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Government & Politics

If you're like me, you probably think about doing two things on Independence Day.

First, you'll consider watching the film "Independence Day." If you're lazy (like me), you'll veer off to YouTube instead and find the clip where the president gives that inspiring speech. If you're still too lazy to even search for the video, here's the 

Secondly, you'll read the Declaration of Independence.

I know I'm a nerd, and I know that a lot of people don't normally read the Declaration of Independence. That's too bad, because it's shorter than you might imagine. 

, it succinctly justifies a country’s existence. 

In its day, the Declaration functioned as a newspaper column with serious weight. It was read in communities aloud as a physical declaration of a country’s right to exist. 

It's a statement of a people's frustration with the lack of freedom and liberty. It's also an expression of their desire for a new form of government. 

It’s a rejection of an unjust, unelected government and its sovereign. It’s also an acknowledgement of a community’s obligation to one another as the guarantors of their common well-being. 

It begins with an explanation of how governments are formed, the dignity of people, and a government’s right to exist only with the “consent of the governed.” It proceeds to then justify the right of a people to declare their independence from Great Britain before fully resolving to secure such independence. 

The document was written by imperfect people, but their idea was nearly perfect. Their words became universal. If you don't believe me, look at Vietnam's declaration of independence by Ho Chi Minh in 1945. Ho 

 the promise of the Declaration to justify Vietnam's War of Independence against the dying French Empire.

Like the Americans at Yorktown in 1781, the Vietnamese won their War of Independence at 

 in 1954. Tragically, Northern Vietnam's communist leanings divided the Vietnamese people, resulting in a brutal civil war that tore the country apart.

The promise of the United States is what inspired Hawai‘i’s unprecedented fight for statehood in 1959. No other territory in the American Union had ever been non-majority white. To pursue such a fight as Jim Crow persisted in the U.S. South was brave.

It was also born not out of a vision for the future tethered only to reality’s injustices, but out of what Hawai‘i’s residents demanded of this country. It was a product of the idealism first folded into the Declaration. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"The Declaration’s Promise"}]

The Declaration teaches us that being an American is difficult. Nevertheless, being an American is full of promise. 

One writer, Carlos Bulosan, an Ilocano immigrant from the Philippines, painfully reckoned with this promise for the 

Being an American is a process of becoming. It is also not set to occur in the course of one generation, or even one century. It’s a perpetual journey. 

In Bulosan’s eyes, the process of realizing the Declaration’s promise was a march against circumstances. The country’s progression contained “many strands of fear and hope, that snarl and converge at several point in space and time.” 

Beyond the dueling periods of fear and hope, there was still a promise, bounded by a pragmatic optimism, affixed to the country’s destiny. Such promise is what drives Americans to believe in the future. It’s not naked hope, but earnest faith in the power of a person’s agency. 

“We march on, though sometimes strange moods fill our children,” he wrote. “Our march toward security and peace is the march of freedom—the freedom that we should like to become a living part of. It is the dignity of the individual to live in a society of free men, where the spirit of understanding and belief exist; of understanding that all men are equal; that all men, whatever their color, race, religion or estate, should be given equal opportunity to serve themselves and each other according to their needs and abilities.”

It’s that idea that propels the vision of the Declaration. It is an expression of a society’s faith in the power of its people. The people of the United States are the ones who declared independence. They are the ones endowed by a Creator with certain unalienable rights. 

Those rights are tools. They are weapons. They are responsibilities. The right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is a noble, immortal guarantee that is only secured by a free people. It is also incumbent on every generation to truly cherish such rights. Loosing our sense of such rights is when they begin to disappear. 

“The America we hope to see is not merely a physical but also a spiritual and an intellectual world,” Bulosan wrote. “We are the mirror of what America is. If America wants us to be living and free, then we must be living and free. If we fail, then America fails.”

Despite all the discrimination he faced, Bulosan never gave up on the idea of the United States. It was a country to be realized, even if it did not yet exist. 

As Bulosan reminds us, it’s alright to be proud of one’s identity as an American while still reckoning with its flaws. As he painfully learned, the flaws are real and deep. That doesn't mean you give up on the promise of being an American. You embrace your country’s flaws and appreciate its nuance. 

