Waikiki Ho’olaulea

I like to go to the Waikiki Hoolaulea to check out the Hawaiian music and the food from the different vendors. It was somewhat crowded but I expected more people. I’m sure more people would have shown up if it wasn’t for the Warrior game at Aloha Stadium that was going on at the same time.
We started on Kalakaua, in front of Duty Free, and made our way down towards the zoo. We were all hungry and looking for something to eat. Jeana P. had dinner with some other Yeeps at Gyu-​Kaku on Lewers, so she was fine. The rest of us were starving.
I stopped in front of the Moana Surfrider. Their famous restaurant, Beachhouse at the Moana, had a tent there selling plate lunches consisting of huli chicken and garlic shrimp. The food was really good but they were so unorganized. At first, they were out of chicken. Everyone just stood there waiting for them to cook the chicken. Then, they were out of shrimp for the night. Instead of the $ 9 plate of chicken and shrimp, it was now $ 5 for a chicken plate. Everyone in line was disappointed. Their papaya seed dressing for the greens was the bomb.
While I was in line at the Moana Surfrider, my hubby and son, my friend and her daughter, decided to look for food somewhere else. Of course they found Olay’s, my hubby’s go to curry place on the run. They got the chicken pumpkin curry with sticky rice, chicken skewers and egg rolls. As I was eating my chicken plate, my hubby calls and says that Giovanni’s Shrimp was the next tent over. We both knew that I was going to get my shrimp.
On the way over there, the group decided that they wanted to eat something cold. That’s when they spotted Lawson Station, right next to the Moana Surfrider. We left with a Dole Whip on a cone and a shaved ice.
Then, we finally made it back down to Giovanni’s Shrimp and the line was long but I didn’t care. I wanted my garlic shrimp. It must have taken me 45 minutes to get my shrimp. I took it to go and we were out of there.

Date: September 19, 2015
Location: Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki
Reason to go: Aloha Festivals 63^rd Waikiki Ho’olaulea
Awesome night with friends listening to live music! Crowded with tourist and locals alike. Waikiki Ho’olaulea starts at Lewers Street on Kalakaua and continues on towards Kealohilani Street. There’s three music stages, craft vendors, and food booths.
There was a stage set up at the corner of Lewers Street and Kalakaua Avenue in front of the Royal Hawaiian Center. I was with my dinner companions and we noticed there was a small halau group getting ready to go up on stage to perform the hula.
We continued walking on Kalakaua Avenue and noticed the many craft and food booths. There was one booth that sold shirts and shorts made out of Calrose rice bags. Very interesting.
We got to the entrance of the Outrigger Waikiki on the beach where my cousin and her family were located. I introduced my dinner companions to my cousin and family. My friends decided to check out one of the stores while my cousin and her family went in line for huli huli chicken.
I decided to walk towards the second stage in front of the Sheraton Moana Surfrider. Bruddah Jeff Rasmussen and Sistah Robi Kahakalau was on stage performing along with another person name Kimo B. They performed contemporary Hawaiian music. After they performed then it was Ho’okena. Ho’okena performed some Hawaiian songs.
Afterwards I met up with my cousin and her family near one of the side entrance to Sheraton Moana Surfrider. They just got through eating dinner. My cousin’s son wanted ice cream. My cousin wanted to go to Giovanni’s Shrimp. We all started to walk until my cousin’s husband stopped in front of Lawson Station. He went in line for shave ice to give to his son. My cousin went in line at Giovanni’s shrimp. I continued on walking and noticed the third stage in front of the Hyatt Regency Waikiki.
I noticed more food booths like Grylt, Blazin Steaks, Dave’s Ice Cream, Garlic Shrimp, Thai food and Mahoe’s Hawaiian. I noticed the Aloha lemonade booth as well. There were other craft vendors and a booth that sold lighted stars. Kealohilani Street was where the last of the vendor booths were located.
I ended up walking back towards my cousin and her family. It took awhile for my cousin to get her shrimp plate from Giovanni’s. Everyone else was sitting down on the sidewalk near the police station.
When my cousin finally got her plate then her family decided it was time to go home. We parted ways and I went back to the second stage where Kapena was performing. I caught the tail end of Masese. «We’re going to jump on the reggae train» got the crowd dancing. Kelly Boy DeLima with his three children Kapena (Pena Bu), Kalena Ku, and Lilo. Kelly Boy on ukulele, Kalena Ku on keyboards, Lilo on bass guitar, and Pena Bu on drums. Each of Kelly Boy’s children sang a song. Kalena Ku sang a Hawaiian song. Lilo sang «I am a Queen» which she wrote. Pena Bu sang Bruno Mars’ «If I was Your Man» while playing keyboard.
It was an awesome night with friends and family. Enjoying the live local music. If I did get something to eat from one of the vendors it would have been a toss up between Hawaiian food or a shrimp plate.
Next year’s Waikiki Ho’olaulea will be even bigger since it will mark the 70^th year of Aloha Festivals.