I've been to this beautifully restored building so many times for various events, and it's always a…read morejoy each and every time. This particular reason for attending was to see "A Taste of Ireland", which I had been looking forward to for awhile. The venue was about 2/3 full but there was definitely an air of anticipation when the house lights went down. Watching the footwork of the these amazingly talented dancers made Irish dancing an art form that few of us could ever attempt without tripping over ourselves. Then, a handsome young man came out and sang to a cheering audience while a lovely young woman with a fiddle dazzled us all with her talents throughout the show. We would have gladly sat through an encore but it obviously wasn't in the cards. Darn. Something I found out later after speaking to three of the dancers is that none of them are Irish, and the lead singer is a local boy‼

2026 Hawaii Rainbow Film Festival. Located in the heart of Honolulu, surrounded by the urban…read morerevival of Chinatown. 2nd floor bar and lounge area allows for drinks and food. Tons of parking in the surrounding public garages.

Always a great experience. Jagged Little Pill was so amazing. Great music, story and dance. The…read moretheater setup even has a small bar area. Very fun. Park at the shopping center. Short walk.

What a performance…read more.. Thank you to Terry K for taking me on this journey to something that I've never tried personally is to see a play and Manoa Valley Theatre offers us some amazing performances that I've been lucky to see a play though it's never been at Manoa Valley venue itself and what a difference it is. The vibe here is full of energy as many start arriving and you need to check in and verify your seating which the staff does and also informed us that the air conditioning wasn't fully operational and provided us with a bottle water is a nice gesture though was slightly warm the cool Manoa air kept us decently cool. As we get to chill prior by getting a drink and/or snack is nice and there are great options available including some alcohol. Kim's Convenience is the play and from what we were told is once a series on Netflix which I don't have but I like that I have no idea as I can enjoy the play just as they visualize which was great and fun since it was a comedy, if anything the seating leaves no room for anyone to pass in front of you so I had leave the row and wait in the aisle for others to take their seat but in all comfortable and easy to view the play without being blocked from the previous row. Bravo to this creative and wonderful evening with a great friend as doing something unique like this was so much fun and a memorable experience. Thank you!

My husband and I went to the Mayjah Rayjah 2013 Concert last night. We had a great time. Even…read morethough we are on the 'mature side' and didnt know any of the artists. I wanted to do something totally different for our 28th Wedding Anniversary. We sat on the over 21 side (the alcoholics side) as they were affectionately known throughout the night . We chose this side only because it had a better angle to the stage. We got there really early but didnt need to really. We were first in line at the express entrance because we bought a Groupon for the concert.. There is really no need to arrive early and line up for hours we discovered unless you really really want to sit right down the front on the cement step near the stage. There is more than ample room to put your blanket down and relax and watch the show and the stage can be seen from anywhere. We sat on the first path half way up the hill just near the sound desk and it was perfect. By the end of the night though we had a lot of people standing on the path behind us but that didnt happen until about 11.30pm. I am a watcher and I watched the ample ample amount of security guards, no one seemed to be misbehaving even on the 'alcoholics side' and everyone was having a great time dancing and singing. You cannot repeat CANNOT take in anything other than a blanket. I bought 2 stadium seat thingys with the padded seat and back attached from Walmart for $18, they were well worth it as we sat on the grass for 7 hours and hardly got a 'numb bum'...... Each bag is checked thoroughly, every zipper was open and searched. Large backpacks are not allowed in and what was allowed in were completely searched as well. The drinks were overpriced, water, sodas were $3 each but the food was reasonable. 2 Hawaiian plates, rice with salad and chicken or chili franks were $8 each so not too bad. We didnt have any alcohol so not sure of the price, but previous yelpers say it was expensive. They were selling the large cans of Bud Light and looks like mixed drinks as well. Overall it was a fantastic night. If you dont want the noisy revelers sit on the under 21 family side but if you want an alcoholic drink you cant go back over till its all gone!

I purchased a one day entrance ticket online and it was easy getting scanned and in. Parked at Ala…read moreMoana and paid what I feel was exorbitant prices for parking ($16.75 for 3 hours-I miss the days of free parking). The layout is well organized but I wish the signs were bigger. Got my haul from Hapa House, Sumofish, and my andagi and okidogs. No bon dance this year, but still a fun outing!