That’s the inherent promise, after all, of our political system. We strive to be more perfect, even where we fail to meet our own standards. 

Like a relationship, America is full of promise. Like a relationship, America will certainly disappoint you. However, that doesn't mean you just give up on the relationship.

If you don’t believe me, take five minutes. Read the 

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Declaration i Stock 172711668 16x9

<title>On the Fourth, read the Declaration</title>

If you really want to understand why we're celebrating Independence Day, go back to the source and read the Declaration of Independence, says ASD political historian Perry Arrasmith. It's only one of the most important documents in history!

On the Fourth, read the Declaration

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Food & Dining

Zippy's Kāhala location is set to reopen at 6 a.m. Tuesday, July 7, after nearly four months of renovations.

"This renovation was part of a broader effort to ensure our Kāhala location continues to provide a great experience for both our guests and team members," Jessica Yamamoto, communications and social media manager for Zippy's, told Aloha State Daily in an email. "Majority of the updates were focused on enhancing our operations and supporting our long-term commitment to the community.

"Most of the renovations won’t be super noticeable to our customers, as the majority were done back of house (i.e. upgrades to equipment). What we do think our customers will notice is the refreshed look of Kāhala’s interior, along with the installation of our 

You'll find Zippy's Kāhala at 4134 Wai‘alae Ave. The restaurant will resume regular hours of operation, open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily for dine-in and take-out.

opened the first Zippy's Restaurant in Honolulu's McCully neighborhood in 1966. 

 on O‘ahu, Maui, Hawai‘i Island and in Las Vegas. The chain celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.

ICYMI: Jason Higa, CEO of Zippy's parent company, FCH Enterprises, and Francis' son, spoke with Aloha State Daily about the restaurant's origins, legacy and more earlier this year. You can 

Zippy's, which will honor the milestone throughout the year, kicked off its anniversary celebration earlier this year with the launch of a new line of 

As part of the ongoing anniversary celebration, the restaurant has so far unveiled an exclusive 

 to create a limited release, specially marked box of Original Hawaiian Soda Crackers; and launched a 

Kahala zippys 070126

<title>Zippy's Kāhala location to reopen</title>

The restaurant will reopen next week, following four months of renovations.

Zippy's Kāhala location to reopen

Hawai‘i History

What does protection mean when even some of our most sacred and carefully protected ocean spaces are being reopened to commercial fishing? With World Ocean Day on June 8, there is a renewed attention to the need for marine protected areas that are strong not only on paper, but in purpose and practice.

While the world is being urged to strengthen ocean protections, the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (WESPAC), fueled by the Trump Administration, has moved to restore commercial fishing access of all four Pacific Marine National Monuments: Pacific Islands Heritage (PIH), Muliava (Rose) Atoll, Marianas Trench, and Papahānaumokuākea.

Despite massive opposition, WESPAC took final action recommending the reopening of commercial fisheries in the 3 to 200 nautical mile (nm) zone of Papahānaumokuākea. Additionally, they voted to reopen commercial fisheries in the 12 to 50 nm zone at Muliava, Sāmoa, 0 to 50 nm in the Marianas Trench Islands, and 50 to 200 nm at Jarvis and Wake Islands, and Johnston Atoll in PIH.

These final recommendations will move into further federal review by NOAA and for public comment. Papa- hānaumokuākea, with the extra protective national marine sanctuary designation layer, would require additional congressional steps.

That procedural detail matters, but only up to a point. The deeper issue is not simply what zone might be opened or under what regulatory conditions, but what it means to revisit commercial extraction in places already recognized as culturally sacred and ecologically critical.

At the WESPAC meeting, Papahānaumokuākea Native Hawaiian Cultural Working Group (CWG) member William Ailā Jr. warned the council that “those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Commercial fishing, though labeled as “sustainable” and with the misappropriated term “pono,” risks repeating past mistakes.

Since the commercialization of fishing in Hawaiʻi, particularly in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI), unsustainable and harmful practices have caused irreparable damage to both the ecological and cultural wellbeing of our ocean.

As early as the 1840s, foreign commercial traders nearly wiped out the Hawaiian pearl oyster from Pearl Harbor within a short 30-year period. After a massive population of large pearl oysters were discovered at Manawai (Pearl & Hermes), an estimated 100 tons of pearl oysters were extracted from Manawai in just three years (1927-1930) for global trade. Nearly a century later, that population still has not recovered.

