Your Guide to the Perfect Weekend in Honolulu: March 22–25, 2018

Honor Prince Kūhiō, contemplate climate change and eat oodles of noodles.

By Marisa Heung

Rain or shine, celebrate the weekend with the best local events. Start with a thoughtful art pop-up exhibit by the Honolulu Biennial Foundation that fuses two seemingly separate concepts—climate change and food. Next, celebrate Native Hawaiian history by honoring a monarch who shaped his people’s future. Finally, head to Auahi Street to feast on noodles from around the world.

PHOTO: courtesy of prince kūhiõ festival

Prince Kūhiō Commemorative Parade and Ho‘olaule‘a/Hō‘ike‘ike

Saturday, March 24 at 9:30 a.m.

After the government of Queen Lili‘uokalani was overthrown in 1893, Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalaniana‘ole spent his life advocating for Native Hawaiian rights, founding the Hawaiian Civic Club movement in 1918 and spearheading the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act in 1921. This Saturday, Hawai‘i continues its annual monthlong celebration of one of Hawai‘i’s great monarchs with a commemorative parade, when community organizations, hālau hula, and the Royal Hawaiian Band will march down Kalākaua Avenue. The parade ends at Kapi‘olani Park Bandstand, with the Prince Kūhiō Ho‘olaule‘a/Hō‘ike‘ike taking over festivities with food booths, Native Hawaiian arts and crafts, live entertainment and various Hawaiian exhibits.

Free, Kalākaua Avenue and Kapi‘olani Park Bandstand, 2686–2882 Kalākaua Ave. For more information, go here.

SEE ALSO: 9 Things You Didn’t Know About Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalaniana‘ole

Flooded

March 22 through April 30, Thursdays through Sundays, noon to 7 p.m.

As its name implies, the Honolulu Biennial can only be enjoyed once every two years. But art lovers will still be able to get their fix of thoughtful, local-minded art with Honolulu Biennial Foundation’s brand-new programming initiative. Visions of the Future will be a series of creative initiatives examining humanity’s basic needs and global connections, debuting with the food-meets-art exhibit Flooded. A collaborative, six-week pop-up of photography and multimedia in Waikīkī’s Luxury Row, Flooded merges climate change with food, exploring ideas of adaptation, baseline shifting and solastalgia—distress caused by changes in the environment. The exhibit launches this evening with a free, limited-space public opening party with an artist panel. After that, visitors can experience Flooded for free every Thursday through Sunday, noon to 7 p.m., until April 30.

Free, Luxury Row, 2124 Kalākaua Ave. For more information, go here.

photo: steve czerniak

Noodle Fest Hawai‘i

Saturday, March 24, 3 to 9 p.m.

From pasta to ramen to pad thai, we’ve never met a noodle we didn’t like. Which is why we’re extra stoked to twirl, slurp and bite our way through all the international eats that will be at Noodle Fest Hawai‘i. Starting at 3 p.m., the inaugural noodle celebration will host cooking demos, eating contests (including a timed spicy-noodle-eating competition where eaters must finish two bowls of the infamous Samyang spicy chicken ramen before submitting to inevitable GI distress), live entertainment and nearly 20 vendors. Try noodles from around the world at Agu Ramen, Goma Tei, The Pig & The Lady, Elena’s Filipino Food, Sun Noodle and more. Purchase an official Noodle Fest Hawai‘i T-shirt, sold exclusively at the VH07V booth, as a way to always remember your amazing, noodle-filled night.

Free admission, Ward Village, Auahi Street fronting Ward Centre. For more information and to register, go here.

Plus: Coming Up

HONOLULU Family Fun Run Presented by First Hawaiian Bank

Saturday, March 31, 7:30 to 10 a.m.

Lace up your shoes for the HONOLULU Family Fun Run presented by First Hawaiian Bank, Saturday, March 31, 7:30 a.m. at Ala Moana Beach Park. Family members of all ages can enter the 5K fun run, a leisurely walk/run filled with selfie stops, snack stations and entertainment. Kids ages 3–10 can also participate in a 500-meter keiki dash. Afterward, head over to the keiki fun zone for games, a bouncy house and more.

$15–$20, Ala Moana Beach Park, 1201 Ala Moana Blvd. For more information and to register, go here.

Looking for more things to do? Check out our events calendar.