- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Punahou Carnival
Categories: Local Flavour Arts & Entertainment Festivals Local Flavour, Festivals [Edit]
1601 Punahou StHonolulu, HI 96822
(808) 944-5711
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
71 reviews for Punahou Carnival
71 reviews in English
-
Review from Shandis C.
Honolulu, HI
2/21/2012 4 Check-ins Here
Our Punahou Carnival traditions (and why we love it!):
Malasadas! After stuffing my face with fresh, hot malasadas all weekend long, we always buy a dozen or two when we leave to put in the freezer. They heat up perfectly in the toaster oven and I can relive carnival throughout the year.
Hawaiian Plate! Lau lau, thick poi, lomi (generous) salmon, creamy haupia, Okinawan sweet potato, sweet pineapple, it's own mini carnival away from the carnival - this is a yearly tradition, MUST.
Gyros for the hubby, fried noodles (no meat) with 2 chicken sticks for me! Yummy sweet teriyaki chicken skewers eaten with warm ried noodles on a picnic blanket in the shade on the lawn behind the science building.
Portuguese Bean Soup! SMOKEY! I love it. Because I'm already full from malasadas and Hawaiian plate, the hubby and I buy two large containers to go, to eat the next day. Again, reliving our Punahou carnival on Sunday after all has been said and done. Our own little piece of carnival at home.
White Elephant Sale! I wait ALL year to buy my kids books from this sale! It is quite frankly THE BEST book sale EVER. Where else can you get a bundle of 6 hardcover, practically in new condition, well known kids books for $1.50?! No where, except here! Go on Friday, pay the amazingly cheap price for the best books. Go on Saturday a couple hours before closing, pay $1 for a package and fill it up with all the books that can fit in there, the ones like Dora, Disney, Pooh...the ones my kids like but have little literary value, but make the kiddos happy :o)
Kiddieland! Cheap games, everyone is a winner everytime, "tickets' to redeem for a prize never made a child so happy and "homemade" carnival games are just so much better than commercial EK Fernandez carnival games (which are really hard to win BTW)
O-Men Produce booth! Fresh creamy avocados and ugly oranges that taste anything but ugly! Go towards the end and get them deeply discounted!
That's it folks, now you know all our Punahou Carnival secrets! -
Review from Krysten I.
Honolulu, HI
I love Punahou Carnival. Yes, I am a little biased...I worked my butt off my junior year making malasadas at the Waikiki Booth. That oh-so-heavenly smell of fresh malasadas gets not-so-heavenly after 4 hours of working in that hot, stuffy tent.....
I hadn't been to carnival in 3 years while I was going to school on the mainland and forgot how much I was missing. FRUIT BAR DIPPED IN CHOCOLATE!!?? CHICKEN PLATE?!!? yes, I only go for the food. And possibly to run into old classmates and teachers/feel nostalgic about high school.
Yumyum! I'm already thinking about next year's carnival..... -
Review from HI P.
Honolulu, HI
2/9/2012
OMG! Can you believe this was the first time I've ever been to the Punahou carnival? Never knew how much I was missing out on.
I was in complete shock in the overall production. So much effort and work put into this amazing event.
There were so many different booths for me to experience; I really didn't know where to begin. I am happy to say though that I got the chance to make the most of everything.
I do believe that my highlight of my journey had to have been the White Elephant area. I got 5 cookbooks for $4.50. Yay! :)
All in all, it was the best carnival ever! I wanna give a shout out to all my Punahou peeps! -
Review from Emi H.
Updated - 2/6/2012 4 Check-ins Here
The Punahou Carnival has been with me through so many phases of my life and I enjoy new things with each decade. I remember first going to the carnival in high school and hearing "Sarah! Will you go to prom with John?!" and wishing that a boy would pay a quarter to put a message on a loudspeaker for me. Now that I've got children I paid fifty cents to for messages to each of them:
+"Aidan you are super smart and handsome!"
+"Mimi you're amazing and totally beautiful!"
Needless to say they loved it and beamed with laughter. They're just five and seven so my years of sending them love notes on the loudspeaker are numbered. I think if they annoy me when in their teens I'll get back at them by embarrassing them on the loudspeaker:
+"Aidan why didn't you clean your room like Mom told you to? Are you wearing clean underwear?"
+"Mimi, Mom says stop picking your nose and stuffing your bra."
This might be construed as mean and unnecessary but I remember how awful I was as a teenager. Social embarrassment is the obvious and most effective mode of punishment.
As in years past we headed up to Kiddieland to play games at different booths. I like it because it's cheap (usually fifty cents a game) and they collect tickets at each booth which they redeem for little prizes. My favorite booth was just two scrips ($1) and you got three water balloons to throw at a cage full of teenagers. Yes, this was a real booth and yes my kids loved it! Heck, I found it to be the most entertaining portion of my entire week!
We played games, hit the kiddie midway and ate until we got muffin tops! Five hours of family fun at Punahou Carnival and I took loads of pictures to remember my beautiful obedient children who'll one day turn into rotten spoiled overly entitled teenagers. One day I bet I'll pay to throw water balloons at them, but it'll be completely out of love...
Yelp 365 Challenge: #151/365 (The Sound Booth)Listed in: Townies Rule!, Yelp 365 Challenge 2011, You've Got Kids In Honolulu…, Must Eats When In Honolulu, Date Night, No Longer Optional
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
2/6/2010
Like a three year old kid lining up for cotton candy, I look forward to the Punahou Carnival every… Read more »
-
-
Review from Kyle H.
