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Punahou Carnival
Rating Details »
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
17 reviews for Punahou Carnival
how can you not give the punahou carnival 5 stars?
its a carnival on the most beautiful place on earth. long lines, greasy but ono grinds, and spending money is what its all about. as soon as i grad school and come home from the mainland, i'll hit the first punahou carnival i can. too bad college doesnt have a vacation in february
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.
I really meant to post this on Friday night after I got home from the Carnival but I went into a food coma:
Beff Nachos, Corn, Teri Cheeseburger, Teri Burger, Gyro, Strawberry Smoothie, Malasadas, Noodles, Chicken stick, Pizza, Chili, Snickers Cone, Dipped Ice cream bar
NO RAIN this year so Punahou must've made BIG MONEY. Maybe next year they can bring back the REAL Carnival food. The noodles were too skinny - the ground beef was dry and powdery - the gyro was nearly meatless - the smoothie was too thick
BUT, It's a tradition and I will always go and spend more money than I should! Can't wait till next year...
Some friends and I checked out the carnival this year and we had a good time.
We were able to find parking in the Punahou parking lot (free, if you can find a spot). If there is parking available, there will be a sign and security ushering you in. If not, you'll have to find parking on the street. Be careful you're not parking in residential parking areas, as tow trucks come through and enforce the rules.
Once you get to the carnival, you'll need to purchase Scrips. Each one is worth $0.25. Scrips are good for food, drinks and other items (such as plants and the thrift store). If you want to go on rides, you'll need a Ride Tickets. One ride ticket is four Scrips (or $1.00). However, once you turn your Scrips in for Ride Tickets, you can change them back. I found I converted too many Scrips for Ride Tickets, but hung around the ticket counter until I saw someone looking to trade tickets - so I made them a better deal in order to get them switched back.
The lines for the rides are long. They can cost anywhere between 2 - 6 Scrips (meaning $2 to $6). I found a moderate line and decided to wait. It took about an hour to get from the back to the front. Some other lines were twice as long. There are no ropes or outlines to tell you where the line moves, so you'll have to pay attention to make sure you don't get cut in front of.
The plant shop was sold out by the time I got there (you can buy something and have them hold it for you in Will Call if you still want to look around), but the thrift shop was having an amazing deal since it was closing night. For $5 you received a very large shopping bag, anything you can fit inside the bag or carry with you, you could take. I ended up with lots of stuffed animals, bags, t-shirts and dresses I am planning to use for sewing materials. I saw on man make off with two sets of golf clubs!
The food was delicious and the sodas are about $0.75 in Scrips. All in all, I spent $10 and 2 hours and was able to go thrift shopping, buy a coke and ride a ride. You'll need more time if you plan on riding more than a couple rides, but it's a lot of fun and I would certainly go again.
?!@?$?!?!
I wrote a damn review, but my stupid wireless connection was lost (along with my review) when I went to post. Anyways, short story is bring kids, bring money, bring empty stomach and you'll have fun...
my friends dragged me to come out here and eat some good eats! Be prepared to be in a massive crowd, long lines, and spending all your cash!
I did have lots of fun eating the awesome gyros, hawaiian plate, cotton candy and of course their famous malasadas. But, it was way too crowded and the lines were ridiculous!
Good luck with parking...it gets crazy!
Oh and in the game booths, its like crazy dirty and the dirt lingers in the air. I blew my nose, damn it was nasty! Whatever I was breathing was all in my boogers!!!
OK. I use to love the food at this carnival, but this year i was quite disappointed.
one thing though, it didnt rain this year! at least for friday night... I think through my whole life that ive been going to this carnival this is one of the first times it was completely dry. So i give that an extra star. im not down with muddy shoes!
this year the food was just different...
the FRIED SAIMIN was different i dont know what it was. correct me if im wrong but were the noodles different this year? i dont remember it being so, thin like singapore style type noodles.
what the hell happened to the CORN?!?! this year i notice they were selling organic local corn. idk but, the corn the other years was much better. this corn was way more dry, the butter was so light it just tasted like oil. there was no seasoning of any kind accept for salt and pepper. big disappointment! only good thing out of this was the chick wearing the giant corn on the cob hat. love it!
