Looking for things to do this weekend? Catch your last meals at Kam Bowl Restaurant, which closes this Sunday, June 28. If you want to hear live music, check out the Ka Ma’o Launch Party, a benefit concert hosted by The Green and their nonprofit Ka Ma’o to support up and coming local artists on Friday, June 26. This weekend, the second location of Mercado de la Raza is also open in Waipahu.
Friday, June 26
Participate in Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair. This annual film festival features some of the darkest sides of humanity and the bleakest points in history. Honolulu Museum of Art’s Doris Duke Theatre in partnership with American Cinematheque will share films from around the world, including two made in Hawaiʻi. Screenings start on Thursday, June 25, and run through Sunday, June 28. This year marks the fifth edition of the film festival, which has expanded to nearly 100 theaters across the U.S., Canada, the UK and South and Central America. Tickets to each film are $15 for adults and free for youth 18 years old and younger. Details.
Attend the Pacific Rim Festival. Navies from 30 countries are converging at Pearl Harbor for biennial naval exercises as part of Rim of the Pacific, or RIMPAC. Head to the Navy Exchange Mall and enjoy food, music and culture from around the Pacific. There will be a night market with live entertainment from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. on Friday, June 26, and an open market with entertainment from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 27. Free. Details.
Go to Ka Maʻo Launch Party. This benefit concert hosted by The Green and their nonprofit Ka Maʻo supports the launch of The Road Ahead program, a new initiative that is dedicated to supporting Hawaiʻi’s local artists, musicians and production crews. The program will assist local talent with travel, tours and production opportunities that will help them reach larger audiences and grow their careers. Catch The Green with a special guest performance by Chante at The Republik. Presale tickets are $65 for general admission and $100 for VIP. Details.
Saturday, June 27
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 toward 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.
Check out Mercardo de la Raza in Waipahu. Oʻahu’s largest Latin American market, Mercado de la Raza, has opened a second location in Waipahu. This location is larger than the original store on South Beretania Street. It features a warehouse section and a retail store. Find tamarind candy, specialty sodas, empanadas, and World Cup jerseys and flags. Details.
Attend the seventh annual Hawaiʻi Beer Fest. This event brings more than 100 craft beers, ciders and seltzers to the Bishop Museum’s Great Lawn. There will be food, live music and a party under the stars. General admission starts at $68.50, with discounts for group orders. VIP tickets cost $95.50 and include VIP swag, exclusive tastings and early access. Details.
Sunday, June 28
Visit Kam Bowl Restaurant (before it closes!). Kam Bowl Restaurant, which opened in the 1950s at a different location, will close its doors for good at 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 28. The Kalihi-based restaurant will be replaced by Aliʻi Diner, which opens July 1. A new restaurant, Kam Bowl Pearl City, is set to open at the Times Square Shopping Center in mid-July. Details.
For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up here for our free Daily Edition newsletter.
Katie Helland can be reached at katie@alohastatedaily.com.
