Photo: Punahou School
"The Greatest Show on Earth" is the theme of this year's Punahou Carnival, happening Friday and Saturday, Feb. 1 and 2. Get ready for thrill rides, games and chewy malassadas all weekend! If you haven't been to this popular event, check out some of our tips before heading there with your family.
Our 10 Tips
1. Go on the kiddie rides and play games after dinner. Not when the carnival opens. Have your kids nap in the afternoon, then take them to the carnival in the early evening when rides and game booths slow down. But bring a jacket—the weather will be cool.
2. Review the price lists and calculate your costs. The carnival website has an online list detailing the prices of all food, Punahou-run games and E.K. Fernandez rides. You can estimate how much scrip you'll need for the evening. The list of credits you'll need for each ride will help you determine how many times your child can ride the Dizzy Dragons or Super Sizzler, using credits on the Fun Pass.
3. Plot your path before you go. Punahou Carnival's detailed map shows exactly where you can get your saimin and gyros, where the body painting tent is and, most importantly, exactly which booths and games take the EK Fernandez Fun Pass and which ones require Punahou scrip. Don't forget to check the bathroom locations. Of course, the first battle you'll fight is to find parking. You can find details on lots and parking prices on punahou.edu. Just click on parking information to see the drop down list.
4. Designate a gathering place. When you first enter the carnival grounds, be sure that everyone in your group knows where to meet in case of an emergency, or if someone gets lost. The sound booth will announce lost (and found!) children.
5. Don't buy your scrip when you first walk in. The booth near the main gate is usually packed, while the booths in the center of the carnival by Dillingham Hall and near the White Elephant tent always have shorter lines. Fun Passes can be loaded with 200 credits using $20 cash only but can be refilled with credits (1 credit = 10 cents), using cash or credit cards. All E.K. Fernandez attractions accept Fun Passes but do not accept Punahou Carnival scrip.
6. Are your kids tired, and you have leftover scrip? Pick up Portuguese bean soup or hulihuli chicken (just the chicken) for dinner that night or the next day.
7. Here's another use-your-scrip trick. Malassadas cost one scrip each. Split up your family, give them each three scrip, and have them stand in the short line to buy three malasadas each. The express line moves faster than the regular lines.
8. Taking home malassadas? Ask for your malassadas without the sprinkled sugar You can reheat them better at home later and roll them in your own sugar for a fresher taste.
9. Head to upper campus for more space. If your kids need to run around and burn off some energy during meal time, get your food and find a quiet spot to eat on the upper campus. You don't have to stay on the midway.
10. Know where to use cash and credit cards. Some booths will accept non-scrip forms of payment.
- Art Gallery (scrip, cash or credit card)
- Silent Auction (scrip, cash or credit card)
- Alumni Store (scrip, cash or credit card)
- Hawaiian Plate (scrip or cash)
- O-Men Produce and Açai Bowl (scrip or cash)
- Pa‘ani Flowers (scrip or cash)
- Tshirts (scrip or cash)
Check out the free entertainment at Dole Hall, home of Hawaiian Plate, where you can enjoy a lineup that includes Pomaikaiʻi Lyman, Aaron Mahi and Keith Cockett, ManoaDNA and Micah G. Click here for the entertainment schedule.
The 2019 Punahou Carnival is from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday, Feb. 1, and Saturday, Feb. 2. Call 808-944-5753. Find all the details at punahou.edu.
