SATURDAY
>> Parks linked for Lei of Parks Family Day
Honolulu’s parks from Ala Moana to Kakaako will be linked for the Lei of Parks Family Day on Sunday.
The three parks will be connected with traffic controls and other markers, encouraging visitors to walk, run or bike through the parks and stop at various activity stations, collecting stamps for a “passport.”
Visitors who check in at at least three of the nine activities will be eligible for a drawing that features a top prize of two roundtrip airplane tickets.
Activities offered include youth volleyball clinics (9 and 11 a.m. at the Ewa side of Ala Moana Beach Park), a walking tour of historic sites (9:15 and 11:30 a.m., starting at the middle of Ala Moana Beach), and a keiki-friendly bike ride (10 a.m. at Kewalo Basin Park).
LEI OF PARKS FAMILY DAY
>> Where: Ala Moana Beach Park, Kewalo Basin Park, Kakaako Waterfront Park
>> When: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday
>> Cost: Free
>> Info: fb.com/leiofparks
Visit fb.com/leiofparks for a map of stations and a full schedule.
The event is part of an effort by the Lei of Parks Coalition, a group of community organizations and landowners, to create a network of walking and biking paths from Diamond Head to West Oahu.
SUNDAY
>> Iolani Palace celebrates Queen Liliuokalani’s birthday
Celebrate Queen Liliuokalani’s birthday at Iolani Palace on Sunday at the 12th Annual ‘Onipa‘a Celebration, honoring the queen, who was born on Sept. 2, 1838.
The palace grounds will be the scene of a series of music and activities, including a walking tour of the palace grounds and “Mai Poina (Don’t Forget),” a dramatic reenactment of events surrounding the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, at 4, 4:20, 4:40 and 5 p.m.
12TH ANNUAL ‘ONIPA‘A CELEBRATION
>> Where: Iolani Palace
>> When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday
>> Cost: Free
>> Info: hawaiiponoi.info
>> Note: Additional tours will be offered on Monday, Sept. 8 and Sept. 9 (reservations required)
The play “Ka Lei Maile Ali‘i – The Queen’s Women,” presented at 11 a.m. at the Kana‘ina Building, recreates the widespread signing of petitions by Hawaiian citizens, opposing the annexation of the islands by the United States.
A noon church service honors the queen, followed by music from Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winner Ku‘uipo Kumukahi.
At 3:30 p.m., Halau Ku Mana will perform historic mele from that era, expressing respect for the queen and other themes as described by books, newspaper articles and other historical documents.
SUNDAY
>> ‘Waikiki PD’ comedy debuts at The Hukilau
Some of our cop shows can be so comical that they make you laugh. So we might as well have a cop show that intentionally gives you a giggle, and that’s “Waikiki PD.”
“Waikiki PD” is a web series developed by Orig Entertainment that’s been nominated for several online comedy awards. It’s a mockumentary in the vein of “The Office,” where characters break the fourth wall to speak directly to the camera, unintentionally making jokes in the process.
TREVOR GORDON HALL
>> Where: Anna O’Brien’s
>> When: 8:30 p.m. Sunday
>> Cost: $30
>> Info: 896-4845, bluesbearhawaii.com
>> Note: Additional performances at Gertrude’s Jazz Bar in Kailua-Kona on Sept. 7, Hapuna Prince Hotel on Sept. 8 and Kukuau Studio in Hilo on Sept. 9
“I’m the best trainer out here in Waikiki,” says a veteran cop played by Chris Riel in an episode about a rookie officer’s first arrest. “If they’re looking for a mentor, that’s me. If they’re looking for guidance, that’s me again. If they’re looking for support, then they should look for the governor.”
Orig has turned “Waikiki PD” into a full-length film, which gets a test screening this Sunday at The Hukilau downtown. The filmmakers will be on hand, seeking serious feedback – as serious as one could expect about such a wacky show – to help them make final edits. Fans are encouraged to wear movie-inspired costumes for a “red carpet” event and contest. Ticketholders will also get a free digital copy of the film, once finished.
THURSDAY
>> Trevor Gordon Hall combined instruments to create a new sound
Trevor Gordon Hall is an innovative instrumentalist who has taken the guitar to intriguing places.
The Philadelphia native, who was named one of the top guitarists under age 30 by Acoustic Guitar Magazine in 2014, has combined the acoustic guitar with a kalimba, also known as the African finger piano, which uses small slats of metal of different lengths that are plucked by the fingers to create different pitches.
“WAIKIKI PD”
>> Where: The Hukilau, 1088 Bishop St.
>> When: 6 p.m. Thursday (red carpet entry), film starts at 6:30 p.m.
>> Cost: $10
>> Info: 808ne.ws/waikikipd
His custom-made instrument, which he calls a kalimbatar, allows him to blend their sounds, at times hammering the fingerboard of the guitar with his left hand while plucking the keys of the kalimba with his right hand.
The result is an amazingly pleasing sound that has color, depth and variety. Guitarists frequently change the sound of their instruments by plucking the strings in different places, but the kalimba adds an even fuller, more resonant tone that helps melodic lines sing over the harmony.
Even alone on the guitar, Hall’s talent is extraordinary for its inventiveness and range. His own compositions are often bluesy and sweet, yet percussive, filled with hand slaps and hand drumming on the body of the instrument. But he’s also shows flair for classical tunes, recording arrangements of Erik Satie’s “Gymnopedie” and Debussy’s “Clair de Lune” (think “Ocean’s 11” or “Twilight”).