2/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
What can $25 at the Punahou Carnival get you? A WHOLE LOT..
2 gyros
2 teri burgers
1 corn on the cob
2 drinks
1 chili and rice
2 gigantic zucchinis, one bell pepper, five avocados
and a partridge in a pear tree!!
I ate malassadas from ops (other people's stash) and even left with two tickets left to spend!
This was my first time at the carnival and I concur it is one of the greatest school carnivals ever! HORDES of people think so too so if you are claustrophobic, despise crowds, avoid at all costs.
Lucky for me there's nothing I love more than the festive atmosphere, colorful lights against the night sky and the energy and excitement of the crowd in a frenzy to take advantage of the things you can only get, eat, see and do two days out of the whole year. -
Review from Roy Y.
2/8/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I love this Carnival.... It's my kind of place..... Just walking through the front gates, puts a big smile on my face. No cover charge. Come as you are.....
Um Hmm Hmm Hmm Hmm I love this Carnival...
How can you resist the biggest carnival on the island? It's a high school carnival that's bigger than the state fair....
You can't.
(Irritating whining voice)
"But it's crowded.... There's no parking.... Hella Traffic...."
(Biff voice)
Uh... Hello. McFly. All signs of a good thing and you're going to pass.
Bleh to you I say. With that said, I go for the food, games, and fun with friends. Sadly, the lines for rides are way too long for me...
The atmosphere is electric (don't start dancing my Pilipino friends). The air is just buzzing with excitement. Perhaps it's all of the untainted innocence lingering in the air. The sound of unjaded souls laughing and genuinely having a good time. Whatever you call it, there's a definite energy and the vibe and it's unmistakably carnival time.
If you do nothing else here, eat. Carnival food is great. Personally, I come here to play 1 specific game. Tossing a softball into a large milk can. The prizes are ridic and it's always a show stopper. I'm good at this game and I feel it's the least rigged game around. This year was extra special because of the Roaming Grey Goose Tent - Awesome Sauce.
Can't wait for the Hana Hou!!!!! -
Review from Scott K.
2/8/2012
Nostalgia is a funny thing. It can sneak up on you in the most unexpected times and places. And here I am thousands of miles from my childhood in Seattle and the magic of the carnival and of community it brings together still warms my heart.
This was my second year and even though I was a cranky mess this year, the energy of this event softened my grumpy soul and put me right again.
From the local art, to the book sale and White Elephant this fair is a true original, and I for one will be coming back until the end of my days.
What American doesn't have fond memories of the boardwalk at the carnival? The games, the community outpouring of support... just warms the cockles.
Yeah... I said Cockles... and for that I owe you an apology. -
Review from Sandy D.
2/8/2012
There are two guarantees every year at Punahou Carnival -- traffic and parking are hell and serious crimes of gluttony will be committed.
I have to wonder just how much money neighboring churches/schools make from letting carnival-goers park in their lots. For us, splitting a $10 parking fee at Maryknoll Grade School was the way to go, especially since we didn't have to hike as far (we were going to park at Central Union).
The lines at the food booths at 6:30 weren't bad at all, but what a difference 30 minutes make because by 7:00...the lines were out to Hawaii Kai. Fried noodles and chicken sticks, teri burger, gyro, corn on the cob x 2, and in the end -- the Punahou Carnival staple -- malassadas. My friend stuck to the simple Hawaiian Plate. Not me. I like variety.
I just wanted to add that having TWO malassadas booths on both ends of the carnival grounds was the best decision EVER!
By 8:30 I was pooped. I thought back to my high school days when we'd rally til 11:00 PM on BOTH nights even though we didn't go to Punahou. I couldn't help but smile and chuckle reading Emi's review about the sound booth announcements. See, when I was in high school, the sound booth was the perfect way to take jabs at Brad and Cord Anderson. Ok, now I'm really giving away my age!
My little one is too little to enjoy the carnival, but I know I'll be drowning in KiddieLand once she's old enough. Hopefully her appetite won't be as big as mine or else I'll definitely be in trouble.
As much as we complain about the traffic, parking, and suffocating crowds, there is a strong loyalty that keeps bringing us back every year. For some, it's about the food. For others, it's a chance to see old friends. Punahou Carnival is a way of life that makes us locals, local.Listed in: See? Eating IS a hobby!, The kids are all right & in…
-
Review from Jenn T.
Updated - 1/15/2012 4 Check-ins Here
T-minus 3 weeks till the best 2 days of the year!!
I love driving by punahou and watching the tents, rides, booths come up. It an exciting feeling that never goes away, even as I get older!
Can't wait for malasadas!!
And Portuguese bean soup!!
And teri burgers!!
And corn!!
And fried saimin!!
And gyros!!
And ice cream!!
And chicken plate!!
And hawaiian plate!!
It's going to be another legendary carnival of stuffing my face with amazing food!! Hope to see you all there yelpers!!1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
1/9/2011
When I was young, the punahou carnival meant getting out of school early and rushing to get in line… Read more »
-
-
Review from Tina H.
2/4/2012
If you have time to kill and don't want to refinance your house to catch the latest movies, then check out the Punahou Carnival when it's in town!
PARKING
I parked at UH Manoa for $6 and got to the carnival within fifteen minutes after walking a steady pace. The price is not too bad compared to the parking fees of neighboring churches and schools. Additionally, I didn't have to fight tire to tire with other cars for street parking and being parked in a structured zone that was open the entire night gave me peace of mind.
