Ko Olina Beachfront Penthouse

The Seventh Annual Hawaii Book and Music Festival will take place this weekend, May 5 and 6, at the Honolulu Hale Civic Center, about 30 minutes from Ko Olina.  Local, domestic, and international authors will gather for panel discussions, excerpt readings, and Hawaiian music performances.

Attendance is free and open to the public, but all proceeds will benefit the Hawaii Literacy and Read to Me International foundations.  The event will last from 10 am to 5 pm both days.  For more information or to review a complete schedule, check out www.hawaiibookandmusicfestival.org.

The Hawaii Youth Symphony Association will present their spring concert on Saturday, April 28 at the Kaimuki High School Auditorium, about 30 minutes from Ko Olina.  One of the largest youth symphony orchestras in the country, the concert will feature classical pieces with Hawaiian notes.

In lieu of tickets, the Hawaii Youth Symphony will accept canned goods to benefit their ongoing Orchestras Feeding America campaign.  The concert will begin at 1 pm.

Fresh Cafe on Queen Street, about 30 minutes from Ko Olina, will host the Found Footage Festival on Friday, April 27.  This event will showcase hilarious film footage accumulated, compiled, and hosted by Nick Prueher and Joe Pickett.  Previously, clips have been posted on shows such as the Late Show with David Letterman.

Tickets to the comedic event cost $10 each and can be purchased at foundfootagefest.com.  The show will begin at 9 pm.

Ocean’s Motion, a series of sea-inspired dance performances, will take place from now until April 29 at the Kennedy Theatre at the University of Hawaii-Manoa, about 30 minutes from Ko Olina.  In addition to elaborate dance choreography, the show will feature family-friendly puppetry drama.

Performances will begin at 7:30 pm except on April 29, when the show will start at 2 pm.  Tickets cost $18 for adults, $12 for students, and $10 for youth and can be purchased in person at the Kennedy Theatre or by phone at (808) 944-2697.  For more information, check out www.hawaii.edu/kennedy.

The Colby Benson Band will perform at Kolekole Bar and Grill, about 30 minutes from Ko Olina, on Friday, April 20.   As part of the Friday Night Entertainment Series, the Colby Benson band will perform a selection of their favorite songs.

The performance will begin at 8 pm.  For more information, call (808) 655-4466 or (808)  655-0660.

The Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF), which will last until April 19, features films from the US, the Pacific Islands, and Asia, including top Bollywood and Chinese favorites.   Films will be shown at the Regal Dole Cannery Stadium.

General admission is $12, and military, student, and senior tickets cost $10 each.  For more information about showtimes or to purchase tickets online, check out hiff.org or call (808) 447-0577.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Hawaii will host their annual April Foolish fundraising party on Friday, April 13 at the Standard on Ala Moana Boulevard, about 30 minutes from Ko Olina.  The event will include live, outdoor music and food provided by several premiere area restaurants.

Tickets cost $30 in advance or $35 at the door, and the event will last from 5 pm until midnight.  All proceeds benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  For more information, check out aprilfoolish.eventbrite.com/.

The Importance of Being Earnest, written by Oscar Wilde, will be performed at Hawaii Pacific University’s Paul and Vi Loo Theatre, about 30 minutes from Ko Olina, from now until May 6.  The play, known for its witty dialogue, is a sharp criticism of the Victorian era.

For more information about show times, or to purchase tickets, check out http://www.hpu.edu/CHSS/Arts_Humanities/Arts_at_HPU/TheatreProgram/TheatreAuditions/TheatreAudition.html or call (808) 375-8212.

A kid-friendly “Fun Fest and Earth Day” festival will be held on Saturday, April 7 at Weyand Field, about 30 minutes from Ko Olina.  The event will begin with an enchanted character breakfast, and competitions, games, rides, and other entertainment will occur throughout the day.

The breakfast costs $8 and can be reserved in advance by phone at (808) 655-9971.  All festival events are open to the public and will last from 8:30 am to 2 pm.

DFS Galleria Waikiki and students from the University of Hawaii program of Apparel Design and Merchandising have collaborated together to present an “Inspired by Nature” fashion show this Saturday, April 7 at DFS Galleria, about 30 minutes from Ko Olina.  In addition to a fashion show, the event will include a floral styling exhibition and fashion and beauty styling exhibition.

The event is free and will last from 2 pm to 10 pm.  For more information, check out www.dfsgalleria.com/en/hawaii/.