was around the world travels, and so on. Some new developments: (1) 0.50 scrips can be used on food and drinks in tents run by Punahou (2) EK Fernandez cards can be used on food located in those concession stands that are not run by Punahou kids or staff. Cards can also be used for games. Beware as you can spend lots of money without realizing it! They also didnt have the dime game (BOO) - apparently Punahou didnt request it this year. Cheers to Punahou for dealing with the rain this year and covering especially muddy terrain using cardboard boxes, etc. But dang, RIP to all the kids who played in the muddiest part - the kiddies playground (where you can redeem your collected tickers for small prizes). Also, restock your dang prizes! All the good, cute ones sold out! Parking? Ride share it, haha! read more

Punahou Carnival - Once a year gyros make my mouth water! - Festivals Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

M-A-L-A-S-A-D-A-S, say it with me malasadas. Yes the line looks long BUT there are two, one is an express and one is a regular and both move pretty fast. They are definitely worth the wait. And one day I will be able to get the elusive Mango Chutney. PARKING: Not even going to touch this one. Plan ahead is key here. There are several sites nearby that charge for parking as a fundraiser for their school or organizations. We did the drop off and UBER option. It was actually easy to catch an UBER home. In the future they might want to consider having a designated drop off and pick up location for people using this option. read more

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Five stars indeed!!! O'ahu residents know this question well, "Eh, you going Carnival?" or "Hey! Are you going to Carnival?" Whatever way you ask it, Punahou's Carnival is historic, legendary and is one of the most anticipated events of the new year. Being married to a very proud Punahou Alumni and knowing sooo many awesome people who have graduated from there, it has become an annual tradition for us to go, even if it's just to pick up a dozen or two of their famous MALASADAS. In true Carnival style, they have the awesome rides, busy booths & so many different arrays of food that have become tradition to consume for so many. My wife's must have besides malasada? Their Teri burger. Ask anyone who attends Carnival. They have their favorites! There is sooo much to see and do including shopping in their fabled Elephant Tent, Used Books, Treasures, Plant Booth, Chutney/Jellies//Jams (which by the way is known to SELL OUT within thE hour of OPENING), Arts, etc. Check out the Carnival website so you can plan your outting. Really strategizing your time there can be super helpful as you navigate through the hundreds of happy people. Other useeWear comfortable shoes, bring a water container (there's a refilling station), and if it's sunny something to cover your head! Parking can be challenging but there's lots of areas to park beside on campus. Maryknoll School, Central Union, Street Parking are several options. I think the best thing to do is be dropped off by a loved one or Uber//Lyft it! Carnival is really for all ages! I love seeing all the happy people from keikis to Kupuna, Punahou or non-Punahou peeps having such a wonderful time at this annual function. Please visit Punahou's website for more information. Have a great time at CARNIVAL Be sure to have a malasada or two when you're there. read more