ATMOSPHERE
At heart, I'm a bitter old man so shuffling in the midst of teenage hormones and the glow of their smart phones made me wish I had a cane on hand so I could hit it against their thick adolescent skulls and shout, "GET OFF YOUR PHONE." Aside from that slight annoyance, the carnival is fine. If you're expecting short lines and a small crowd, though, you're crazy. Punahou Carnival is more packed than a Filipino household. Despite the huge crowds, the event still maintains some cleanliness which is pretty impressive.
PRICE
It's 50 cents per script. Check out their website for latest prices every year. Keep in mind:
- Buy original scripts with cash (for food, toys, keepsakes, etc.)
- Buy game scripts with cash (you can't redeem your original scripts)
- Buy ride scripts with original scripts
I had a budget of $30 and that was enough (Maybe even too much) for a solo trip to the carnival. I even gave away 2 ride scripts at the end because I had my carnival fill and found it unnecessary to purchase more.
RIDES
Personally, this was the best part of my experience. I wish I could have tried all of the rides, but due to time and script restraints, I settled with 5 rides. Best rides of the night were the swings, cliff hanger, and music express! The Ferris wheel is cool to look over the crowd, but it's more relaxing than fun. I got into the bumper cars because I felt a need to hit teenagers with something and a moving object seemed suitable. Upon further reflection, though, the bumper cars were just okay.
FOOD
I wish I could say I tried them all, but massive lines and my impatience don't mix well enough to produce a good night. I was able to snag a perfect corn on the cob and recommend it. Towards the end of the night, I man'ed up and stood in the horribly long line for Punahou malasadas. I was in the express lane and somehow that line was just as long as the regular lines. The malasada was okay. Leonard's is better. I wouldn't stand in line for it again.
GAMES
I stupidly spent my entire budget on original scripts thinking that I could redeem them for game scripts later, but was turned away. Bring cash for the games. They looked pretty rigged but goddamnit, it wouldn't be an awesome night if someone didn't give you a gambling problem.
ETC
I got a musubi tattoo! I was totally stoked about it. The tattoo washed off in my morning shower today, but it was still kind of a neat thing to have for a night. Keep in mind that there's a bunch of balloons, toys, and other things to purchase to soothe grumpy keiki who didn't win shit at the game booths. I was looking into purchasing a horse balloon because of its ridiculousness, but it was about 20 scripts and I just wasn't willing to pay that much.
Overall, I'd say it was a fun night, granted that a bulk of my time was spent wandering around and standing in lines. It's definitely better than staying at home all night watching the latest Jersey Shore, though there were some teenagers who were dressed up like a live incarnation of that show. -
Review from Daniel K.
Honolulu, HI
1/20/2012
For all those delicious food reasons listed in the reviews, this is the place to be. But having been there done that, the parking and crowds are more zoo-like than carnivalish. No fun in dealing with all of that even though value for money is better than the food trucks.
I'm also not inclined to donate money to the deepest pockets on the island. Yes, proceeds go towards tuition for students who don't have a Diamond Head or Portlock zip code. But at $16K+/year tuition, don't you think this could cover the tuition shortfall? The school already has the state-of-the-art everything, so I'm sure they don't need a carnival to raise more money. If the proceeds were going to a charity, then that would be better. And this is how the rich get richer. -
Review from Gemma R.
2/7/2012
I didn't know it was possible to eat three teriyaki cheese burgers, corn on the cob, cotton candy and malasadas and still not feel like a tub o lard. I did it. Waited in the god awful lines for the malasadas in the heat only to get disappointed because I really thought they were like Leonard's malasada's but they weren't. The only thing about this carnival that I liked was the cheeseburgers. But I am also a cheese burger addict so that's not saying much. I also love me some Teriyaki sauce.
Cam tried to explain to me the stupid messages over the loud speaker and seriously, how many times can these kids say "stop being so scandelous". How scanedelous can a kid really be? And the word LOVE was thrown around a little too much if you ask me.
Well, I survived my first punahou carnival, been there done it and will probably return next year because the food is so cheap and I really liked the burgers. lol -
Review from Amanda D.
Honolulu, HI
1/28/2012
Good times, good friends, BEST FOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Malasadas!!! Portuguese Bean Soup!!!! Taco Salad!!!! Oh my!!!!! -
Review from Ritsuko K.
Honolulu, HI
I like this event simply because of the food they sell. My husband and I had Hawaiian Plate like 2 years ago. I wanted to have some Malasadas but there was a long line, even express line.
We went there 3 hours before closing. We also had a chicken plate and a vanilla ice cream covered with chocolate.
This event is good for family. Kids enjoy games, rides, etc. We're going next year too! -
Review from RosemaryAnn T.
Honolulu, HI
2/4/2012
To get all the biases out of the way: I went to Punahou for HS; not really a fan. BUT! I love food. And this year I'm really really close by. So I figured I had to go. I didn't go on an empty stomach so I didn't manage to spend as much as I thought I would. I guess that means I'll have to go back for lunch tomorrow.
The other reviews say a lot of the same things, so I'll try to add something different.
1) Dinner time on Friday is a good time to go to the malasada line. That's when it is the shortest. Everyone else is on rides or at dinner, duh. Of course, this means when you're ready for dinner you're gonna be stuck in line with only piping hot malasadas to keep you company . . . Husbie didn't like them this year--said his were overcooked. I didn't notice, I gobbled mine way too fast. The memory of them tastes good to me (though I really am a Champion's fan--try it, they're super close by--you probably parked further than that!).
