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  • What are the Admission Prices?
    Prices shown are per person, per day General Admission · Purchase ahead of time online at www.okinawanfestival.com or in person at the Admissions Booth · Doors open at 10 am · $10 for Adults ages 13–64 · $5 for Seniors 65 and over · Children 12 and under are free Early Admission · Pre-sale only until Friday, 8/30/24 (11:59pm HST), quantities are limited; purchase online at www.okinawanfestival.com · Doors open at 9 am · $15 for adults ages 13–64 · $10 for senior citizens 65 and over · Children 12 and under are free Two-day discounted bundles are also available for both Early and General Admission but must be purchased online at www.okinawanfestival.com.
  • What are alternate parking options?
    Free parking at the Civic Center Municipal Parking Lot, enter via Beretania Street. Use the crosswalk to the Alapai Transit Center to wait for the shuttle to the Hawaii Convention Center. The shuttle is free to ride to the Hawaii Convention Center and $3 per adult (children 12 and under free) for the return trip. Shuttle tickets for the return trip may be purchased at the Information Booth inside the Exhibit Hall. The shuttle ride is approximately 15 minutes with shuttle hours: Saturday 7am – 9:30pm & Sunday 7am – 5:30pm. Paid parking at Ala Moana Shopping Center only in areas where the “Premium” parking signs are posted. Hourly fees vary, download the CameraPay App (DO NOT accept parking offers from anyone other than Hawaii Convention Center staff).Use promo code "HCC22" for 50% off (This promo code is only valid for sessions less than or equal to 12 hours). Approximately 10 min walk to the Convention Center.
  • Is admission required to attend the Okinawan Festival?
    Yes, paid admission is required for entry to the Okinawan Festival for each day and enforced by checking wristbands upon entry. There is a designated color for each day and different colors for early and general admission. Admission is discounted for Seniors (65 and over) and free for Children (12 and under). No admission/wristband is required to attend the Bon Dance held on Saturday evening (free entry to the Exhibit Hall from 4:00pm). No admission fee for registered volunteers and entertainers (must have designated volunteer wristband to enter).
  • Where can I get dropped off/picked up?
    There is a limited drop-off and pick-up area in front of the entrance of the Hawaii Convention Center on Atkinson Drive. Vehicles are not allowed to park and wait for passengers.
  • Can I purchase admission ahead of time?
    Yes, you can purchase either General Admission and Early Admission tickets ahead of time for each day online at www.okinawanfestival.com, only debit/credit card payments accepted. If you purchased your tickets online (Early or General Admission): 1. Once you have successfully completed the checkout process, you will receive a receipt via email with the subject line "Order Confirmation for 42nd Okinawan Festival 2024" from "donotreply@showclix.com". If you don't see the email in your inbox, check your spam folder. 2. Head to the 1st floor Main Lobby and have your barcode ready on your phone/device or printed out. 3. Look for our Admissions volunteers at the front of the Exhibit Hall II doors; get your barcode scanned and receive a colored wristband upon entry. Note there is a designated color for each day and different colors for early and general admission.
  • What do I get with early admission?
    Early Admission gives you an entire hour (9:00am to 10:00am) to explore and shop at the Okinawan Festival before General Admission attendees are allowed into the Exhibit Hall. This means less crowds and shorter lines for food, as well as first dibs on purchasing festival favorites like official Okinawan Festival themed t-shirts and other popular products that sell out quickly. Note: Early Admission does not guarantee the availability of parking at the Hawaii Convention Center. The parking lot tends to get full by 9:30am, so we recommend coming early.
  • How do I purchase things at the Festival?
    Okinawan Festival scrip is the official currency used at the Okinawan Festival to pay for food, merchandise and activities. You may use cash or debit/credit cards to purchase Okinawan Festival scrip at the designated Scrip Booth in the Exhibit Hall. Scrips are worth $1 each and a full sheet contains $10 worth of scrip. Towards the end of the Festival, organizers may decide to stop selling scrip and booths may accept cash (exact change recommended). Note: Beer Garden will only accept debit/credit cards.
  • Are there ATMs at the Festival?
    Yes. There are multiple ATMs located within the Hawaii Convention Center.
  • Can I purchase Okinawan Festival Scrip in advance?
    Yes, Okinawan Festival Scrip pre-sales are available via HUOA’s 50 member clubs. Please contact your designated club directly to purchase scrip in advance.
  • When will the bon dance be held?
    The Okinawan Festival Bon Dance will be held on Saturday only (no bon dance on Sunday) in the Exhibit Hall. The bon dance hours are 5:30pm to 9pm. Note admission is not required to attend the bon dance.
  • Do I need admission to attend the bon dance?
    No admission/wristband is required to attend the bon dance. Bon dance attendees may enter the Exhibit Hall for free from 4pm on Saturday.
  • Is food and drink available for purchase during the bon dance?
    Yes, a limited number of food booths will remain open during the bon dance until 8pm or while supplies last. Food booths to remain open include: Andagi, Andadog, Okinawa Soba, and “Bon Dance Bento” (will sell bento/bowls).
  • Will other booths be open during the bon dance?
    Other than the designated food booths, only the Information Booth will remain open during the bon dance. The Information Booth will have official HUOA bon dance towels available for sale. You may also purchase shuttle tickets from the Information Booth, cash or scrip accepted, for the return trip to the Civic Center Municipal Parking Lot (last shuttle will leave Hawaii Convention Center at 9:30pm).
  • How can I volunteer for the Okinawan Festival?
    Thank you for your interest in volunteering at the Okinawan Festival. We are no longer accepting requests from groups to volunteer for the 2024 Okinawan Festival. Volunteers are primarily comprised of the members from HUOA’s 50 member clubs with support from various community and school groups ( require an advisor or designated adult coordinator to be present). Generally, we do not accept requests for individual volunteers. If you are a member of/affiliated with one of HUOA’s 50 member clubs and interested in volunteering, we suggest reaching out to your club to inquire directly.
  • Will there be a photo contest this year?
    There will be no photo contest this year. However, we encourage you to share your photos on social media and tag us #okifest2024. Also, be sure to look for fun photo opportunities spread out across the Exhibit Hall.
  • Are outside vendors allowed to participate at the Okinawan Festival?
    Thank you for your interest in participating at the Okinawan Festival. We are no longer accepting requests for outside vendors. The Okinawan Festival is organized by the Hawaii United Okinawa Association (HUOA) with most booths, including food, operated by HUOA. Any participation by outside vendors is at the sole discretion of festival organizers. A limited number of exhibit booths may be operated by festival sponsors and other approved entities. The Craft Gallery is comprised of vendors that have been carefully curated by the organizers.
  • Will alcohol be available for purchase at the Festival?
    Yes, alcohol is available for purchase to Festival attendees 21 and over. Alcohol can only be purchased with credit/debit card (no cash or Okinawan Festival scrip will be accepted for alcohol). All alcohol must be consumed within the Exhibit Hall. The Beer Garden will be stationed in the Exhibit Hall, next to the Main Stage. The Hawaii Convention Center staff and/or HUOA organizers reserve the right to refuse service.
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