Chibariyo! The Okinawan Festival is back—and this year, families can look forward to a weekend filled with food, music, dancing, shopping, crafts and plenty of Uchinanchu spirit.
The Hawaii United Okinawa Association will present the 44th Annual Okinawan Festival on Saturday, Sept. 5, and Sunday, Sept. 6, at the Hawaii Convention Center. Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Because of ongoing renovations at the Hawaii Convention Center, this year’s Festival will have a modified format. There will be no early admission and no bon dance. But don’t let that fool you—the Festival still packs plenty of Okinawan fun into the weekend.
Whether you’re bringing the keiki, introducing a friend to Okinawan culture or looking to reconnect with your own roots, there’s something for everyone.
Come Hungry!
Let’s be honest: For many Festivalgoers, the food is reason enough to come.
You can still find longtime favorites such as andagi, Okinawa soba and pig’s feet soup, along with specialty foods at the Festival’s food booths, Country Store and Heiwa Doori market.
But there’s something new to try this year.
Prince Waikiki is bringing its House of Sakura experience to the Hawaii Convention Center with an Okinawan izakaya-inspired twist. Executive Chef Brooke Tadena will serve up seven Okinawan-inspired creations, including:
- Wafu rib eye steak and watercress salad
- Rafute, or Okinawan-style shoyu pork, and egg
- Oki nachos, an Okinawan-inspired take on poke nachos
- Poke and umibudo, or Okinawan sea grapes
- Tamago sando
- Chili crunch edamame
- A5 torched Wagyu beef nigiri
And if you still have room, head over to the Heiwa Doori market for more specialty foods and products from Okinawa.
Music, Dancing and Plenty of Uchinanchu Aloha
The Festival stage will be busy throughout the weekend with live music, traditional Okinawan performing arts, martial arts demonstrations and special guests from Hawaii.
One performer to watch for is local singer, songwriter and ukulele artist Karlie G, also known as Karlie Goya.
Karlie G has earned top honors in competitions including the Ukulele International Contest, Duke’s Ukes and Brown Bags to Stardom. In 2019, she also received a Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award for R&B Album of the Year for her debut album, Have Fun.
Her Festival performance will bring together beloved Okinawan songs and her original music—so expect a little old, a little new and a whole lot of aloha.
Make Something. Learn Something. Discover Something.
One of the best things about the Okinawan Festival is that you don’t have to simply watch—you can participate.
At Bunkwa Nu Shima—Village of Culture, visitors can explore Okinawan traditions through cultural displays and hands-on activities. Families can learn about Shimakutuba, try crafts and even experience kimono and paranku dressing.
Hui O Laulima will also offer an odori dance class with Sensei Cheryl Penhart, giving Festivalgoers a chance to learn some Okinawan dance moves of their own.
And music lovers can enjoy the Sunrise Family Band featuring Kazu Toguchi at the Village of Culture.
Try Your Hand at Bingata
Here’s a chance to take home a little piece of Okinawan artistry.
Gusuku Bingata is returning from Okinawa to share the traditional art of bingata, a treasured Okinawan dyeing technique with more than 500 years of history.
Participants in the hands-on mini workshop will learn the basics of bingata dyeing while creating a coaster they can take home.
Pre-registration is required and the workshop costs $25.
Bring Your Shopping List
You may want to leave a little room in the car—or at least in your shopping bag.
The Craft Gallery will feature locally made clothing, jewelry, stationery, gifts and other unique items.
The Country Store will offer fresh produce, andamiso, iced tea and other local favorites.
And at Heiwa Doori, shoppers can browse specialty foods and products direct from Okinawa.
For families interested in genealogy, the Okinawa Genealogical Society of Hawaii will also be on hand. With access to thousands of historical records and resources, it’s a great opportunity to start—or continue—the search for your Okinawan roots.
Fun for the Keiki—and the Young at Heart
The Okinawan Festival has always been a multigenerational celebration, and this year is no different.
Keiki can enjoy games, prizes and family activities, while parents and grandparents can explore Okinawan history, food, music, arts and traditions.
That’s part of what makes the Festival special: You might come for the andagi, but along the way a child discovers a new craft, a grandparent shares a family story, or someone starts asking questions about where their ancestors came from.
You don’t have to already know anything about Okinawa to enjoy the Festival. Come hungry, come curious and come ready to have fun.
Plan Ahead: Parking and Shuttles
With parking at the Hawaii Convention Center limited during construction, Festivalgoers are encouraged to use the Festival shuttle.
Free parking is available at the Civic Center Municipal Parking Lot, with access from Beretania Street. A shuttle will take visitors to the Hawaii Convention Center in approximately 15 minutes.
Shuttle hours are:
Saturday: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
A $5 return-trip ticket to the Civic Center can be purchased at the Festival Information Booth.
Additional parking is available near the Convention Center, including at the Pan Am Building and through Premium Parking. Limited drop-off and pick-up is available in front of the Hawaii Convention Center on Atkinson Drive.
Same Heart, New Format
The 44th Okinawan Festival may look a little different this year, but its purpose remains the same: bringing people together and celebrating the culture, history, traditions and values that connect Hawaii and Okinawa.
For more than four decades, the Festival has given generations of Hawaii families a place to eat together, dance together, learn together and celebrate what it means to be Uchinanchu.
So grab the family, bring your appetite and get ready for a weekend of culture, community and plenty of Okinawan aloha.
44th Annual Okinawan Festival
Saturday, Sept. 5, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 6, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Hawaii Convention Center
For the latest Festival information, visit OkinawanFestival.com and follow the Hawaii United Okinawa Association and Okinawan Festival on Facebook and Instagram.
