SUNDAY
This May Day, attend events to hail spring
Sunday is May Day, and there are plenty of activities around the island to help you celebrate the traditional festival of spring.
>>At Kapiolani Park, festivities begin early with the investiture of 2016 Lei Queen Carol Yamada, pictured. Kapiolani Park will be the site of live entertainment, lei exhibits, arts and crafts exhibits, storytelling and more from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with the investiture ceremony scheduled for 11 a.m. Free.
>>Further along the beach, musician Henry Kapono headlines May Day Waikiki, a program celebrating the Waikiki beachboys. Head to the sands fronting the Royal Hawaiian from noon to 2p.m. and get a free outrigger canoe ride, then enjoy a commemorative event celebrating the beachboys beginning at 2 p.m., followed by a concert with Kapono, Brother Noland and Melvin Leed. It’s free.
>>Need some advice designing your lei? Take the morning and head over to Na Mea Hawaii bookstore at Ward Warehouse, where Syl Kop will help. Submit lei for competition by 11 a.m. for master lei maker Uncle Bill Char to judge. Also enjoy a “Hula for Health” presentation in the amphitheater, with performances and activities from noon to 6 p.m. Free.
>>Out on the North Shore, Waimea Valley hosts a May Day celebration with a lei contest and hula performances in the morning, followed by a concert paying homage to Gabby Pahinui and his wife, Emily. The 1-5 p.m. concert features the Waimea Valley Ohana Band, Pahinui’s son James “Bla” Pahinui, the Cruz Brothers, the Makaha Sons and HAPA. $6.24-$11.49. waimeavalley.net.
>>At the Hawaii Theatre, Mid-Pacific Institute kumu hula Michael Casupang and his Pupukahi i ke Alo o na Pua will celebrate both May Day and the 25th anniversary of Mid-Pacific’s School ofthe Arts. The 5 p.m. show features dance, music, theater, visual and digital arts. $17-$47. hawaiitheatre.com or 528-0506.
WEDNESDAY- THURSDAY
Oe generates aloha for disaster victims
Senri Oe had a successful 25-year career in Japan as an actor and J-pop artist when, at age 47, he gave it all up to study his childhood passion, jazz. He studied at the New School in New York alongside students less than half his age, and now performs regularly in New York clubs. He’s released three albums: “Boys Mature Slow,” named album of the year at the Jazz Japan Awards in 2012; “Spooky Hotel,” which topped Billboard Japan’s Jazz Charts; and 2015’s “Collective Scribble.”
Oe is giving three performances this week in honor of the victims of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, which killed almost 16,000 people and displaced 177,000 more. The performances include an 11 a.m. tea on Wednesday, with sandwiches, scones and desserts; and two evening programs that will feature wine tasting, a silent auction and heavy pupu, starting at 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday.
Joining in will be Japanese singers Junko Yagami and Misa Ogasawara, dancer Miki Orihara, local trio ManoaDNA and ukulele duo Honoka & Azita.
Where: Honolulu Design Center
When: 11 a.m. and 6 p.m Wednesday, 6 p.m. Thursday
Cost: $100-$150
Info: hawaiiseniorlife.org/concert2016 or 221-1865
SATURDAY, SUNDAY
Kevin Hart’s animated antics have made him a star on stage and screen
Comedian Kevin Hart learned to surf (“I just made this wave my bitch!” he proudly proclaims in a video) during his 2011 tour visit to Hawaii, and he’s been riding a monster wave of success ever since.
Already known then for his stand-up specials “I’m a Grown Little Man,” “Seriously Funny” and “Laugh at My Pain,” Hart followed up with a series of big-screen comedies, with his clownish antics hitting it big in two “Ride Along” films (2014 and this year’s sequel) and last year’s “The Wedding Ringer” and “Get Hard.” He’s got two more feature films scheduled for release this year— “Central Intelligence” and the animated feature “The Secret Life of Pets” — and a concert film, “Kevin Hart: What Now?”
“Kevin makes movies fast. Every month. Porno stars don’t make movies that fast,” said his pal Chris Rock during the intro to this year’s Academy Awards ceremony, highlighting the fact that Hart can seem to be everywhere all at once.
As if the films aren’t enough, Hart, who got his start playing Philadelphia clubs, is going undercover as a driver for the car service Lyft as part of an online comedy project, and working on a memoir, “From the Hart.” It’s not surprising that he told the New York Times recently that he’ll be scaling back a bit. Better see him now. At last check, both Saturday concerts were sold out, but some good seats for Sunday were available.
Where: Blaisdell Arena
When: 7 and 10:30 p.m. Saturday (sold out), 7 p.m. Sunday
Cost: $59.50-$150.50
Info: ticketmaster.com or 866-448-7849
— Steven Mark
SATURDAY
Festival for keiki features films, fun
The Ko Olina Children’s Film & Music Festival returns this weekend, providing plenty of family-friendly entertainment.
Ukulele master Jake Shimabukuro makes a special appearance, along with entertainment drawn from local youth performance groups, including the Samadhi youth aerial team and students from the Pow! Wow! School of Music. Aspiring performers can also try their hand at acting in the festival’s interactive audio and video studios, and there will be plenty of activities for children to try just purely for the fun of it.
Of course, movies are a big part of the festival, with “Cinderella,” “Monsters University,” “UP,” “Inside Out,” “Aladdin” and “Paper Planes” screened during the daytime. Then head to the beach at 6 p.m. for Shimabukuro, a youth lip-syncing contest and a performance by Waipahu dance group Canvas Disciples. All that leads up to a screening of “Ku’u Lei Melody,” a new short that features Mickey Mouse singing in Hawaiian, followed by the island-themed short “Lava” and the superhero action flick “Big Hero 6.”
Where: Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, and Kohola Lagoon No. 1
When: 1 p.m.-8 p.m. Saturday
Cost: $10-$30
Info: koolinachildrensfestival.com
TICKER: Burlesque goes Bowie with “Planet Bowie,” featuring Cherry Blossom Cabaret, 9:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Honolulu Museum of Art; $18-$30, honolulumuseum.org or 532-6097