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REVIEW FOR PEOPLE WITH KIDS ONLY On the first Friday and Saturday of February, the campus on the corner of Wilder and Punahou Street turns into PURE MADNESS. If you have a little one, here is my tip to avoid the madness: STAY HOME! Everyone knows that the Punahou carnival is really for the adults!! If you still want to take your kid to the carnival here are a few tips to make your trip more enjoyable. GO EARLY. The carnival opens at 11:00am both days. All the schools within a 3 mile radius take the Friday off for "professional development". Highly recommend you do the same. PARKING. There are many schools and churches in the neighborhood that charge a "donation" fee, this year I saw $10, $15 and even $45(!!). I know people who have taken uber/taxi from a nearby area, for under $10. If you are lucky, you might even get street parking. Good luck with that. SCRIP. Everything requires scrip (you can use cash/card in the alumni tent, or cash in the cafeteria for the Hawaiian plate). So stand in line to buy scrip. This year 1 scrip=50 cents. Then stand in line to buy ride coupons. 3 scrip=1 ride coupon. They do this to confuse those of us who can't do math with screaming kids and noisy rides around us. iCarnival. There is an app for the Punahou Carnival which has a map of the carnival, with icons that will tell you where all the scrip booths, food booths, and rides are located. You can search by list, or tap the icons on the map. There are many scrip and ride coupon booths located throughout the carnival, so don't stop at the ones closest to the entrance because they have the longest lines. You can easily spend over an hour in lines if you decide to buy your scrip and ride coupons right at the entrance. There are ride coupon booths on the grassy area too, and there are scrip booths by the white elephant tent, so walk a little bit and you'll find shorter lines. RIDES ARE DISCOUNTED 1 coupon only FRIDAY 11-3. If you did the math above, that's $1.50 less for each ride, which is pretty significant if you have multiple kids riding a bunch of rides. TAG TEAM. If possible, go with a group, so one parent can be standing in line buying smoothies while the other is with the kids on rides. Or one parent can be doing the games while another parent gets malasadas. SILENT AUCTION. It gets hot playing games and standing in line for rides. When you need to cool off, visit the air conditioned silent auction. It's quiet in there and is the coolest place at the carnival. WHITE ELEPHANT TENT. Books, CDs, DVDs, clothes, toys, housewares, and treasures. My son got 10 books for $2, such a great deal! People actually line up early to be the first one in. Crazy. HAWAIIAN PLATE IN CAFETERIA. $9. Many people don't realize that the cafeteria is selling these plates. Now you know. They take cash or scrip. It's nice and calm over there with Hawaiian music and far away from the loudspeakers. MALASADAS. There is an express line if you only want to buy 1-3 malasadas ($0.50ea). You can buy up to a dozen in the other line ($5/doz). I dunno why anybody would wait 45+ minutes just for a malasada, but apparently there are a lot of people who do. I've been told it's the best malasada ever. MANGO CHUTNEY. I have never been crazy enough to participate in this game so I have no idea what the hype is about. If you were lucky enough to buy a case (cuz that was the limit, even for those people who waited 4+ hours in the sun), I would love to buy a jar of this elusive pot of gold so I can see for myself what everyone is going nuts about. PORTUGUESE BEAN SOUP. My friend bought 10 of the 32oz containers last night (12 scrip=$6) but today they would only sell 64oz total to each person, and I couldn't find random people to buy for me so I only bought 4 containers. This is quite possibly the best Portuguese bean soup. (The rest of the food at the carnival is just meh to me.) The rides have height requirements so be prepared to ride with your child. There are kiddie games which are on the hill. The kids always have a good time because they can collect tickets and redeem for little prizes. I guess this carnival really is for the kids. If it were for adults, there would be a wine/beer tent and massage chairs. Now there's a thought. read more

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How can you not love a carnival? Going to a local carnival in Hawaii is a like going to a mini Disneyland! Every year around February or so.........you can can guarantee that the Punahou school will have their annual Carnival! And the funny thing about this carnival,............it seems that every time they have it, it never fails to rain for some reason! Lol! This year was a lot better than past years, as there was only very light rains & gloomy clouds, but for the most part, the weather was spectacular! When one goes to this carnival, there are a lot of great things about it..........you got - 1. Deeeeeeeeeeelicious Grindages! 2. Great deals in the white elephant tent. 3. Fun Rides! 4. Plants for sale. 5. Free Entertainment in the cafeteria. And did I mention..........GREAT FOOD????? That is the only reason why the Punahou carnival lures me here! I love the onolicious Malasadas, Portuguese Bean Soup, & Hawaiian Plate, but there are other items they are known for like their Fried Noodles, Huli Huli Chicken, & their Burgers too! Jules Y. & I moseyed on down to the carnival this past Saturday afternoon, and I was real lucky as parking was not an issue for me (I get da connection!). When we got there, I walked up to a ticket booth to buy a bunch of scrips, then the first thing on our agenda was to eat, and eat we did! We ended up looking for the Malasada tent, and waited in the very fast "express" line to buy our malasadas. From there, we headed up to the cafeteria to eat our Hawaiian Plate! I gotta tell you folks, for $9.00 bucks, that Hawaiian Plate is really a great deal! You get the following items on the Hawaiian plate - 1. Lau Lau 2. Poi 3. Lomi Lomi Salmon 4. Rice 5. Haupia 6. Okinawan Sweet Potato 7. Pineapple Slices And while we were eating in the cafeteria, there was free entertainment, as we got to see the groups - "Sunway", as well as "Mel & the Flipside" play. Upon finishing our meal, we walked through the plant tent to look at the beautiful plants, as well as walk through the white elephant tent to look at some used stuff. We also tried to buy some mango chutney, only to find out that they actually ran out on Friday! I guess this mango chutney stuff is real popular, gonna have to try it one day. We didn't get to any rides, as we basically ran out of time (as we had to head to the UH men's volleyball game), but rest-a-sure............the Punahou Carnival is one of the great carnivals in town! So much fun, & great grub!! read more

