The month of March typically kicks-off international Pacific Islands festivals. This year there are three outstanding festivals that are happening this month. One will be held in Honolulu, Hawaii and the other two in Auckland, New Zealand, respectively. If you plan to be traveling to these cities during this month, I highly recommend you place these festivals on your itinerary.
Honolulu Festival
The 24th Annual Honolulu Festival is Hawaii’s premier cultural event, promoting mutual understanding, economic cooperation and ethnic harmony between the people of Hawaii and the Pacific Rim region. It will run from March 9-11. Each year, the Festival attracts thousands of new and returning spectators who are looking for an experience unique to Hawaii. Through educational programs and activities sponsored by the Honolulu Festival Foundation, the Festival has been successful in showcasing the rich and vibrant blend of Asia, Pacific and Hawaiian cultures to the rest of the world. Performers from various countries and regions such as Japan, Australia, Tahiti, the Philippines, Taiwan, South Korea, Hawaii and the mainland United States get together and give dance performances and traditional art demonstrations. The Festival culminates with a spectacular parade down Kalakaua Avenue, the main street in Waikiki. This year’s theme is ‘Harmony over the Ocean, Journey to Peace.’
For more information, check out their Website.
ASB Polyfest
The ASB Polyfest is now the largest Polynesian Festival in the world and began at Hillary College, Otara in 1976. From this small beginning, an exciting annual event developed, moving from school to school for many years. In 1996 it moved to its permanent home at the Manukau Velodrome (now the Manukau Sports Bowl) in Auckland where it was possible to establish stage areas for different cultures and manage the public and parking more easily. The festival will run from March 14-17. The ASB Polyfest features traditional music, dance, costume and speech and is now recognized as an important showcase of New Zealand’s diverse cultures and a celebration of youth performance. This year’s theme:
Thread the fibers of humanity
Thread the fibers of spiritual well being
Bind together the essence of cultural identity
Weave together the diverseness of cultural awareness
For more information, check out their Website.
Pasifika Festival
Pasifika Festival is a two day event that showcases the biggest celebration of Pacific Island culture and heritage in the world. The festival boasts having a performance stage and market setting where you can purchase delicious food and handmade crafts, plenty of activities for kids and fun for the grown-ups and much more etc. in the Consumer & Carnivals industry. The festival will run March 24-25 in Auckland. Since it began 26 years ago, Auckland’s award-winning Pasifika Festival has grown to become the largest Pacific Island cultural festival of its kind in the world. Over the years, Pasifika has featured fashion shows, theater performances, a pop opera and sports competitions, with input from numerous Pacific Island leaders, performers and community groups. Its duration has varied between one and two days, sometimes with ancillary events on preceding evenings. The annual festival now attracts around 60,000 visitors over the two days (depending on weather); features about 220 local and international performance groups; and more than 200 food and craft stalls, including artisans who travel from the islands to take part.
For more information, please visit their Website.
Island Time 