Between the 1970s and the 1990s, the lobster fishery in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) caused a near ecosystem collapse. Lobster populations plummeted, precious coral reefs were damaged by traps, and the endangered Hawaiian monk seal, which depends in part on lobster as prey, also declined. The fishery was closed in 2000 to avoid further catastrophe.

That same year, the shark population in NWHI was ravaged by a single commercial fishing vessel that killed 990 manō in just 21 days. In 2014, longliners reported a catch of 11,700 ʻahi from the now protected expanded area of Papahānaumokuākea, along with more than 5,600 sharks as bycatch, meaning one shark was caught for every two ʻahi. Most sea animals caught as bycatch do not survive.

Fishing is a rich cultural practice shared amongst many people. Native Hawaiians, like many of our Pacific cousins, have lived in harmony with the ocean through pono fishing practices since time immemorial.

However, commercial fishing is not a cultural practice, and it threatens our ability to live respectfully with the ocean.

In just a few decades of colonial, destructive, and profit-driven fishing, populations of important species have plummeted resulting in near-catastrophic ecosystem collapses. With this renewed push to restore commercial fishing, we no longer risk repeating past mistakes, we are deliberately choosing them.

Commercial fishing continued in Papahānaumokuākea until 2016. The late Uncle Buzzy Agard was one of the commercial fishermen in NWHI. Over a 10-year period, he witnessed a massive fish population decline from fishing in the area.

From that point forward, he along with many other respected kūpuna including Aunty Laura Thompson, Uncle Eddie Kaʻanāʻanā, Uncle Walter Paulo, Aunty Wilma Holi, Uncle Kawika Kapahulehua, Dr. Kekuni Blaisdell, Dr. Carlos Andrade and others lobbied state and federal agencies to establish a marine protected area called the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve in 2001.

Through their efforts, the CWG was established. Guided by these kūpuna, Papahānaumokuākea was born as a national marine monument in 2006, expanded in 2016, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010, and designated a national marine sanctuary in 2025.

WESPAC argues that Pacific Island peoples carry an unfair burden of global marine conservation goals. But that argument ignores a central truth: these protections were never forced on Pacific Island peoples. We fought for them.

Indeed, we embody the words of late Tongan-Fijian writer Epeli Hauʻofa, “No people on earth are more suited to be guardians of the world’s largest ocean than those for whom it has been home for generations.”

Rather than framing ocean protection as a burden, we should instead ask why Pacific Island peoples, and our protected and sacred oceans, are forced to bear the unfair burden of industrial fishing.

As World Ocean Day on June 8 calls attention to strong marine protected areas, Hawaiʻi faces a harder question: what does protection require of us when the place in question is sacred, storied, and entrusted to future generations?

Papahānaumokuākea reminds us that some places are not meant to be measured only by what can be taken from them, but by the relationships they carry, the memory they hold, and the responsibilities they call forth.

This article is reprinted with permission from 

OHA's Ka Wai Ola newspaper: "Commercial Fishing is Not a Cultural Practice" by J. Hau‘oli Lorenzo-Elarco and Kenika Lorenzo-Elarco, in its June 2026 issue, Vol. 43 No. 6. Read more at 

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Fishing Nets

<title>Community Voices: Commercial fishing is not a cultural practice</title>

Rather than framing ocean protection as a burden, we should instead ask why Pacific Island peoples, and our protected and sacred oceans, are forced to bear the unfair burden of industrial fishing, write two members of the Papahānaumokuākea Native Hawaiian Cultural Working Group.

Community Voices: Commercial fishing is not a cultural practice

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

This week, the U.S. is celebrating its semiquincentennial, or 250 years of being a nation. There are many local celebrations, including parades and events with food and live music.

The City and County of Honolulu is providing partial sponsorship for fireworks shows at 8 p.m. at Kailua Beach Park and 8:30 p.m. at Kapi‘olani Regional Park/Kūhiō Beach Park. The North Shore Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a fireworks show at 8:30 p.m. at Haleʻiwa Beach Park.

Here are some of the upcoming semiquincentennial celebrations. Items with an asterisk feature fireworks.