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Yes, the Punahou Carnival is definitely a fun way to spend a Friday and Saturday afternoon to evening. There are many food booths including a special hawaiian plate at the cafeteria but truly, I do not understand why the attraction is so great. The typical food booths include noodles, pizza, and other substandard carnival food. To me, it truly pales in comparison to the Iolani Family Fair. Yes, I am biased because I am Iolani class of 85 but really, Punahou, please step up your game. Your barbecue chicken isn't even Grill close by. The Iolani Family Fair Huli Huli chicken is grilled directly behind the booth and served hot and fresh. Also at the Iolani Family Fair there are gourmet chefs preparing food to order / fresh off the pan directly to the plate to your mouth! Please step up your game. Goooooooo Iolani!!!! On a totally separate note, congratulations to my somewhat friend whose daughter made it into Punahou. Punahou is not bad for $22K per year. Good job for her! read more

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Such an amazing experience for my first time at the punahou carnival! I volunteered for my daughters class today at the Teri burger stand and let me tell you, it was selling out quick! Teri burgers were so popular and the price wasn't bad either. After volunteering, took my daughter around to ride some rides and play games and u can't forget the yummy malasadas! Keep hydrated if you go during the day because it was really hot... can't wait for next year! read more

Punahou Carnival - Merry go round! - Festivals Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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A fun annual event for all the townies! I've been living in town a for a few years now and I've never bothered to attend the carnival. I finally caved in to peer pressure this year-- and I'm so glad I did! Sure the rides are fun and all, you can get that at the 50th state fair, but the FOOD is where it's at! I tried their malasadas and Portuguese bean soup on Friday for the first time. Man oh man, that marked the beginning of the end. I ended up going Friday and Saturday binging on half a dozen malasadas and 32oz of Portuguese bean soup. I'm a disgusting human being. I know. 50 cents for 1 malasada, $1.50 for an 8oz container of Portuguese bean soup. I also really liked the handmade haku lei. I bought a cute, little lei that I wore as a bracelet and later in my hair as a hair tie. The prices vary depending on the size and amount of flowers in the piece, but the ones that fit around your head seem to go for ~$30. A well organized event with lots of great food and fun rides. See you at the next carnival! read more

Punahou Carnival - Festivals Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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The annual Punahou Carnival is an old fashion event of yesteryear location on the Punahou School ground as a fundraising event. The event typical last two or three days on the first weekend of February from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm. It is a major event on Oahu, so parking can be a challenge, but local businesses offer parking. The Central Union Church of Honolulu at the corner of Punahou and Beretania offer parking for $10.00 and is only a few minute walk to the location. It is free to enter the grounds which also includes a large book fair, plants fair, framer market, and treasures which includes antiques, white elephants, and one of the kind items for sale. Plus, food vendors, carnivals ride and games. There are variety shows thought-out the event at Dillingham Hall feature bands from varies kind of music. If you and our family happened to visit the island, to escape your winter dread, during that weekend, included Punahou Carnival in your itinerate. It is family safe, there is law enforcement presence on campus, but really Hawaii is a very safe place to visit. No alcohol is sold on campus or gangs roaming the grounds and you can picnic at the event. The carnival is cashless; all rides, games, purchases are paid with scrip or reloadable cash cards that are purchased on site. Weather: expect some showers with temperatures ranging in low 80's to lows 70's late at night. Weekend in the late afternoon are the busiest times. read more

