The Buzz
The sand and sea and ... some very colorful dragon boats. That's the scene at Ala Moana Beach Park this weekend as the sixth annual AT&T Hawaii Dragon Boat Festival takes place with food and craft booths, a keiki play area, entertainment and, of course, the highlight: races that follow a 2,000-year-old Chinese tradition, featuring more than 50 teams in competition. The dragon boats, built in Taiwan, hold 16 paddlers, a steersman, a flag catcher and a drummer. Among the entertainers will be Forté, Ellsworth Simeona, Dita Holifield, Rocky Brown, Jeff Rasmussen, Reign, Tiny Tadani, Tino and the Rhythm Klub, Honolulu the Band, Solanna, eight0eight, Ben Vegas and Simplisity. The event — 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday — is free and benefits the Hawai'i Children's Cancer Foundation. 951-0350, 531-3526.
Dragons roar
Way back when
"Rare Gems: An Evening of Hawaiian Music" offers hapa-haole songs from the 1920s and '30s. Songs that evoke the Hawai'i of yesteryear will be performed by Lei Hulu, composed of Kimo Alama Keaulana on 'ukulele; Joe Keaulana, acoustic bass; Pahukoa Morse, rhythm guitar; Clayton Lanihuli Lee, piano; and Kilakila Ozawa, steel guitar. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the University of Hawai'i's Orvis Auditorium. Tickets are $12 general, $10 for students, seniors, faculty/staff. 956-5666, 956-6878.
 Bark bark bark
"In Celebration of Dogs" puts man's and woman's best furry pal, the dog, in the spotlight 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Sunday at Thomas Square. Among the activities, promoting the positive approach to dog ownership, are a parade of purebreds, demonstrations and activities about obedience, service, therapy and puppy training. It's sponsored by the Windward Hawaiian Dog Fanciers' Association and it's free. 239-6693. |
Out and about
The second annual Hawaii Outdoor Sports Expo definitely has the active person in mind. The three-day event at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall offers the latest in sports products and services, a sports trivia challenge, fashion show, exhibits and demonstrations, an auction, a higher/faster/stronger sports challenge and other activities for those who indulge in everything from archery to boating, from biking to running, from golf to soccer and all outdoorsy things in between. The expo takes place 4-10 p.m. today, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $3 general, free for kids under 12. 386-EXPO (3976); www.hiose.com.
The Shanghai Children's Palace Art Troupe returns to Hawai'i for shows at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. The ensemble of 24, composed of youths 10 to 17, will perform a myriad of numbers, from choral singing to folk and modern dance, from ballet to Beijing opera. The group also showcases a variety of traditional Chinese instruments. The visit is the troupe's third; school tours are part of its itinerary here. Also, the Hawaii Children's Discovery Center (111 'Ohe St.) will play host to the troupe for a sneak peek of the performance at 10:30 a.m. Saturday; seating is limited; admission to the museum will be $5 for Saturday only. Tickets for the Blaisdell shows — $15, $20, $25 — are on sale at the box office and Ticket Plus outlets. 526-4400. |
Guitar duo
That's George Svoboda on the left, Fred Benedetti on the right and together they are the master guitar duo Benedetti & Svoboda, offering gypsy and flamenco music to audiences around the world. Next stop: Hawai'i, with a series of concerts on three islands. The duo will debut its latest album, "Mistral-2001." Each concert is $15 ($13 advance); free for the children of ticket-buying parents. (808) 982-9548. Big Island: 7:30 p.m. today, Church of the Holy Apostles, 1417 Kapi'olani St., Hilo; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aloha Theatre, Kainaliu; (808) 966-8877, 935-7411, 965-7287, 329-1454, 322-0739, 322-2111. O'ahu: 2 p.m. Sunday, First Unitarian Church of Honolulu, 2500 Pali Highway; 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Hawai'i Public Radio's Atherton Performing Arts Studio; 591-2920, 262-2175. Kaua'i: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 3-4, Lihu'e Parrish Hall. (808) 332-5858, 826-9144. www.benedetti-svoboda.com
 No vampires allowed
That age-old wonder bulb, garlic, will be celebrated at the Garlic Festival of Hawaii 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday at Ward Warehouse. Before you turn up your nose at the event, be advised that not all activities will be garlic intense. In fact, there's entertainment by Kapena and Danny Kaleikini, fortune telling and natural healing, a wine tent offering 40 wines, margarita and beer bars, a "keiki town" of activities, a raffle, a silent auction ... And there's a lot of stuff for garlic fans, too, such as a garlic lover's store, featuring specialty garlic food items, garlic massages ... Food from 10 restaurants should appeal to all, too. There's free valet parking and free admission, although a $2 donation is suggested. Proceeds will benefit the Friends of Hawaii Charities, host of the Sony Open in Hawaii. 545-4195. |
