Punahou Carnival is an annual fun-filled fundraising event with food, local arts & crafts, games, rides, and live entertainment. It is produced by the current junior class and supported by thousands of volunteers, including students, parents, faculty/staff, and alumni. Vendors at the carnival offer everything from Hawaiian Plates and hamburgers to malassadas and ice cream, plus haku lei, local products, Punahou merch, and much more.
Since its inception in 1936 as a fundraiser for the Punahou student yearbook, the carnival has become a valuable opportunity to work together as a team, to develop next year’s leaders, and to support financial aid. People from all over Oʻahu flock to the carnival each year for family fun.
The Variety Show is an integral part of the Punahou Carnival. It is a decades-old tradition that showcases the immense talents of the senior class. Seniors write, construct costumes & sets, design choreography & staging, and perform in the highly anticipated annual show.
Punahou Carnival 2023 volunteers – image via Punahou School
Punahou Carnival FAQ
- The carnival is a fundraiser held over two days in February.
- Thousands of volunteers produce the Carnival each year.
- Animals are not allowed on campus.
- Paid parking in several lots (more info below).
- Punahou Carnival includes food, games, rides, free live entertainment, and local arts & crafts (more info below).
2023 Punahou Carnival
In 2023, the Punahou Carnival returns in full splendor for two days of family-friendly fun open to everyone.
- When: Friday-Saturday, February 3-4, 2023, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Where: Punahou’s lower campus in Mānoa, 1601 Punahou St (main entrance at Punahou Street and Wilder Ave).
- Parking options include some with reserved space. More info: Parking | Punahou Carnival
- Scrip is used for for purchases at food & specialty booths, games, and rides. No cash. Purchase scrip with a major credit/debit card, including Apple Pay and Google Pay. Price list: Layout 1 (myschoolapp.com).
- Haku Lei: purchases from the haku lei specialty booth requires a numbered ticket, distributed beginning at 10 a.m. each day. Walk-ups are possible with no guarantee of purchase. More info: Haku Lei | Punahou Carnival
- Map: Punahou Campus Carnival Map 2023 (myschoolapp.com)
Hawaiian plate photo by Erin Donalson via iStockphotos by Getty Images
Highlights of Punahou Carnival 2023
Silent Online Auction: “Acceler-AUCTION” kicks open February 1 at Noon and closes February 4 at 4 p.m. More info: https://punahou2023.ggo.bid/bidding/package-browse
Art Gallery: Browse online before opening day (February 3). Shop in-person during the weekend (February 3-4) for works by Hawaiʻi artists, featuring a wide range of mediums including paintings, photographs, wood bowls, ceramics, sculpture, jewelry, and more. More info: Punahou Carnival Art Gallery (punahou-carnival-art-gallery.myshopify.com)
“Bread: The Variety Show” is an on-demand show stuffed full of stunning student-choreographed dance numbers, amazing student-written music, and of course, bread puns that definitely aren’t crumby. The content can be viewed as many times as you like during a 48-hour window between February 5-19, 2023. More info: https://www.showtix4u.com/events/19005
Hawaiin Plates: Take a break from the Carnival action and enjoy a Hawaiian Plate with live entertainment at Dole Hall, mauka of Rice Field parking and the main carnival grounds. More info: Hawaiian Plate | Punahou Carnival
More info: Carnival 2023 | Punahou School
Punahou School, 1601 Punahou St, Honolulu, HI 96822