Celebrating Okinawan culture in Honolulu, Hawaii…read more.. This year, the 42nd Annual Okinawan Festival was held at the Hawaii Convention Center on Saturday and Sunday, August 31, and September 1, 2024. Admission fee was $10 for adults; $5 for seniors (age 65+); and free for children age 12 and below We parked for free at Ala Moana Center and walked over. I really didn't want to go. I used to work at the Festival when I was a member of the Hawaii United Okinawan Association (HUOA) because I played in their volleyball league. Our volleyball league ran the Children's Game Booths at Kapiolani Park. We had to get there early to set up and stay late to clean up. It was labor intensive! I have stress just remembering those times... My former co-worker really wanted to go to the Festival. She had purchased A LOT of script from her neighbor who was part of the Live Entertainment. My friend texted me several times and called me to discuss where to meet. She bribed me to go by telling me she was going to give me some script and pay for my Admission Fee... LOL! So... I went... It wasn't as bad as I remembered! The air conditioning, convenient restrooms, and excellent organization made it pleasant! Maybe the challenge was the line for script. There seemed to be only one place to buy script, and it was far away from the food booths. My friend had so much script that she sold some to strangers on our table - she overheard their conversation! As a visitor to the Festival (not as a worker), I was able to wander through the Craft Area, walk past the plants for sale and the Children's Games, stand in line for food, browse through the Country Store, and enjoy the Live Entertainment! It was nice that there were tables and chairs for customers to sit and dine-in! We didn't sign up for the special art demonstration where you can make traditional art... maybe we can do that next year!

What a beautiful local theater! We were in Oahu for Spring Break and traveling with our theater…read moreteen so thought to check the listing and luckily there was a show: West Side Story and it fit into our schedule. Easy parking, clean rest rooms, no frills concession, and cute merch. I got the reusable cup too. People were so nice and friendly. We sat at the very back of the theater and enjoyed it. The actors were so talented and so glad we were able to see it. My teen also got autographs and the actors were so happy and willing to sign her playbill. A couple were surprised that they were being asked for an autograph. When in Hawaii, after enjoying the beach and watching the sunset, why not catch a musical produced well run by the local community and supported and loved by the community.

We went to the Diamond Head Theatre for the first time to see the Les Mis Production. Although…read moresmall, the venue has a good view from every seat and the angle of the chairs, the spacing between the chairs and rows is adequate. In addition for our production, the acoustics were fine, no problems. Although not on the level as the best Broadway productions, the local community cast delivered on all levels. In addition, due to the small venue, the show really draws you into the production . All in all a great experience.

Love this festival! This year it will be in Waikiki at the Thomas Jefferson Elementary School on…read moreKapahulu April 1-2, 9A-4P. Highland games, dancing, music, sword play. Can't wait! Hoping Celtica will be here again!

This was held at McCoy Pavilion at Ala Moana Park in 2014…read more We had an enjoyable Sunday afternoon here at the 2014 Festival. First, you can't beat the price: $1 entry! And free parking. They have a lot going on, but you are on your own to figure out what and when. That is probably my only criticism. They posted nothing online for 2014 (that I could find), so I didn't know what their entertainment lineup was or any other helpful information to plan. We took our chances and arrived around noon on Sunday. They also didn't seem to have any programs or any info onsite - we had to either ask someone or just wander around. That said, we found plenty of interesting things to see and do. One room of the pavilion is dedicated to booths and tables where you can learn more about Scotland, its people, and geography. If you have any Scottish heritage, you can learn a lot about your ancestors. Several clans are represented here, and they can give you loads of information. An inside stage was dedicated to Scottish dancing. We bypassed it to watch the bagpipes and drums on the outdoor stage. Meanwhile, there were vendors selling Celtic jewelry, artisanal preserves, woodcrafts, etc. Food vendors were also scattered around, including bar carts selling Scotch (of course!). By mid-afternoon, a lot of vendors had sold out of their wares. Meanwhile, outside on the lawn, men in kilts were competing in highland games. Caber tosses, throwing of all kinds of heavy things, heaving heavy things over bars - it's actually quite fascinating to watch! After the bagpipers left the stage inside the pavilion, the Housewife Games were announced - and any lady was invited to participate. Three events: frying pan toss and rolling pin toss (distance), and a haggis roll (accuracy). I turned to my festival companions and said "I have to go do that now" and went outside to register. It was free, and I got to fling things! About a dozen ladies joined me in the competition, and some were unexpectedly strong. Everyone was really friendly and chatty and cheered one another on. The gentlemen measuring our throws were really fun and good-natured. I had a blast! And came in as second-runner up, so I won a prize! I can't wait to return next year - I'm going to practice my throwing in the meantime and will be gunning for champion. :)