2) They have a vegetarian version of the Hawaiian Plate. It's pretty good and you probably won't see the asterisk and small print saying it is Taro, Cabbage, and Sweet Potato instead of meat and fish. The lomi salmon doesn't have a vegetarian version, however, so it's not a completely vegetarian meal. But with huge chunks of salmon and only a smattering of raw onion, it's a really good lomi salmon mix. Also note that the haupia didn't seem to turn out so good this year--for some reason it seemed like it separated into two layers. Still ate it, but only because I can't bear to let any haupia go to waste.
3) This year I really didn't understand the theme. Not one bit. Some of it looks like it is supposed to be futuristic. Other areas sound like they're just trying to be scientific. "3.14159 Chicken" is the title of the chicken plate booth. Pi Chicken? How does that fit in? I mean, really?!?
4) The kids at the chicken booth were wearing ridiculous chicken hats. Part of me really likes this because it looked humiliating. Part of me worries about food safety of dangly, fuzzy, chicken legs made and shipped with who knows what kind of contaminants.
5) Like Angry Birds? They had an "Angry Frogs" game. It wasn't exactly that, something about flying frogs and lily pads, but, essentially, real-life Angry Birds. You launch these frogs off of these pretty cool catapults and try to land them in rotating lily pads. Awesome way to see physics in action and think about what went into the making of Angry Birds. Or just another reason to hit things with mallets and launch frogs out of catapults. Your call.
Hope this was helpful/cool/funny. Please click! -
Review from Tracie F.
1/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
The best darn carnival our island state has to offer!!! Hot malasadas, a faboo white elephant sale, fun games, delicious food...what more could you ask for??? MORE PARKING! The only two drawbacks to this super cool event are the lack of parking and long lines. Both of these point to the fact that this event is one NOT to be missed!!!
My suggestion? Cab it! Worth the $10 to not sit in traffic (at the wheel anyway) or get charged a crazy amount to park in a private lot. Just do it! The lines can't be helped. I would avoid Saturday night. Way too crowded!
This is seriously the best carnival of the year! Don't miss it! Well actually...yes DO miss it so I have more parking, shorter lines, and more Portuguese bean soup. Ok ok I am not a selfish yelper. Eat, drink and be merry at the Punahou carnival but if you see me there give a fellow yelper a shout out. It will help pass the time in those long lines! -
Review from Curt C.
1/30/2012 2 Check-ins Here
The Punahou Carnival is pure nostalgia. Does it feel the same when I was younger? Perhaps I don't leave the carnival with as many stuff animals as I used to, but everything is still the same and the familiarity is one of the reasons why I keep coming back.
If you have never been to the carnival below is a quick list of issues and tidbits
-Parking is issue number one. There is some parking on campus if you can get there early enough (or lucky enough!) and some street parking. You can also pay for parking at the different churches in the area or across the street at Maryknoll school.
-Fooood. You really can't go wrong with any of the food that is offered. I already have planned what I want to eat on Friday-Gyro, Terri Burger, and then some Malasadas. I'll rest for a bit and walk around the White Elephant tent. I'll then end the night with a Hawaiian plate and more Malasadsa....Is it bad that I already have it planned out? haha
-Really crowded, the lines for food can be ridiculously long. I find it easier to just spread out and have someone grab like five terri cheese burgers while someone else grabs corn or gyros...and then meet up at the malasada line and eat all your food while in line. Also, food on Saturday (especially the malasadas and Portuguese bean soup) can run out early...
-It usually rains, However, the past two years it has been really really nice without the rain being an issue....*knock on wood*
-There are separate tickets for rides. There are booths on the field where you can purchase ride tickets with script or cash.
-When you have eaten too much and waiting for round two, take a tour through the White Elephant tent and see if you can find a deal on some used books/music/clothes/random stuff. There is also an art gallery inside the science center, or you can cruise at the cafeteria which plays live music throughout the day.
-Fooood.
More than just the food, this is the one time a year I can go back and remember memories past. Yes, it is really, really crowded, parking is always a hassle, and there is always a chance it could rain...and I can totally see that as a turn off for not going...but will I come here both days? Yes. Will I feel disgusted for eating too much food...but in a good way? Yup. Do I plan on running into people who I never thought I'd see again and do my best to remember their name? Fo sho. Will I walk around realizing how much older I've gotten and get depressed? Most definitely. In the end, will I just be able to relax and forget the stresses from work and life and just eat and laugh like from days past? Absolutely. -
Review from Sara S.
2/1/2012
The Punahou Carnival is basically my favorite time of the year and no it's not because I'm a biased alumni speaking.. ahem ahem. Dare I say it is even more exciting than Christmas??? Just looking at all the tents set up this time of year makes me feel all tingly inside.
I know I know, before you make your assumptions about Punahou students being rich and snobby and spoiled, let's just NOT, because a) that's completely wrong and b) for the sake of this magnificent festival of food, fun, and PHILANTHROPY! The carnival is a fundraiser for scholarships okay!!! Support the cause!
NOW ONTO THE NOM:
Oh boy, whenever it's carnival time, I map out my list of foods to hit up. I also try to starve myself that week to make room for all the gorging I'm about to do when Friday and Saturday creep up. This is where it makes having to find parking by UH acceptable since you have to walk so far to your car... work off whatever calories you can pre-feast. The culprits responsible for unbuttoning pants and weeks upon weeks of gym time:
TERI BURGER WITH CHEESE: do you really need an explanation of how good these are. In my prime I can down 3... but that's grossing you out isn't it. Thank goodness there are TWO of the hamburger booths selling these babies on either side.