Eat pop-up barbecue at Wai Kai (ʻEwa Beach). 

Celebrate with hot dogs, burgers and ribs as part of a pop-up barbecue on the wave deck 

. Spend the day in the water and enter for a chance to win a full day adventure pass for two people. 

Attend the PHAMily Fun Day: Freedom to Fly (Pearl Harbor). 

Go to the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum for a day of family fun in collaboration with Hawaiʻi’s America250. The event starts at 10 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m. There will be opportunities to meet a 103-year-old WWII B-17 pilot,  patriotic demonstrations, live entertainment, activities for keiki including crafts and a bounce house, a vintage book sale, a photo booth and open cockpit experiences. Free popsicles will be given out to the first 250 guests. Tickets for kamaʻāina and military guests are $5 in advance or $10 at the door. 

*Visit the USS Battleship Missouri Memorial (Pearl Harbor, FIREWORKS). 

The Picnic on the Pier event is back after a six-year hiatus. Guests can gather between the USS Arizona Memorial and the Battleship Missouri —  where World War II came to an end. There will be live entertainment from Jai & The Tones, ship tours, and more. The event starts at 6 p.m. with fireworks at 9:20 p.m. Families can bring food and drinks. For security reasons, some items are not permitted, so check the list before arriving. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for keiki, if purchased in advance. 

Oʻahu Country Club will celebrate Independence Day with its annual Fourth of July Family Festival, which includes professional fireworks. The event is not open to the public, but fireworks will be visible and audible beyond the club property. The fireworks are scheduled for between 8:45 p.m. and 9 p.m. 

Party at The Gatsby Hawaiʻi (Kakaʻako). 

This party features three live bands, 12 DJs and food vendors. It starts at 8 p.m. and runs until 2 a.m. Early bird tickets are $20. 

 at 6 p.m. at Centerstage at Ala Moana Center. Hui Pu will take the stage starting at 4:30 p.m. Before the performances, attend a meet and greet with High Watah from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Hawaiʻi’s Finest at Ala Moana Center. There will be keiki activities and games, and special shopping offers. Ala Moana Center is also partnering with Blood Bank Hawaiʻi to host a blood drive from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Atkinson Trolley Depot. Free. 

*Listen to Kapena + Anuhea (Waikīkī, FIREWORKS). 

Prince Waikīkī will host two nights of live Island music performances in Waikīkī. On Friday, July 3, Kapena will take the stage. On Saturday, July 4, Anuhea will perform. There will be cocktails, smoky barbecue, and fireworks on the 

, which is Prince Waikīkī’s poolside venue. 

Celebrate at Hilton Hawaiian Village, Waikīkī Beach Resort (

Enjoy barbecue, including kiawe smoked ribs with guava barbecue sauce and huli huli chicken skewers along with Dole Whip cups. The event starts at 11 a.m. and runs until 9 p.m. at the resort’s Great Lawn. The featured entertainers include The Jasmine Kaleihiwa Band, Ben Kama Band, DJ Mastermind and Nesian Nine. Validated self-parking is $15. The event is open to resort guests and kamaʻāina. 

*Catch Stars, Stripes & Grindz (Waikīkī, FIREWORKS). 

Head to Waikīkī Beach Walk,which will have a live DJ and food vendors, including Joja Burgers, Cosmic Tacos, Neha's Kitchen, Chillex Pops and Sugarless Bites. There will be family friendly activities and games. The event starts at 3:30 p.m. Fireworks are scheduled for 8:30 p.m. 

Eat barbecue by the beach (Waikīkī, FIREWORKS). 

At Kaimana Beach Hotel, head to the second floor for Hau Tree inspired food and drinks. Catch a panoramic sunset on the oceanfront balcony along with beats from Aloha Got Soul's DJ O'Spliff. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. The fireworks are scheduled for 8:30 p.m. No cover. Valet is $10 per car.

Enjoy Tiki’s 4th of July Rooftop Bash (Waikīkī, FIREWORKS). 

Ditch the crowd on the beach and head upstairs to the Coconut Club, on the 21st floor of The Twin Fin Hotel. Tiki’s Grill & Bar is throwing this rooftop bash, which includes music from DJ Soulrenity and panoramic views of Waikīkī Beach. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $50. 