BURGERS were good. i had a teri w/cheese. you cant mess these up. correct me if im wrong but i think these are mays patties???
the malasada line was long as hell, i waited for a good 45 mins, grabbed a dozen, only to be disappointed. i shared it with everyone else, and they all agreed it was http://different.it tasted extra extra doughy. idk i cant explain it. it didnt have that fluff and lightness like before. it was like eating a breadball with sugar. nothing special
dipped icecream was good, i got the plain vanilla in choco to finish up the night. i guess you cant mess up icecream bars and chocolate right?
some people here complain about the parking, the crowd etc etc. idk man but who the hell wants to go to an empty carnival?, i dont. this is an annual thing, sometimes its good to get into crowded places. you know? hawaii is tooo boring. i definitely welcome the excitement!
I go every year with my friends just to catch up with my buddies from other schools. I go to their rival school, so this may be a little ranty.
It always manages to rain, the lines are mostly long, and the malasadas are satisfactory. It's so expensive! This year, the theme is extremely lame.
I recommend the Iolani Fair, because it's way cheaper, more games, spin-rides (which I do enjoy), and better prizes. The food's good too. I'm working three shifts. We even had Krispy Kremes once.
++
I just came back from it... I didn't win much, but the rides were good.
It's such a rip-off! One ride coupon is $1 (four tickets) and most rides are 3-5 coupons.
I ditched the carnival and went to the playground and see-sawed on the see-saw. That was the beeesssst.
I was shocked: it only drizzled.
I wore red, black and white the whole time.
Wow, they have EVERYTHING on Yelp, huh? Even the Punahou Carnival.
I don't know how it happens, but it rains every single year when they have the Punahou Carnival. You would think I would learn this by now (after all, in Intermediate/High School, the tradition would be to walk there after school on that Friday). It's as if Punahou wants you to ruin your shoes and slide embarrassingly through the mud just to ride the Zipper and then the Musical Express.
With that said, I still have fun.
Dress accordingly.
Okay, I admit it: I am the biggest fan of Punahou Carnival. I guess the kid in you never dies! I have only missed two carnivals in my lifetime--once when I was two and had the flu, and the other when I was fifteen and my parents made me go on a business trip with them. I nearly cried both times.
The carnival occurs yearly on the first Friday and Saturday in February from 11am to 11pm, and offers something for everyone. For you horticulture types, there is a plant tent, a cut flowers tent (with the best protea for sale on the island), a haku lei stand, a jams & jellies booth, and a fresh produce tent. It's like a farmers market, all located on the diamond head side, by the malasadas. (Except for the haku leis, which are next to the ewa malasada booth.)
Speaking of malasadas, Punahou Carnival has the BEST! I always get to the booth as soon as I set foot on campus and stuff my face with the piping hot orbs of dough freshly fried and rolled in sugar. Sometimes they get creative and roll them in cinnamon sugar. If you are a malasada purist, you might want to tell them you want plain sugar. These malasadas follow a Punahou recipe that has been handed down over the years and are better than any on the island. Get to this booth early if you don't want to wait in line, and don't wait until you want to leave Sat night to get your order for friends and family because 1) you'll be standing in line forever and 2) they might run out before you reach the front of the line.
I mainly go to the carnival now to eat. In addition to having the most awesome malasadas, they also have what many consider to be the best Portuguese bean soup, chow mein, taco salad, and Hawaiian plate. I've found the bean soup to be a hit or miss over the years. Sometimes it tastes like it hasn't been simmered long enough.
The Hawaiian plate is the best deal you can get. For $6.50, you get lomi lomi salmon, Haupia, sweet potato, fresh cold sweet pineapple, poi, and ono pork lau lau. The lau lau is simply delightful: very flavorful, not too greasy, and the pork is lean and generously portioned. The poi is very fresh and naturally sweet. While you eat, different featured Hawaiian musicians play. In recent years, I've listened to Aunty Genoa Keawe, Jake Shimaubkuro, and many talented local bands.
The carnival also features a huge selection of E. K. Fernanadez rides, foods and games. If the E. K. Fernandez games are too difficult to win, try the Punahou games manned by students by the science building. If THOSE are too dificult, head to the kiddie games by the Wo International Center. Even klutzes are guaranteed to win at least one prize ticket there, which you can take to redeem at the giant booth of prizes next door. Try not to push the toddlers aside in your excitement.