PORTUGUESE BEAN SOUP: no Punahou carnival is complete without the PBS. Rich in flavor because of the portuguese sausage smokiness, cabbage, macaroni, shredded beef, beans and EVERYTHINGGGGG else, I looooooooove it. Lately it seems like it has gotten more watery but it's still delicious nonetheless.
TACO SALAD: topped with salsa and ranch dressing, mmmmmm beef cheese lettuce tomato olives and chips!!
STRAWBERRY WHOLE FRUIT BAR DIPPED IN CHOCOLATE: kind of the best thing ever. Be sure to get it dipped for the full experience
CORN ON THE COB: a simple buttery corn on the cob seems magical at carnival
HAWAIIAN PLATE: okay you have to trek to the cafeteria to get this, and it is like over 20 scrip, but you get laulau, lomi salmon, poi, kalua pig, long rice and haupia!!! Super grinds. And there's live entertainment....
GYROS: amazing that the gyros is carnival food, but I'm not complaining!!! The onions tend to be quite pungent though, I'm warning you.
FRIED SAIMIN: a local favorite = carnival favorite.
And last but certainly not least, MALASADAS!! Okay true after 13 years they went up 25 cents and got a little smaller, but they're still the tasty balls of fried dough and sugar that we all love.
Don't even bother with getting pizza, or cotton candy, or whatever that other food is in those trucks.... BLEHHHHH!!! You want the food made by the lovely students, alumni and volunteers manning the grills in the booths!
OTHER TYPES OF FUN:
RIDES!!! Yes they're expensive but no carnival experience is complete without feeling like you might hurl in the zipper, a night ride on the swings, or going crazy on the chaos/inverter/whatever they have, and smooshing the person on the outside of music express! There are rides for little kids and big "kids" alike.
HAKU LEI: ladies, don't you want to don a beautiful hand-made haku??? They are all really prettyl and made by seasoned aunties with love and care. I should know, I chaired this booth when I was a junior!! You can buy them with cash too, no need for scrip unless you want to.
FACE PAINT: I remember when I worked here my freshman year in high school and I was afraid I would eff up other people's faces, but go get yourself a hello kitty, dinosaur, or if you wanna be super cool, checkered face!!! So fun seeing all the little kids obsessed with painting their face.
GAMES: the EK fernandez games are fun but suck up your money like no other, all so you can win your gf a stuffed animal lololol. Play the kiddie land games too for some blow up animals and cool... stuff
WHITE ELEPHANT: you can find treasures in here but definitely look on friday cuz it starts to get pretty slim pickings thereafter.
MANGO CHUTNEY: get in line on Friday; it usually sells out by the end of the night... SOOOOO GRINDS! And I should know, when I was a student we had to pick the mango and chop them!
VARIETY SHOW: probably one of my fondest moments, the variety show is put on by the senior class every year. It has a different theme and consists of dancing, singing and some all around solid entertainment. They work hard to put it on!
MAJOR BOUT OF NOSTALGIA RIGHT NOW... SIGH....
Punahou carnival will always have a place in my heart.... I'm sad I've been missing it these past few years on the mainland. -
Review from Cindy L.
-
Review from Russell M.
Honolulu, HI
2/18/2012
The best, the one and only!!! This year's carnival was especially great. Meeting and greeting Punahou alums as they are working booths, the sounds and the smells brings back wonderful memories. The BEST thing about the carnival...it never changes...one thing you can count on for Punahou, is tradition. The teri hamburgers (I bought 5...two to eat, three to freeze!), Portuguese bean soup, and malasadas trigger olafactory senses to a new height! Sound Booth action is always hysterical fun to punk Oahuans of any age...had a blast...meet you in back of the Sound Booth! Haha!
-
Review from Kyle H.
2/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Compared to other fairs, Punahou Carnival is one of the better ones, not because of the rides, but because of the food. Today was the first time I've been to the carnival since I was in high school. No, I didn't go to Punahou, I went to public school. The fiancee, however, had never been to the Punahou Carnival and wanted to check it out. On this occasion, we only really picked up some fried noodles and malasadas. Both were good, though I wouldn't go out of my way to get either. The carnival is for a good cause, however, and is the primary fundraiser for Punahou Schools. I just wish the parking situation was better. Paid $10 for parking at Central Union Church, which was actually one of the cheaper options.
-
Review from Kastriot K.
Kaneohe, HI
2/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Parking was terrible. Not overly crowded (Went Friday evening), food was great. Skip the Pizza, it didn't even count as "Pizza."
-
Review from aldora k.
Honolulu, HI
2/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
I only go to Punahou Carnival because of the Malasadas and because it is a great place to go on a date with your loved one. ^^
-
Review from Chris O.
2/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
*warning, following review may contain subliminal messages*
I think I set a record for myself after all the years of carnivals and fairs.
Iolani Family Fair 2011 "Paina In Paradise" April 15 & 16, http://www.iolanifair....
Like many other people, I came to the Punahou Carnival with ONLY food in mind. I was able to stretch $20 over a 3.5 hour time period and ended up eating 2 gyros, hot dog, teri burger, deep fried twinkie, 2 bottles of water, 3 malasadas, and a cup of coffee. I'm also happy that Punahou decided to poke holes in their malasadas this year because prior years it was way to doughy in the middle.
