PARADES TO CELEBRATE KAMEHAMEHA AND PACIFIC CULTURE

Everybody loves a parade, and next weekend there will be two heading down Kalakaua Avenue.

The 95th annual King Kamehameha Celebration Floral Parade takes to the streets at 9 a.m. June 11 with a special focus this year on “wahine holo lio,” the noble tradition of pa‘u riding, according to Executive Director Kainoa Daines.

Then on June 12 the Pan-Pacific Matsuri Parade will make its way from Fort DeRussy to Kapiolani Park from 5 to 7 p.m. The event features representatives from Japan, Korea, Thailand and the Philippines. Expect to see dynamic drummers, sparkling dancers, high school marching bands, cultural groups from around the world and noto kiriko, huge Shinto-style lantern floats, which are used to guard the front and back of the parade.

A Pan-Pacific Hula Festival will take place Friday and Saturday evening at the Kuhio Beach hula mound in Waikiki.

Here’s a schedule of events for the two festivals:

FRIDAY
>> 3:30 p.m.: Lei-draping ceremony of King Kamehameha statue across from Iolani Palace
>> 6 to 10 p.m.: Hula groups from Japan perform at Kuhio Beach hula mound
>> 7 to 10 p.m.: Pan-Pacific Ho‘olaule‘a on Kalakaua Avenue

JUNE 11
>> 9 a.m.: Kamehameha Day Parade starts at King and Richards streets and makes its way down Punchbowl Street, Ala Moana Boulevard and Kalakaua Avenue, ending at Kapiolani Park
>> 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: King Kamehameha Celebration Ho‘olaule‘a at Kapiolani Park
>> 4:30 to 10 p.m.: Hula groups from Japan perform at Kuhio Beach hula mound

JUNE 12
>> 5 to 7 p.m.: Pan-Pacific Parade from Fort DeRussy down Kalakaua Avenue to Kapiolani Park For more information, call the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission at 586-0333 or email kkcc@hawaii.gov; visit www.pan-pacific-festival.com.

STORM TROOPERS ADD FUN TO LIBRARY READING PROGRAM

Imperial storm troopers will invade the Kaneohe Public Library from 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday at a free event meant to encourage participation in the Hawaii State Public Library System’s five-week Children’s Summer Reading Program.

The costumed “Star Wars” characters, from the Pacific outpost of the 501st Legion, also known as Vader’s Fist, have agreed to put down their blasters and pose for photos with kids who are accompanied by an adult.

The “One World, Many Stories”?theme for this year’s summer program is designed to inspire young readers “to explore places from Oceania to Russia.”

Kaneohe Public Library is at 45-829 Kamehameha Highway. For more information, call 233-5676.

ZOO FESTIVITIES COMBINE CHARITY AND FAMILY FUN

Don’t wait until Christmas to think about helping Hawaii’s needy. A Family Fun Day & Concert scheduled for Friday at the Honolulu Zoo will benefit the Lokahi Giving Project, which provides struggling families with basic necessities, emergency assistance and holiday cheer.

The event, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., features Hoku Award winner Mark Yamanaka from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Also appearing will be Bruddah Wade from Hawaiian 105 KINE and KHON’s “Wake Up 2Day” team of Kirk Matthews, Trini Kaopuiki, Tammy Mori, Olena Heu and Jai Cunningham.

Keiki activities include face painting and glitter tattoos, and there will be prize giveaways of movie, museum and water park passes and more. Free parking is available at Jefferson School and Waikiki Shell.