Head to the Decades Day Drinkin’ Pool Party (Waikīkī). 

Head to the pool atThe Ambassador Hotel of Waikīkī, Tapestry Collection by Hilton. DJ James Coles will provide music for this Decades Day Drinkinʻ Pool Party. The event starts at 1 p.m. and there will be games and barbecue. VIP cabanas are also available for $50 per person, up to four people, and include one round of drinks. Free valet parking is available for up to three hours. General admission is free. 

 at ʻAlohilani Resort Waikīkī Beach for BBQ & Beats and enjoy barbecue, a full bar, and music from a DJ. No cover. Open to guests and kamaʻāina. Food and beverages available to purchase. Self parking or valet with validation up to four hours. 

*Watch fireworks (Waikīkī, FIREWORKS). 

 are partnering with Southwest Airlines to celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary with a fireworks show launched from a barge positioned 

, facing Halekulani Hotel and Moana Surfrider, 

A Westin Resort & Spa, Waikīkī Beach, at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, July 4. Free. Details.

Head to the Mōʻiliʻili Summer Fest (Mōʻiliʻili). 

 are expected to gather to celebrate culture, cuisine and more in Mōʻiliʻili, according to permits filed with the City and County of Honolulu. Enjoy the Bon Dance, find ʻono food and shop from local retailers and artisans. Mōʻiliʻili Summer Fest is presented by the nonprofit Mōʻiliʻili Festivals with support from Kamehameha Schools and Waiānuenue at Kapaʻakea, a shopping center set to open in 2026, as well as community partners such as the Hongwanji Buddhist Temple, Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai’i, Mō’ili’ili Community Center, and the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. Free. 

Enjoy the Hawaiʻi Kai Independence Day Market & Concert (Hawaiʻi Kai). 

Start the celebrations early at Hawaiʻi Kai Shopping Center on Friday, July 3. Catch a free concert that features 

, Hawaiian Style Band and Maunalua, as well as Henry Kapono Foundation’s On the Rise artists. Free. 

Rock the 4th with Henry Kapono and Duke’s on Sunday Band (Hawaiʻi Kai). 

This party features Henry Kapono and the Duke’s on Sunday Band at 

 on Saturday, July 4. That same evening, Nick Laʻa, a Henry Kapono Foundation Next Level Artist will be performing two shows upstairs at The Velvet Monkey. Each artist will have performances at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets start at $35 for each show. 

Celebrate with live country music, trains, and a petting zoo (Waimānalo). 

DLT Ranch is celebrating July 4 with live country music, train rides, a petting zoo, pony rides, a bounce house, sparklers and more. Tickets are $25. Keiki who are younger than 2 years old can enter free. 

Catch the Kailua 4th of July Independence Day Parade (Kailua). 

Hosted by the Kailua Chamber of Commerce, this event will have 45 vehicles, 20 floats and three bands, according to permits filed with the Department of Transportation Services. The route starts at Kainalu Dr. and Omao St. and proceeds along Kainalu Drive until it ends at Kailua Intermediate School. 

*Watch the fireworks show (Kailua, FIREWORKS). 

The City and County of Honolulu is providing partial sponsorship for a firework shows at 8 p.m. at Kailua Beach Park. Alexander & Baldwin is the event’s platinum sponsor and will provide complimentary shuttle runs from its shopping centers in Kailua Town to the beach park in 30-minute rotations, starting at 4 p.m. The event is expected to have 

, according to permits filed with the Department of Transportation Services. Free. 

Watch “The 100th, Seeds of Aloha” (Kāneʻohe and Pearl Harbor). 

 “The 100th: Seeds of Aloha” — which shares the story of the 100th Infantry Battalion unit that fought in World War II — will be featured across Oʻahu. Five of the screenings are at private retirement communities, but the film will also be shown at the First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu in Kāneʻohe on Sunday, July 5, and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum on Friday, July 17. 

*Listen to live music at Hukilau Marketplace (Lāʻie, FIREWORKS). 

At the entrance to the Polynesian Cultural Center is Hukilau Marketplace, which will offer live performances from Pohaku, Kawao, Johnny Suite, and Wavvy in Lāʻie. The community event starts at 4 p.m. There will be vendors with food, as well as fireworks. Free. 