Iolani Family Fair 2011 "Paina In Paradise" April 15 & 16, http://www.iolanifair....
Parking: Why waste your time driving aimlessly around the neighborhood trying to find parking (nothing personal Ed, thanks for driving!). Instead, go to the Korean Presbyterian Church on Metcalf St. and pay $10 and take a short walk down Wilder. Also, what ever you do, DO NOT pay $20 to a kid holding a card board sign,
Last and most importantly...
Iolani Family Fair 2011 "Paina In Paradise" April 15 & 16, http://www.iolanifair.... -
Review from Doris D.
Honolulu, HI
1/14/2012
Really awesome carnival. I'm a New York City transplant and have been coming here since 2006 with my husband, who went to Punahou. We come, of course, for the food - Teriyaki cheeseburgers, malasadas, corn on a cob, fried saimin, chicken plates, etc. We browse the white elephant sale, plant sale, jam sale (if any left!), play a few games, and have a great time. Can't wait to go again this year!
-
Review from Chad Y.
2/6/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Growing up in Honolulu, you come to expect to attend the Punahou Carnival in February. It's not a question of if you are going to attend, but rather when to go and how much cash should you bring. It is two days of fun, good food, and an experience that you will certainly remember about.
You really come to the carnival for one thing. The food. Let's face the fact that the games and rides are going to be the same as the other fairs in town, except there are going to be insane lines for them all. Anyway, the food selection is always the same: Fried Saimin, Teriyaki Burgers, Portugese Bean Soup, Gyros, Chicken Plates, Ice Cream, and of course Malasadas.
I am going to get the obvious out of the way. The Malasadas are the best in the state. They are magical pillows of sugary goodness that beats Leonards any day. The line is worth the wait. Note, they have an express lane which is for smaller quantities and the regular line if you want the dozen. Note, check the signs cause at some points they do put a limit on how many you can buy, so take a group of friends who don't need to buy as much to get what you need.
The portugese bean soup is good and hot. So you might need to wait a second to let it cool down to eat, but it is the delight that gives you that pick me up to get through the rest of the fair. The teriyaki burgers are nothing special but for some reason they just taste better at the Punahou Carnival. Everything else is good, but nothing wow-ing so just go with what your taste buds are encouraging you to try. As my friend pointed out, she has never seen gay guys eat so much!
Note, the fair only takes script. So be sure to find a script booth and buy your script because it is your cash for the entire carnival. You use it to pay for your food, ride coupons, games, and such.
Parking can be a pain, so be prepared to pay $10 to $15 for parking at nearby lots such as Maryknoll or St. Clements across the street and less as you walk further and further away. Street parking is virtually non-existent.
Is the Punahou Carnival the greatest thing since sliced bread? No, but you are sure to get some good food and have some great times, while at the same time supporting student scholarships for the school! Plus...it is pretty cool to see the school and their alumni working together and putting the hours in for such a good cause. -
Review from Moy H.
Honolulu, HI
1/9/2012
if you want to cool off and want a break from standing in food, ride, scrip lines; check out the art gallery! I think you can purchase works of art (and some cool hand made stuff) with cash/check but don't quote me on that. Check out the Silent Auction, too! Both of these are in the school's science center (by sound booth? the humungo building by Malasada Ewa?) and are usually less crowded than the rest of the carnival grounds.
-
Review from Edward K.
Honolulu, HI
2/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'll be honest! I'm an Alum!
But I love the food! The rides! It's something to do on this boring rock!
I'm biased so I won't write a long review. You probably know of this place and what's up. If you don't, check out the other reviews because they will be less biased.
But if you're curious, My Picks:
Food: GYROS! Teri-burgers. Hawaiian Plate. Malasadas.
Rides: Zipper!
Games: Don't waste your time! -
Review from david c.
Honolulu, HI
What can I say...Malasadas, fried noodle, tericheese burger, siamin, icecream bar, these are nothing that we have not had before but just something about the energy of the place and the fact that this smörgåsbord of goodness is available within walking distance of each other makes it a top of the list place to go before superbowl.
The only thing I don't get about the carnival is that they sell hot coffee at high noon while people are standing in line baking in the hot sun for an hour, waiting to get a hold of that deep fried delicious malasada. Why not sell bottled water or ice cold soda ,,,,....because that is another line you have to stand in!
but It's all good and I am going both days! -
Review from Dar C Y.
Honolulu, HI
5/2/2011
This carnival is fun for the family but it's also VERY crowded and full of teenagers. If you're a person that doesn't like crowds, I suggest you stay away from the Punahou Carnival. It's an annual event that comes in February and is known for rain. It's definitely not stroller friendly and the parking is tough to find if you don't know where to look.
The kid games are fun to play. These are located on the upper part of the campus. The prizes are definitely better than Chuck E. Cheese too.
If you don't know someone who went to punahou then you probably don't know about the awesome jellies they sell. They are so awesome that they sell out by about 12noon on Friday (first day/night of the carnival). I was lucky this year to have found out about it through a friend/alumni of punahou.
This isn't really a family outing because of the crowds, weather and parking. I would definitely suggest to wait for a different carnival (like the farm fair) instead of punahou carnival. -
Review from Tania K.
Honolulu, HI
I LOVE carnivals!! I actually haven't gone to the Punahou carnival since I was in 5th grade (which was AWHILE ago) but I decided to go this time because my son really wanted to go. It was SOOO hot and SOOO crowded but we enjoyed it! It wasnt that bad because we had a ride there and someone picked us up so we didnt have to worry about parking (always a plus). The "Kiddieland" was fun for my boy because the games catered to the younger children. Waikiki malasada booth had absolutely NO line! Gyro was yummos! Got my lemonade which is a must @ any carnival! Then my son decided that on such a baking hot day he had to have saimin! Out of all the food there thats what he chose! I tell you that must come from his father. Lol.
