The all-day, family-friendly event, presented by American Savings Bank, features festive foods, cultural performances, a parade and more on Saturday, Feb. 3.
Island residents and visitors can get ready to ring in the Year of the Dragon at the return of the popular Night in Chinatown Festival & Lunar New Year Parade. The event hosted by Chinatown 808 in partnership with presenting sponsor, American Savings Bank, is an all-day Lunar New Year celebration taking place on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, from 9 a.m. – 10 p.m. at Aala Park. Guests can look forward to fiery festivities including lion dances, martial arts demonstrations, food and craft vendors, keiki activities, live entertainment, and many other traditions and activities that will bring good luck and prosperity in the New Year.
“This year’s event is special to us as we ring in the Year of the Dragon,” said Leonard Kam, president of Chinatown 808. “In many cultures, the dragon represent honor, prosperity, and intelligence, and we are excited to bring these cultures and values forward through our festival and parade where we have the opportunity to showcase cultural arts, activities, and dances with the entire community.”
“American Savings Bank is thrilled to bring back the Lunar New Year festival and parade, as part of our longstanding commitment to family-friendly events in the Chinatown Kalihi-Palama area,” said Ann Teranishi, president and CEO at American Savings Bank. “We’re proud to reintroduce many of the event’s highlights, including the Keiki Fun Zone, and are excited to host our business customers who will be selling delightful snacks in celebration of the new year. These festivities are a unique celebration of Hawaii’s diverse cultural heritage, uniting residents and businesses across the state right outside our ASB Campus.”
This year’s celebration offers a full schedule of activities including:
9 a.m. – noon (Aala Park): Free Kids Make & Take Craft by Home Depot
9 a.m. – 6 p.m. (Aala Park): Activities and entertainment, including free bouncy houses, craft booths, lion dance performances and martial arts demonstration.
6 p.m. – 10 p.m. (Aala Park): All activities continue except for bouncy houses.
4:30 p.m. (Hotel Street): Lunar New Year Parade starts at Hawaii State Capitol Lawn traveling along Hotel Street through Chinatown.
Night in Chinatown Festival (all-day, starting at 9 a.m.)
The Night in Chinatown Festival will include a free Keiki Fun Zone sponsored by American Savings Bank at Aala Park and on Beretania St. between Maunakea St. and Aala St. Festivities will include various Lunar New Year arts and crafts, free bouncy houses, keiki activities, food trucks, and live entertainment on three different stages. The celebration will also include lion dance performances and martial arts demonstrations by Gee Yung Chinese Martial Arts Dragon & Lion Dance Sports Association, Chinese Lion Dance Association, Wah Ngai Lion Dance Association, Sing Yung, Dragon & Lion Dance Association, Hawaii Lion Dance Association, and the Kuo Min Tang Physical Culture Association, as well as a special appearance by a 150-foot dragon.
New to this year’s festival is a partnership with the Hawaii Bicycling League to offer free bike valet services to guests to encourage environmentally conscious living and to reduce traffic. Bikers can enjoy the festivities by riding their bikes to the festival and checking them in for free at the bike valet.
This year’s event will include more than 50 participating vendors. A select preview of some of the vendors in the ASB Buy Local Village that visitors can look forward to include:
Aloha Donut
Belly Rub Kitchen
Doraku
Honolulu Burger Company
Fig & Ginger
Honolulu Rose Cake Shop
Nabeya Maido
Pizza Mamo
Sage Creamery
Tatsuo
Other select vendors include:
BBG Waffle Dogs
Beta Beta Gamma Sorority
Bite Size 808
Blue Truck Teppanyaki
The Corner Rolls
Diamond Heart
Donnies Barbeque Smokehouse
E & S island fusion Enchanted VyAloha
Falun Dafa Flower Fair
Happy Belly Eatery
Happy Boutiques
Hawaiian Cane Juice
HomeStreet Bank
Honolulu Juice Factory
Hottpotstickers
HouseMart Ben Franklin Crafts
JJ’Z TREATZ
LAKULE
Local poke bowl
The OldTaku
Olay’s Thai Lao Express
Palaman Purveyors
Pho Que Huong
Sama Sama
Sasa Gourmet Summer Rolls
Sparkle and Slime
Stay Golden HI Jewelry
Sugah Daddeh’s Kane Juice
Trust for Public Land
Waialua BBQ
Wrap and Roll Lunchwagon
Yeung’s Arts and Crafts
Lunar New Year Parade (4:30 p.m.)
The parade will begin at the Hawaii State Capitol lawn with participants dressed up in their best Lunar New Year outfits. Enthusiastic parade participants will march down Hotel Street, making their way to the Honolulu Chinatown district. Parade goers will enjoy performances by lion dance groups and dragons, special appearances by festival queens and their courts, local cultural organizations, kung fu martial artists, and local dignitaries.
Chinatown 808 would like to thank this year’s supporters who helped make this event possible including Presenting Sponsor, American Savings Bank and our Associate Sponsors, HomeStreet Bank, Territorial Savings Bank, Shizen Consulting Management, LLC, and DK Painting. For more information on this year’s event, visit www.chinatown808.com.
The post Hot Ticket: Chinatown 808 Rings in the Year of the Dragon with Lunar New Year Festival and Parade first appeared on Hawaii: In Real Life.