The Pan-Pacific Festival returns in June after a five-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The nonprofit Pan-Pacific Festival Foundation is organizing the celebration of the bond between Hawai‘i and Japan for its 41st year.
“Our theme is to reconnect with the local community,” said Francis Arakaki, vice president of the foundation.
The three-day event in Waikīkī will have bon dancers, performing arts, Pan-Pacific hula dancers, a parade, a block party and more.
The festival, formally called the Matsuri, meaning festival in Japanese, started in 1980 to foster a bond between Hawai‘i and Japanese visitors, which was growing during that time. It was renamed to the Pan-Pacific Festival in 1996 to be inclusive of other cultures.
The event annually attracts up to 100,000 visitors locally, from Japan and the continental U.S., according to foundation President Yuske Komoriya.
Visitors can enjoy performances at the Ala Moana Centerstage, International Marketplace, the Kūhiō Beach Hula Mound and other performances on Kalākaua Avenue.
The festival will be held from June 7 to 9.