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I am a Punahou graduate. But ever since I graduated I haven't gone back to the punahou carnival. Every year the carnival makes millions of dollars and is ran by Punahou students, parents and alumnus. Don't forget to buy the malasadas (sugar donuts) there it's so delicious! My favorite is the Portuguese bean soup and taco salad. If you want a real meal go up to the cafeteria for some Hawaiian plate lunches. Take home some mango chutney made by punahou students! The game tent is huge~ with lots of cool prizes. And there are lots of fun rides :) read more

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When my son was six and I took him to the Punahou Carnival, his whole face lit up and he told me, "This is the best day of my life!" As most Hawaii residents know, it is a pretty big deal, with rides, good food, and games. This year, my son graduated from high school and doesn't like to hang out with his mom as much as he used to, but we decided to go again and eat some of our favorite carnival foods. It was a bit confusing, because some of the food (the ones made by Punahou school and staff) were sold by scrips only, and other foods (sold by EK Fernandez) were sold by "Fun Fair Cards", which you must purchase via machine. After we got that straightened out, we proceeded to eat everything in sight. Pizza, lemonade, ice cream, noodles, teriburger, funnel cake, and the obligatory dozen malasadas to take home. We had a wonderful time! The theme this year was "The Greatest Showman" and the carnival brought back so many wonderful memories. I don't know if we'll brave the crowds next year, but for anyone with young kids, this is a fun and exciting event for the entire family. read more

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I love Punahou Carnival. Yes, I am a little biased...I worked my butt off my junior year making malasadas at the Waikiki Booth. That oh-so-heavenly smell of fresh malasadas gets not-so-heavenly after 4 hours of working in that hot, stuffy tent..... I hadn't been to carnival in 3 years while I was going to school on the mainland and forgot how much I was missing. FRUIT BAR DIPPED IN CHOCOLATE!!?? CHICKEN PLATE?!!? yes, I only go for the food. And possibly to run into old classmates and teachers/feel nostalgic about high school. Yumyum! I'm already thinking about next year's carnival..... read more

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The Punahou Carnival has been a part of my family tradition for the past 10+ years. Every year we look forward to eating, shopping, eating, shopping and yes more eating. Here are our favorite carnival foods: *Meat gyro *Hawaiian plate *Malasada *Char Siu noodles *Teri Burger Here is where I love to shop: *White Elephant *Plant sale Tips- 1. Go early ( way before carnival starts) to park on campus. Otherwise, you may park in the neighborhood nearby. 2. There is a Bank of Hawaii ATM machine set up at the carnival. 3.Purchase enough scrips for food, drinks, games, rides, white elephant, plant and produce booths. Scrip booths are set up all over carnival area. 4. With your left over scrips, head over to the malasadas booth to purchase Hot and yummy malasadas. Go, check out the Punahou carnival and make it a tradition for your family in February! read more

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Alright, let me start off by saying I love the Punahou Carnival..and why? Because I have the advantage of living so close by. I'm in walking distance. I can say that parking is a nightmare if you're looking for free street parking. It's hard for people to find free street parking any other day of the week, so you can imagine what's available during a carnival. However, if you're okay with paying, you will find different businesses, even churches, with paid parking varying from $5-$10. Every year, the Carnival is extremely packed. So many people attend that at times you feel it's a little cramped. I've gone during the day and night, and honestly, if you're looking just to enjoy the rides and food, come at night. During the day it can be a little muggy/hot. Things to come to during the day are auctions and a white elephant/thrift store that I'm a huge fan of; I've always been able to find a few nice items. Items such as jewelry, clothes, paintings, appliances, books, etc. Really great stuff, of course, the earlier you come to the thrift store, the better. The art auction is overpriced in my opinion; I've never bought anything there. I'll stick with my thrift store. I do love how they have separate game areas for little kids. Games they can actually play and win something. Really nice touch. My son, he's 5, never wants to play in the kiddie area, but at least he has that option. Of course, the number one reason I go to the carnival is the malasadas! isn't that why most people go out of their way for? The lines for malasadas may look long, but they go by quick. Those malasadas...nice and warm, with tons of sugar, with a side of coffee please. My mouth is watering just thinking of them :) We love the rides, and this year (2018), I was able to convince my mother to ride on a few of them. She hardly ever does this. Hahaha she said, "I'm probably one of the oldest ones here." Who cares! Just have fun. The lines are a little long though, so if you're not a patient person..just walk away. read more