The Ritz-Carlton Oʻahu, Turtle Bay is holding its annual barbecue cookout on Saturday, July 4. Enjoy Island-style barbecue made with fresh local ingredients, along with live music from Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award-winning artists Kalae & Kalena, lawn games and family friendly activities with ocean views. There will be a fireknife performance and opportunities to hang out with goats and mini horses at The Stables. The menu includes Kahuku garlic shrimp, Kalbi short ribs, kiawe grilled bone-in ribeye, beer can chicken and spicy ʻahi poke, among other items. Tickets are $165 for adults and $75 for keiki. 

*Haleʻiwa 4th of July (Haleʻiwa, FIREWORKS). 

Enjoy food vendors, live entertainment and activities for keiki and celebrate America’s 250th anniversary at the Haleʻiwa Beach Park. The event headliner is The Elevations Hawaiʻi. The North Shore Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a fireworks show at 8:30 p.m. at Haleʻiwa Beach Park. 

Watch an aerial show, sky divers and live music at Schofield Barracks. 

The event, held at Weyand Field, includes an aerial show with skydivers, a patriotic salute and live performances from the Scooter Brown Band, the 25th Infantry Division Band, the 312th Army Band and country singer Chris Young. At 8:45 p.m., the 25th Infantry Division Band and the 312th Army Band will play the “1812 Overture” written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The fireworks show is scheduled for 9 p.m. and the event will have food vendors. The event is open to Department of Defense personnel and their guests. 

Do you know of a July 4 event not on this list? Email 

Fireworks

<title>25 things to do on Oʻahu to celebrate the semiquincentennial</title>

Looking for ways to celebrate 250 years of the U.S. being a nation? Aloha State Daily has compiled a list of events — including firework shows — happening for the semiquincentennial. From ʻEwa Beach to Waimānalo, here are some of the events happening across the Island this weekend.

25 things to do on Oʻahu to celebrate the semiquincentennial

Aloha Spirit

This year on July 4, the U.S. will celebrate 250 years of being a nation. Aloha State Daily compiled a list of events celebrating the semiquincentennial on Maui, Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi Island. Items with an asterisk feature fireworks.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":" Kauaʻi"}]

*Concert in the Sky (Līhuʻe, FIREWORKS). 

Enjoy live music from headliner The Green under the stars. There will be live music, ʻono food and craft vendors, a keiki zone and fireworks at the 

Vidinha Stadium Soccer Fields in Līhuʻe.

 Tickets help support Kauaʻi Hospice. If purchased in advance, tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for keiki. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Maui"}]

Upcountry Maui will celebrate paniolo culture with its July Makawao Stampede and the Oskie Rice Memorial Rodeo at Kanonoulu Ranch, which is home to the Oskie Rice Arena. More than 300 competitors from across the state and country are expected to participate. The event includes three days of experiences and family friendly activities. On Friday, July 3, there will be the Bull Bash, which features professional bull riders as they take on some of the most challenging bulls in the region, as well as food trucks and more than 50 local vendors. On Saturday, July 4, attend 

rodeo events such as bull riding, double mugging, barrel racing, team roping, tie down roping, match barrel racing, and more

. Doors open at 3 p.m. and country music artist Liz West (formerly known as Lissa Dee) will perform at 5 p.m. Finally, on Sunday, June 5, go to the Championship Rodeo. Tickets for each event start at $20 which allows attendees to watch  events on a jumbotron. General admission is $45, with discounts for kūpuna and keiki. VIP experiences are also available. 

Eat barbecue by the pool (Kā’anapali). 

Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows is hosting its summer poolside barbecue series which features chef-inspired specials, cocktails and live entertainment along Kā’anapali Beach. Usually, the summer barbecue series consists of Sunday events, but for the holiday weekend, there will be island inspired barbecue specials available starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 4, and Sunday, July 5. 

Head to the Chili Cook-Off (Kā’anapali). 

Check out this Chili Cook-Off featuring the original creations of the Hyatt Regency Maui team, judged by Lahaina firefighters, at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa. Enjoy chili tastings, specialty cocktails, live music and lawn games while outside. During the event Proper No. Twelve, which is an Irish Whiskey company, will present a check to the Lahaina Fire Station. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 plus fees for adults and $25 plus fees for keiki. 