Mango jam was fun on a hot summer day! It was the official first day of summer and boy was it hot!…read moreActually, I don't like mango and I'm semi allergic to it but I went for fun and to socialize cause I'm a little anti! There's lots of free parking sorta- just drive around and something will pop up lol! Just remember if you went up or down the stairs when you exit the structure. I sometimes tend to forget where I parked. They didn't have a lot of vendors there but it was a good amount. A lot of the food places were small businesses that probably has a food truck or small store front. A lot of the places I didn't recognize but some of them had looonnnggg lines which made me a little hungry. They had really good entertainment and had pure heart play one song (without jake) but wow such nostalgia! I was like wow that's my jam .. in high school -_-;; Anyway if you go keep hydrated cause it's hot and you can easily overheat. They do have some water dispensers and some fancy porta potty. I even came here and stumbled across the dachshund group meet up. My baby boy met some of his own people sorta. Well he wasn't very interested to be honest. He was probably like this place is too hot. I didn't get to look at everything cause like I said the line was too long for food so it took up some time. It also closed at 9p so most stuff shut down. We just hung around and let everyone leave first so we don't get stuck in the parking lot getting out.

Better than expected!…read more This is the 4th Mango Jam in Honolulu. It has been held annually on the grounds between City Hall (aka Honolulu Hale) and the Frank Fasi Municipal Building where City Offices are located. This festival can be compared to the 626 Night Market in Los Angeles, but better! Why? 1. Because there's FREE parking - enter from Beretania Street and follow the signs. 2. Because there's FREE admission - just pay the vendors for food, clothing, jewelry, tote bags, etc. that you may see/like/want/buy... 3. Because there's LIVE entertainment by local groups such as Kapena and Kalapana! (Free concert!) 4. Because there are interesting food options - some are inspired by mangoes! This year, we sat under the Ohana Tent which had many folding chairs and a clear view of the stage. (Other attendees sat on blankets in front of the stage.) On my way to the Ohana Tent, I passed by some of the vendors and won a water bottle from the Spectrum booth! Also, I got a fan with the program printed on it from the Information Booth; and a tote bag with a mango print that was distributed during Mayor Kirk Caldwell's appearance! Fresh mango fruit was also being offered to the crowd! Score! This was a fun event, sponsored by the Mayor's Office of Culture and Arts! It's awesome! Thank you Mr. Mayor and our City and County of Honolulu! See you again next year!

Update 08/16/25 A…read moregreat neighborhood event to bring families together to eat, dance and learn about the Bon Dance festivities and culture. Today's weather is a warm 81 degrees. It feels closer 90 degrees! It may rain a bit in the evening. The Bon Dance participants are wearing Happi coats or full kimono wear! I hope they hydrate and take a breather in this hot and humid weather. Everything starts around 4:30 pm. You need to come early to partake in the home baked goodies and foods! Many times the favorite foods sell out quickly. Parking is very limited here. Dropping off older adults and children are highly recommended. Police and volunteers are present here to assist you. Some metered parking is available near Cartwright Park. Come one and all! Please enjoy the pictures and videos I took of the event. Thank you Tess! Videos and pictures are not viewable unless you access my older 2024 review or general photos for event!

Bon Dance season in Honolulu, Hawaii... The last one of this season (8-20-22)…read more.. Every year, Japanese culture celebrates the passing of their loved ones. The Obon Festival in Hawaii is a big thing. Many different churches around Oahu sponsor Bon Dances - it's kind of like a carnival/fundraiser without rides. There's lots of good food and music. My friend got some of us together to volunteer. At first, we were setting up the "Go For Broke" booth which sold Limited Edition Aloha Shirts, t-shirts, videos, paper fans, magnets, etc. Later, we shifted to the food booths and sold andagi (Okinawan donuts), poke bowls (new item), and chow funn (the only Bon Dance to have this on their menu). Other tables sold bentos, spam musubi, shave ice, and more! We were so busy that I didn't get a chance to get photos of the food! I was able to sneak away and look at the hapi coats and Bon Dance towels. They are useful souvenirs that I can wear next year if we volunteer again... LOL! Overall, it was fun and crowded. We got there early at 3pm (started at 4:30pm), so we got great parking. However, we were blocked in because they used the driveway for an outdoor dining area. The good things were seeing people dressed in kimonos and hapi coats, watching the dancers and drummers, and looking at the festive, colorful lanterns while the Japanese music played cheerfully! Note: everyone was asked to wear a mask inside of the Social Hall where the food was being sold. Outside (where the beverages and dancing took place), masks were not required.)