Pros: Malasadas delicious with their original taste (lemony with nutmeg) even after frozen Hot Huli Huli Chicken different(some chili spice) taste but nice Organized with drive-thru and drop in trunk Cons: One person knocked on the window to give us a bag which is good but defeats the no contact practice of dropping food in trunk since we had to open our window to get the bag and explanation "Here's a bag...". ************************************ Notes: Arrived in car line 11:50am and finished at 1:25pm as chicken and malasadas were last to pickup in the long line of cars. First time for this system and had a slow tour of the school with Huli Chicken being cook near the track and cheerleaders doing cheers. Hour and half wait is a while but happy to be able to get the great food this year. Hopefully normal next year! read more

Love the Carnival. Had my fix of bean soup, Teri burger, corn and the best malasadas around.

WOW - visiting the Punahou Carnival for my first time made me wish I had attended high school in Hawaii and gone to Punahou / hope my future kids will attend Punahou so that we can beam with pride at this beautiful production that comes around for only two days every year. First off, KUDOS TO THE KIDS who run the show - they're manning the loudspeaker, serving up grub at each food stall, and all sorts of others things! The parents, teachers, coaches, and community members do not go unseen either! It's an incredible team effort, to say the least. In the hour or two that my friends and I were there, we hopped from one food booth to another, trying things like gyros, teri burgers, Portuguese bean soup, malasadas, and the Hawaiian plate (pork lau lau with rice, poi, salmon lomi lomi, pineapple, sweet potato, and haupia). I'm also very proud to announce...we got one of the LAST jars of the famed mango chutney! (If you have any recommendations on how and what to eat the chutney with, please share!) Foodwise, the gyro was a good intro to the carnival spread. The pita was warm and toasted, and it hugged a nice amount of beef and raw onions. I only wish it had a touch more of the yummy tzatziki! The teri burger was one of my favorites. I was surprised that two plain buns sandwiching a teriyaki patty could make my taste buds so happy! The patty was sweet like the sausage in a McDonald's McMuffin, and the flavor of teriyaki slooowly crept in. Both the patty and the bread were extremely soft and had an incredibly satisfying mouthfeel. It's safe to say the Portuguese bean soup had the greatest depth of flavor thanks to ingredients like pork, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, and beans. It was soul- and belly-warming, so much so that I broke a sweat by the end of the cup! The malasadas were steaming hot and so obviously fresh! These pillowy fried balls of dough rolled in sugar were everything you could ask for in a malasada or any sweet bite. I couldn't fight the temptation to lick the remaining sugar off my fingers after finishing the confection. We finished with the Hawaiian Plate. The pork lau lau was tender and nicely salted. My favorite thing on the plate, though, was the haupia! It was perfectly coconutty and stunningly silky in texture. In addition to cooked foods, the carnival offers fresh produce, used home furniture / accessories, and house plants for sale, not to mention plenty of games / rides. I can't wait until next year's Punahou Carnival - it's already on my 2021 calendar! read more

It's carnival time. The sun is shining and the malasadas are steaming. So you want the inside scoop on what to get this year? Here are my top 3 suggestions that make the crowds and parking totally worth it. 1) Avocados $4.50 2)Tangelos/Oranges $4 3)Malasadas $5 They have a farmers market with some of the prettiest fruit and vegetables that I've ever seen. They will take the scripts to pay for the fruits and veggies. So don't leave with leftover script, buy yourself a pretty avocado. The trick to ripen them fast is to just simply place them in a brown paper bag until they ripen. Works like magic every time. The malasadas taste better this year, not sure why but they are delicious. Hot, fresh, slightly crunchy with the right amount of sugary sweetness. So ono! Enjoy the festivities! Thank you Punahou School for always hosting this wonderful community event. read more

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