The only thing we didnt enjoy was the RIDONKULOUS lines for the rides. Way too long to be waiting! So instead of the rides I bribed my son w/a toy bubble gun instead :) Totally worked! Saved me the headache of standing in line and no whining about how he wants to ride stuff. Win win! Good mommy time w/my baby :) Definitely going again next year. -
Review from Monica L.
2/6/2011
Punahou Carnival happens once a year, usually the first weekend in February. There are lots of food booths that are a huge hit, carnival rides, and a popular white elephant sale. For many locals, it's become a regular annual event and on our "Must do" list.
Here are some of the highlights:
Malasada with a hole in it - YES! It's my first time trying one like this. It's slightly denser and has more surface area than other malasadas. Whoo-hoo! Which means more fried goodness. Different and in a class of it's own. 2 scrips = 50 cents.
Teriburger with cheese - Mmm! I liked the somewhat crispy texture of teri sauce on the outer layer of patty. Top that with cheese.. have it nice and warm on a carnival night.. mmm! 9 scrips = $2.25.
Portugese Bean Soup - good. Lots of people like to stock up and freeze them so they can have it when the carnival is long gone. I like it, but personally prefer other soups. It does have good flavor though. There are 3 different container sizes. I bought the medium for 12 scrips = 3 bucks.
Other food booths - roasted corn, saimin, chow mein noodles, Mexican food (taco salad, nachos), chicken plate, gyros (oops.. I skipped this one because I was stuffed), smoothies, and ice cream.
White Elephant tent - Looks like people line up in the morning of opening day so they can get first dibs on gently used stuff. Clothing, kitchenware, etc. I believe they had separate entrances for books and another area for antiques. During peak hours the line gets ridiculously long and there are separate lines for each. Bring extra scrips here. I remember paying in scrips.
Produce tent - this year there were "Paris Cream" avocados, Meyer lemons, and other fruits and veggies. If you see a sign for SORBETTO here, go and try some! They had Ka'u orange, Tangelo, etc. Also tried their Acai bowl with granola, sliced banana, and blueberries for 16 scrips = 4 bucks. Pretty good :)
The only downfall to this event is the length of lines for anything. It's crowded beyond belief, especially for carnival rides.
Hot tip: I'd suggest avoiding the first scrips booth and ride ticket booth near the entrance. There are a couple of them around the campus and they're normally shorter.
Enjoy and have fun :) -
Review from Brad Y.
3/2/2011
If you...
-Have time to kill
-Have nothing better to do
-Are in high school
-Want malassadas
-Want to spend hours looking for parking
-Want to spend hours stuck in traffic
-Want to spend hours waiting in lines
Hadn't been for a few years.. so I decided I wanted to go before I moved away from Hawaii for good. It definitely wasn't as good as it was in high school. Although I had a few drinks before going in so it wasn't THAT bad.. haha. Pretty much was satisfied and ready to leave once I got my malassadas. Same rides my EK Fernandez that they have at every other fair/carnival across the island. Geezus.. get some new stuff.
PS. Would have gotten 2 stars, but the alcohol and malassadas bumped it up one. -
Review from Nicole K.
Waipahu, HI
7/20/2010
This is actually the first year that I didn't get to go to the Punahou Carnival...darn being sick.
Such a great place to hang out with friends, enjoy good food, and take ridiculous pictures.
I think that everyone should go to the Punahou Carnival, and I think that you'll be hooked once you go.
good luck finding parking though..it gets pretty crowded.Listed in: entertain me, When the outdoors attack
-
Review from Jerrene T.
Honolulu, HI
2/16/2011 7 Check-ins Here
Punahou Carnival was cooler when I was a teenager at Iolani and we all jumped ship to go here on Friday and Saturday to ride rides and check out hot boys. Iolani Fair was always a better place to eat gourmet foods and play games because it was "cheaper" (read more reasonable in price).
However, I went this past weekend with my husband and baby because my friends wanted to go and you know it's fun to eat foods and walk around white elephant for poops and giggles. Food was the same but you know how people are convinced that Punahou Carnival has the best malasadas? Yeah they must be those pot smoking teens like on the Jack in the Box commercial because our malasadas looked pathetic! They were kinda the size of a golf ball and really hard... they weren't fluffy in the middle. Every year they seem to get worse and worse. I don't care for them here since they always disappoint me. However, I ate my taco salad and it tastes like it did last year... decent and fast. Teri cheeseburgers are my favorite here. Nom nom. Gyro line was wayyyy too long for me to want to stand in it but I know those guys are good too!
We didn't make it to the white elephant area but we did look at used books. It was fun to get old school comics to just look at. It was half off so it was all crazy in there. We didn't spend long there and we headed to kiddieland instead to indulge in some games with my friend's kid. They give you one prize coupon no matter what... so it was fun to see the kinda prizes he would "buy." It's always cute watching little kids play games!
Three stars not four because although we didn't have to worry about parking... the Carnival was a mess of people... way too crowded and hot... not good for anyone claustrophobic! Also, so pricey... $4 or so for a RIDE?! -
Review from Hideyo K.
