Books, music and more downtown today

Hawaii’s annual two-day celebration of books, storytelling and music gets underway at 10 a.m. today at the Frank F. Fasi Civic Grounds, with scores of free events — author presentations, panel discussions, a book swap, music and hula. Among the new pavilion themes is what’s certain to be an appetizing focus: books about food and cookbooks.

Now in its 12th year, Hawai‘i Book & Music Festival caters to all ages. There’s a keiki zone (rides and bounce houses) and a stage for kids. Also, a health and well-being pavilion will spotlight Buddhist meditation today and be re-titled “Disrupt Aging” on Sunday, featuring panelists who explore ways to redesign your life with age. See more online.

Take a low-cost bike ride along South Street

Step 2 in Honolulu’s transition to bike-friendliness has been taken, with the new South Street protected lane adding the city’s first mauka- makai cycle route.

Making cycling a more daily (rather than daring) activity depends on helping those not currently cycling to feel safe. PeopleForBikes.org displays various methods for doing that, ranging from the fairly cheap (delineator posts, such as those on South, at up to $30,000 per lane-mile) to the eye-popping $26 million per lane-mile for a fully raised bikeway. That would feel unsafe — to city wallets. Hooray for the post option.