From a Juneteenth gala to Father’s Day guides for where to eat and how to spend Saturday, here are some of the events happening on Oʻahu this weekend.
Looking to Island hop? The Kauaʻi Poke Fest will be Friday, June 19, and Saturday, June 20. The sixth annual festival will bring in more than 1,000 pounds of fresh Hawaiʻi-caught ahi for the occasion. Want to head to Maui? Check out the inaugural Wailuku Film Festival, which runs for five days, from Wednesday, June 17, through Sunday, June 21.
Friday, June 19
Attend a Juneteenth gala. Mānoa Valley Theatre and W.O.W. Productions have launched the inaugural Juneteenth Festival, which includes six days of events. The festival started Monday, June 15. On Friday, June 19, the festival will host “Black Girl Magic: How Black Women Have Changed the World," a gala which honors the life of Sharon Yarbrough and celebrates Black women in fashion, performance and storytelling, plus includes the Juneteenth Pageant. Tickets are $75, plus fees. On Saturday, June 20, there will be a free cookout and finale performance, which features live performances, local vendors and more from noon until 9:30 p.m. Details.
Juneteenth spoken word open mic. This family friendly gathering is an invitation for artists of all skill levels to share original pieces with a live audience. The theme of the event is “Jubilee! celebration! gratitude, joy, sovereignty, resilience, hope, transformation, prosperity, breakthrough [and] freedom!” according to Eventbrite.com. Free. Details.
Catch live music in botanical gardens. The City and County of Honolulu’s botanical gardens will host free concerts featuring local musicians this summer. Catch Ikaiki Kalani at Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden on Friday, June 19. Mark your calendar for other concerts. Free. Details.
Saturday, June 20
Celebrate Father’s Day. Aloha State Daily’s Food & Dining Reporter Kelli Shiroma Braiotta has a list of places to take dad in this guide: Where to celebrate Father’s Day 2026 - part 1 and part 2. From kiawe smoked prime rib to taro pancakes and soft-shell crab with yuzu butter sauce, there are plenty of ʻono options. ASD also put together a list of possible Father's Day activities, including a fishing tournament, free and a comedy show at Blue Note Hawaiʻi which features James Mane, Lanai and Kaleo Pilanca, hosted by Heston Kaʻaihue. Details.
Watch “Rental Family.” This movie, which is set in Japan, stars Actor Takehiro Hira, who calls Kakaʻako home. The Emmy-nominated actor appears alongside Brendan Fraser in the drama, which had its Hawaiʻi premiere at the Hawaiʻi International Film Festival last year. The movie shares the story of an American guy who takes on roles in families and is impacted by the process. The movie screening starts at 1:30 p.m. on the second floor of the main library, which is located at 478 S. King St., next to ʻIolani Palace in Honolulu. Details.
Stop by the HoMA. Admission is free on the third Sunday of the month, including Father’s Day on Sunday, June 21. The Honolulu Museum of Art also offers free admission to military families of all ranks and services, including guard and reserve, from May 27 through Sept. 6, as part of the Blue Star Museums initiative, which is a partnership between the National Endowment of the Arts, Blue Star Families and the Department of Defense plus more than 2,000 participating museums across the nation. Free. Details.
Eat Kouign Amann! Celebrate the buttery, flaky pastry that is Kouign Amann on National Kouign Amann Day. Braiotta shares one place you can find the snack on Oʻahu. Read about the special limited-edition flavors released for the occasion through a collaboration between Kona Coffee Purveyors and the San Francisco-based b. Patisserie. Some of the flavors, including sugar milk tea and peach oolong, are inspired by boba drinks. Customers can preorder a sampler set which includes all nine flavors for $49. Details.
Mālama Honua. Founded by Nainoa Thompson and Robert Witt in 2014, Mālama Honua Public Charter School is hosting live music and performances, hands-on cultural activities, plus food and craft vendors at Bishop Museum. Tickets include access to museum exhibits, including “Wayfinders: He Waʻa He Moku, He Moku He Waʻa” and “Ea Mai ʻEiwa: Patterns of Practice.” Proceeds of the event benefit Mālama Honua PCS. Activities start at 9 a.m. and run until 1 p.m. Presale tickets are $10. Details.
Sunday, June 21
Take the adult women’s self defense seminar. This seminar is hosted by Rooted Self Defense Systems in Kailua and focuses on recognizing dangerous situations, understanding how stress and adrenaline impact reactions, and using self-defense movements which don’t rely on strength or size. One of the coaches has more than 35 years of martial arts training and spent decades training Marines. Another has more than 30 years experience working in city and federal law enforcement. No experience needed. Participants get a certificate of completion and a t-shirt. The seminar starts at 9:30 a.m. and runs until noon. Tickets are $73.72. Details.
Indulge in summer reading. Hawaiʻi State Public Library System's Summer Reading Challenge is back. This year, readers can participate by reading 800 minutes or eight books. Physical books, audiobooks, eBooks, graphic novels and more count towards the contest. The challenge started June 1 and runs through July 31. The theme of the reading challenge is “E Heluhelu Kākou: ‘Umeke Kā‘eo” and celebrates a calabash overflowing with knowledge and wisdom. Readers who log reading get a chance to unlock rewards and possibly win the grand prize of roundtrip tickets from Alaska Airlines / Hawaiian Airlines. Details.
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Katie Helland can be reached at katie@alohastatedaily.com.