2/8/2011
Frankly, I don't deserve to review the Punahou Carnival because I forgot to try their famed malasadas (EPIC FAIL), but I just want to review them at least for the other things I did and saw there this year.
Like most typical carnivals, this one had a Ferris wheel, Chair-O-Planes, a very modest Drop-tower, a Pirate Ship, and a few other coaster-type rides. I wasn't really there for the rides as much as I was there to eat food and play the games (and honestly for me, carnival rides either freak me out or induce vomiting), but it's also nice to know that some of the proceeds go to benefit the school's financial aid program.
What's also great about the carnival is that it had a theme.
This year, it was prehistoric. The food and game signs were all caricatured to fit the theme with names like "T-Rexican Mexican Taco Salad & Nachos" and "Triceratoss". The best part is that all these signs were hand-drawn, presumably by the students. They were SO CUTE! I had to take a picture of the signs because each one made me laugh.
There's nothing really special about the Punahou Carnival as a carnival, but they really got it together, and I think the Punahou School students did really well on their part in serving at and decorating the event. As a once-a-year event, it's definitely worth checking out. Especially if you live here. . . I mean, there's only so many things to look forward to on this Island. I'll try to come back again next year, for sure. -
Review from Rob G.
2/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Malasadas. Portuguese Bean Soup. Fried Saimin. Teri Burgers. White Elephant tent. EK Fernandez Carnival rides. Plants sale. More rock hard avocados than you can shake a stick at.
You know you want some! -
Review from Nick Y.
Kailua, HI
2/9/2009
The Punahou Carnival is always fun, year after year (though never as fun as my sophomore year when I was completely shit-housed), and this year was no exception. It didn't rain at all while we were there, and the food was as good as usual.
We skipped the gym on Friday night to gorge ourselves on corn, soft pretzels, pizza, fried noodles, teri burgers, and of course, my favorite malassadas ever. Due to the abnormally pleasant weather I wasn't wet and shivering, so I also passed on my usually requisite bowl of Portuguese Bean Soup.
To all the haters out there: it's a carnival! It's supposed to be crowded, and it's going to be a little expensive (it is a fundraiser, after all). And the long lines -- and the shortage of parking -- are a mere testament to the fact that they're doing everything right! So if you can't have fun in the joyous environment of rides, games, and good food, I seriously doubt that you ever can. -
Review from Brian A.
Honolulu, HI
2/8/2010
For Hawaii there is no better diversion than the Punahou Carnival. Granted it's crazy crowded, especially around the oddly placed food area (for which I found the best way to get around the place is find someone with a stroller and walk behind them), but it's a fun excursion none the less. We actually didn't spend too long here because mostly we're here for the food and not so much the other stuff. I guess not having kids allows us that freedom.
We love the Portuguese soup and malasadas that had a hole in them. They're more closer to cake donuts covered int tons of huge sugar crystals. I'm more of a Leonard's malasada guy, with it's doughy center, but this wasn't bad at all. The lines for these two booths were short, so bonus to us! The girlfriend did get some nachos, but they were completely pathetic and when she came back with them I was like, "That's it?!" It looked like she had already eaten half the nachos, but in fact she had her first chip in her hand. She gave a sad, "Yeah." Man for $2, you think you'd get more chips than that. Even Taco Bell (with their messed up Hawaii prices) you get a ton more stuff for around a dollar.
We also went through the picked over white elephant sale pretty quickly, but didn't find anything that caught our eye. In the end we had only spent about $10 and had pocho soup to take home. Luckily we're in walking distance because the traffic and parking ($8-10) was a bit ridiculous. Anyway, it's always a good diversion come this time of year.Listed in: Mr. Obama's Neighborhood
-
Review from Jerome B.
2/7/2010
Not being a punahou alum or having anything to do with punahou in general, maybe I can bring some unbiased commentary on this event.
First things first, the thing I come to anticipate every year is the food. When I say food, I mean the malasadas and the portuguese bean soup. The malasadas are the best that I've ever had. I've not compared it to most others (I'v only had malasada at Leonard's, Liliha Bakery, and the Fairmont Orchid in Kailua-Kona (random I know)), but by far it is the best malasada I've feasted upon. Soft and sweet goodness that somehow taste better than the rest. Maybe it's having to wait one year for it?
The portuguese bean soup is good as well. Since I can't cook it and I don't know very many other places that serve it, I like having this treat once a year. The corn on the cob is good as well.
Now, don't expect to come without emptying your wallets. It's not for the cheap (unless you just come to eat, but that's hard to do). As with any other carnival, there are plenty of activities to keep you active. The rides are ridiculously expensive. It costs $10 for two people to ride a good ride. THe price to ride all of the rides is equivalent to entrance at Six Flags Magic mountain! While this is not what you wanted to pay 50 some-odd dollars for, Hawaii doesn't have an amusement park and carnivals come only twice a year.
There's a place for kids, there's a swap meet of used items, there's an auction site, an art gallery, plays, food, carnival games, and plenty of places to relax if you stay away from the main hub of the place. It's a great and fun atmosphere! And although I gripe about the prices, remember that it's for the benefit of the kids. All proceeds help pay for tuition! Why this can't be applied to the other schools in Hawaii's public education system that struggle to meet sub-standard no child left behind requisites is another commentary. Nonetheless, it's a once a year treat that you should not miss out on.
P.S. Parking is horrendous and if you have no patience expect to pay between $8-$20 for parking that's remotely close to the campus.
P.S.S. Although it's a public festival, try to keep the campus clean! It gets pretty trashed those two days.
