Need an excuse to drop everything and fly to Hawaii right now? The annual week-long art event POW! WOW! is happening, and I'll be here on Oahu for it.

POW! WOW! began as a local urban/street art event and has grown into a global network of artists and gallery shows, mural projects, and live art installations across the globe. But the central event that started it all starts this weekend, and continues through Valentine's Day week in February in Honolulu's Kaka'ako district.

More than a hundred international and local artists are gathering this week to create murals and other forms of art, inside and outside of the event spaces.

More info: powwowhawaii.com. Here's the schedule, and here is a roster of participating artists.

A behind-the-scenes look from last year's fest below: