Holiday fun guide
Don’t look now, but Christmas is just around the corner. To help our readers get the most out of this festive season, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Today section will publish its annual guide to holiday happenings on Sunday, Nov. 30.
The guide comprises a list of Santa encounters, parades, mall events, gift and craft fairs, holiday craft workshops, music and concerts, stage and screen presentations, Honolulu City Lights and other family fun.
To be included in these special listings, email details of your event — date, time, location, sponsor, description, cost and contact information — to calendars@staradvertiser.com by Nov. 24.
Keiki Kalikimaka
The countdown to our most popular contest has begun, with island youngsters eagerly awaiting a chance to design their ornaments and win cash prizes. Details of the 2014 Keiki Kalikimaka contest will be revealed on the Kalakoa page Nov. 15. Entries and contest inquiries received before that date will not be accepted.
Pops series begins with movie tunes
"Hooray for Hollywood" will kick off the Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra’s new three-concert pops series, which will feature everything from film and Broadway music to circus performances.
Stuart Chafetz, who guest-conducted a concert of John Williams’ movie music last season, will conduct the new "Music that POPS" series. Chafetz was a longtime timpanist for the Honolulu Symphony and led the holiday season performances of "The Nutcracker" with Ballet Hawaii. He conducts orchestras worldwide and has worked with artists such as George Benson, the Chieftains, Marvin Hamlisch, Jim Nabors and Randy Newman.
The series begins Nov. 21 with "Hooray for Hollywood," featuring music from "Gone With the Wind," "Dr. Zhivago," "Mission: Impossible," "Psycho," "Lord of the Rings," "Jurassic Park" and other popular films.
The second program is Jan. 23, when four singers will join the orchestra to sing tunes from "The Little Mermaid," "Frozen" and others Disney hits.
The final program, "Cirque de la Symphonie," will bring acrobats, aerialists and strongmen to perform with the orchestra. It is scheduled for March 20.
Tickets are $27 to $79, with a 15 percent discount for the entire series, available at hawaiisymphonyorchestra.org; ticketmaster.com; the HSO office, 3610 Waialae Ave.; and the Blaisdell box office. All programs are at 7:30 p.m. at Blaisdell Concert Hall.
A ‘Brady,’ Bumatai to aid Best Buddies
Friendship Jam, a fundraiser for Best Buddies Hawaii, a nonprofit organization that helps individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, will be held from 5 to 8:45 p.m. Nov. 15 at Jimmy Buffet’s Restaurant and Bar in Waikiki.
Maureen McCormick, who played Marcia Brady on "The Brady Bunch" and is a Best Buddies supporter, will be present to meet fans. Andy Bumatai will emcee the event, and Al Waterson will handle the auction items.
The $75 ticket includes pupu, the Magic of Polynesia show and entertainment by Lehua Kalima and Shawn Pimental, Jordan Segundo, Ginai, Aidan James and Kailua Bay Buddies. For tickets, visit www.bestbuddieshawaii.org. For information, call 426-6431.
Marching bands to battle in festival
Nearly 900 students from nine Oahu high schools will compete Monday in the 39th annual Oahu Marching Band Festival at Aloha Stadium. The event, which begins at 5 p.m., is open to the public.
The participating high schools are Aiea, Castle, Farrington, Radford, Kapolei, Roosevelt, Mililani, Moanalua and Pearl City.
The festival, sponsored by Finance Factors and the Pearl City High School Music Performing Arts Learning Center, requires each marching band to perform an eight- to 10-minute routine. This year’s judges are from college and high school marching band programs here and on the mainland.
Tickets can be purchased at the door for $7 for adults, $5 for students and free for children ages 4 and under.
For more information, contact Chadwick Kamei at 454-5655 or chad_kamei@notes.k12.hi.us.
