Thousands of dancers, musicians and cultural groups — including 1,200 hula dancers from Japan and a marching band from St. Mary’s Central High School in North Dakota — will converge on Oahu for the 37th annual Pan-Pacific Festival.

The festival begins today and continues through Sunday with more than 100 presentations and events across Waikiki, offering up creative and unexpected entertainment.

Originally called the Matsuri in Hawaii, the festival was created by Kintetsu International to bring together the cultures of Hawaii, Japan and Pacific nations. The name and guiding concept changed in 1998; as the Pan-Pacific Festival, invitations go out to Filipino, Taiwanese and other performers throughout the Pacific Rim.

Alan Kinuhata, festival spokesman, said each venue offers a “don’t miss” roster of talent.

Today, as the festival’s hoolaulea event takes over Kalakaua Avenue, a traditional bon dance will take place at the end of the strip. On the Waikiki Beach Walk stage, there will be street dance performances. Japanese hip-hop dance star Kento Mori will be the commentator.

“Another first will be a group of young Japanese playing, of all things, the Caribbean steel drums,” Kinuhata said.

The Hyatt Regency Waikiki will host a showcase of Japanese culture, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. today, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

Japanese halau will be featured at the Kuhio Beach Hula Mound today at 6 p.m., Saturday at 4 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 7:30 p.m.

The hula dancers call their Hawaii performances “connecting two waters together,” said kumu hula Sallie Yoza, who organizes hula for the festival and presents her Halau ‘o Napuala‘ikauika‘iu weekly at the Waikiki hula mound. She also instructs a halau in Japan, with the aid of sensei.

“These dancers from Japan have so much love for hula that it is a dream come true to be here, to dance to the ocean in Waikiki,” Yoza said. “They don’t want to compete; they just want to honor hula where it was born.”

Tonight the Pan-Pacific Hoolaulea includes five party stages on Kalakaua Avenue, between Lewers and Uluniu streets, including a stage with award-winning talent from Hawaii, produced by Pali Ka‘aihue, fresh from directing the Na Hoku Hanohano Awards.

Food and craft booths at the hoolaulea will sell street-food fare that complements the festival’s emphasis on cultural exchange.

On Saturday the performing arts move to Ala Moana Centerstage, with 26 performances between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. Other performances will take place on the Beach Walk Waikiki stage from 3 to 4:30 p.m. (Note: Kalakaua Avenue will be closed on Saturday morning for the King Kameha­meha Day parade.)

Performances continue from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Ala Moana, and from 2 to 4:15 p.m. Sunday at the Beach Walk.

On Sunday evening, the Pan-Pacific Parade travels from Fort DeRussy to Kapiolani Park between 5 and 7 p.m.

Yosakoi Festival dancers, rarely seen outside Japan, will perform.

Over 900 participants and about 50 groups will participate in the parade.

Three large floats, including a “tengu” mask with a red nose as long as a car, add to the photo opportunities.

All events are free and open to the public.