Enjoy the Flowerworks Festival(Kā’anapali). 

Outrigger Kā’anapali Beach Resort will host a summer celebration of flowers, food and music with its Flowerworks Festival, an all-day experience featuring family friendly activities, local artisans, live entertainment and island barbecue. There will be lawn games, a strolling magician, face painting and balloons. At 11 a.m. Blue Hawaiian Helicopters will drop a shower of fresh tropical flowers at the ʻUlu Lawn. Afterwards, learn how to weave the blooms into a lei. At 1 p.m. head to the Maui Brewing Co. lanai for a summer kick-off that includes live music, prize giveaways and craft beers, as well as the Maui Lite Release Party. Open to resort guests and kamaʻāina. 

Take the spicy wing challenge, and see the flower drop  (Kā’anapali). 

The Westin Maui Resort & Spa will hold its Annual Spicy Wing Halftime Challenge. There will also be a helicopter flower drop on the pool deck, ocean front barbecue, activities for keiki, a shave ice truck, live music by Adrian Trevino and a patriotic evening drone show, as well as late night karaoke. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Hawaiʻi Island"}]

The 62nd annual July 4th Rodeo and Horse Races returns to Parker Ranch Rodeo Arena in Waimea this year. Paniolo will compete in events that include horse races, team roping, 

 and more. There will be local vendors selling crafts and food, as well as activities for keiki including a petting zoo and pony rides. Gates open at 7:30 a.m. Events start at 9 a.m. New this year is live music in the evening, which starts at 2 p.m. and goes until 6 p.m. and features Lim Ohana, Kalapana Awa Band, and Ekolu. Tickets purchased in advance are $25, with 

presale tickets available to kamaʻāina for $20

 if purchased at the Puuopelu Historic Home, Kamuela Hardwoods, Paniolo Preservation Society, and Waimea Butcher Shop. 

The Kona Marathon will take place on Saturday, July 4. Run 26.2 miles in paradise. There are also half marathon, quarter marathon and 5K races. Register at 

*Watch the parade (Kailua-Kona, FIREWORKS).

 The Historic Kailua Village Independence Day Parade will start at 6 p.m. and follow a route along Kuakini Highway and Ali‘i Drive. This year, the theme of the parade is “America the Beautiful.” At 8 p.m., there will be a professional fireworks show called “Independence Day Extravaganza” set off from a barge located in Kailua Bay. 

Dance the night away at Jimmy Buffett’s 4th of July (Kailua-Kona). 

This Jimmy Buffett inspired beach party is heading to the Big Island Social Dance Club. The dance studio teaches ballroom, Latin, swing and nightclub dance styles. Put on a tropical costume and participate in a complimentary line dance lesson. Cheeseburgers and chips will be available for purchase. There will be a DJ and Jimmy Buffett sing alongs, as well as contests and prizes. Tickets are $20, if purchased in advance. 

Catch the 4th of July Extravaganza (Waikoloa). 

Enjoy live entertainment, activities for keiki and merchant sidewalk sales, plus shop artisan and food vendors at Queens’ Marketplace in Waikoloa. There will also be live music, as well as face painting. Free. 

 Hilton Waikoloa Village is hosting pool parties on Saturday, July 4, and Sunday, July 5. In partnership with the hard seltzer High Noon, the drinks will be $6. There will be live music from DJ Eric Ching and a poolside menu that includes cheeseburgers, mahi mahi burgers and garden veggie burgers. 

articipate in the “A Salute to Our Veterans” Hilo Bay 5K Run/Walk/Roll 202 at Liliʻuokalani Gardens. The route includes stations that take attendees through 250 years of history, starting with the birth of the United States as a new nation on July 4, 1776. The event is being hosted by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and Auxiliary 3830, Pāhoa, in partnership with Hawai'i County Parks & Recreation. Registration is $45. 

Vintage, classic and futuristic vehicles will be on display at the Hilo Bayfront Soccer Fields from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be 

Looking for ways to celebrate the semiquincentennial of the U.S. becoming a nation this long week weekend? Aloha State Daily has you covered. From poolside barbecues to a chili cook-off, which will be judged by Lahaina firefighters, to a helicopter flower drop at the Flowerworks Festival, there are lots of events happening across the Neighbor Islands.

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