Hawaii’s largest city, Honolulu hosts the Honolulu Pride celebration every year, This year it’s being held October 22nd 2016. Will You be joining us?
New This Year:
The 2016 Pride Festival will be held at Diamond Head Greens in the back portion of the Waikiki Shell complex adjacent to Kapiolani Park at the base of Diamond Head. More community booths, entertainment, food and beverages (including adult beverages) — this year’s festival will be bigger and better than ever!
Since 1990, Honolulu Pride has organized the Honolulu Gay Pride Parade & Celebration. . The event includes a parade that departs from Magic Island (on the oceanfront, just south of Ala Moana Center, at the east end of the park), proceeds through the heart of Waikiki along Kalakaua Avenue, and ends at Kapiolani Park. There’s then a festival with entertainment and vendors at Kapiolani Park bandstand, and an after-party.
Also note that several related events take place during the weeks leading up to Honolulu Pride, including Maui Pride (Sept. 30 through Oct. 2), Blazing Saddle country-western dances on Tuesdays all month at the Ala Wai Golf Course Clubhouse, an LGBT film screening, a catamaran gay cruise organized by the famed gay bar Hula’s, and Aloha Bears cruise organized by Bacchus Waikiki, the Imperial Court of Hawaii Coronation, and more.
See the schedule at the official Honolulu Pride page for details on each of these events.
Looking for advice on nightlife? Check out the Honolulu Gay Bars Guide.
Looking for a place to stay in Honolulu during Pride?
The gay owned and operated Gay Hotels Hawaii website has put together a great selection of gay owned / gay run & supportive ‘privately owned & professionally managed’ vacation suites. Gay and lesbian travelers headed to Honolulu during Pride should check out also The Diamond Head Beach Hotel, as you’ll be ideally situated for both the Festival and of course local bars such as Hula’s (lots going on there over the week). Mention “Gay Pride Vacation” when booking and you’ll also recieve a complimentary mai tai cocktail at the popular Honolulu gay bar, Hula’s. There are several awesome private suites to select from , most having an online 3D virtual tour like the one below, so you know well in advanace EXACTLY how your accommodations will look and feel. Some properties are right in the heart of Waikiki, some of set on or very near to the route of the Honolulu Gay Pride Parade, some above Hula’s bar itself, and others are tucked on the Gold Coast of Oahu at The Diamond Head Hotel, (easy walk to the festival grounds) with quite reasonable rates by Honolulu standards starting at just $99.
3D Walk thru tour of Suite 516 at the Waikiki Grand
More Hawaii Gay Pride Celebrations
There are some other Gay Pride events in Hawaii, too, including Kauai Gay Pride in June, Big Island Gay Pride in Hilo in July, and Maui Gay Pride in early October.
Honolulu Gay Resources
DiscoveringHawaii.com also has a useful guide to gay travel in Hawaii, and GoGayHawaii.com is a helpful Pride Guide on Hawaii. Take a look at my gay guide and gallery to Honolulu and Waikiki for further ideas about where to stay and what to do. Also explore the excellent site produced by the Hawaii Convention and Visitors Bureau for general assistance with travel planning.