There is a Variety Show written and performed by the high school seniors. (Punahou Carnival is run by the juniors.) Also, there is a silent auction, a white elephant tent with housewares, books, and clothes, and a room full of art for sale.
Best of all, know that the money you spend at the carnival goes to the financial aid fund at Punahou, so that kids from families who can't afford to pay the full tuition can still attend.
WHEN is a good time to go and not suffocate from the zillion trillion people squeezing in this carnival and get a malasadaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!
i'm dying.
i've tried first day right when it opens. i've tried night time. i've tried mid day. i've tried all day.
it's not like i haven't tried every YEAR you guys. please just tell me. WHEN is the malasada line not all the way around and down to the entrance. and are the malasadas really REALLY worth the wait? i mean... leonards is pretty damn good.
Punahou Carnival! What can you say about that??? Well, I thought the burgers were good but its from May's from costco peoples! LOL....I thought it was quite reasonable priced. But when I saw the chix plate for 24 Scripts my god I was pretty scared of that place! So, I've stayed away from it. The corn on the cob who can really screw that up but I really wished it was Kahuku corn instead, whatever corn they were selling! I wanted a bag of cotton candy and when I saw the price holy cow I was blown 24 Scripts for the bag of cotton candy but when you buy with a cone it cost only 12 Scripts I thought it's pretty pricey so I said forget it! When you are there you always have to fight the crowd which I really don't like but I think I'm really getting old. I just go for the food only! Overall, the experience was really nice the workers were great and some of the food was pretty good in my opinion:)
Happens 1st weekend in February. 5 stars if I go during the day, 3 if I go at night. At night there's way too many people. It's a convergence of middle school and high school kids from all over the island. During the day the lines are shorter.
I LOVE: gyros (though this year they put too much yogurt sauce), malasadas (buy extra to freeze and make Punahou Carnival bread pudding), fried noodles, the plant booth, farmers market (avocados galore, here I come!) and the book fair.
Now that I have no desire to go on rides I dub myself "OFFICIALLY OLD". I used to be a Zipper fiend.
Yups! It's that time of the year again...Punahou Carnival time! The chosen theme for this year is "Toga Times: Our Big Fat Greek Carnival." I got home from school around 4.30-ish, rested for abit in front of the idiot box while waiting for R to come home from work. We got ready and dressed warmly since the weather is cold and dry with slight chilly winds! Soon we were on our way and we decided to walk instead of having to fight with others for a parking spot as I did not want to waste time driving around the block more than once! I guess I'm a little lucky that I live in Makiki and my apartment is less than a few miles from the campus...so the walk there was rather nice.
We finally get there around 6.30-ish and it is crowded...very crowded with lots of people! As we politely push our way through the crowds, I find picture taking opportunities and as you can see...I think I did a pretty good job eh? Some I had to take several times as my camera does not take good night shots without good lighting (even after adjusting the ISO) and it has a very, very slow shutter speed! Can get frustrating at times since I have a really low level of patience.
We didn't go on any of the rides as the lines were just too ridiculously long. And finally before heading home...we had to stop and get our malasada fix! This one...I did not mind getting into line and waiting patiently. A dozen malasadas and by the time I was ready to take a picture...I realized we only have five remaining. Ohh yeah...it is that ono (good)!
Malasadas and the Portuguese bean soup are 2 of my favs from the Punahou Carnival! Always buy some extra bean soup for the freezer so you can eat it later.
I do not remember anything else, but the MALASADAS. I would consider visiting Honolulu in February, just to get my grubby hands on one (or five).
Humongous awesome event. Something for everyone.
Amazing art gallery, great Hawaiian plate, tons of thrift shopping, fun games for kids, and of course all the famous food (malasadas!) and rides for all ages. There are also great items made by volunteers like haku leis and mango chutney (sells out almost as soon as it opens).
Can be overwhelming for those unfamiliar with the event, or people who don't like crowds. (Best to go with someone who knows their way around, but it's fun and worth it either way)
More or less everything is donated to Punahou to sell at the Carnival, and all proceeds go to financial aid for students. So spend away!!
A malasada acquisition hint: there are multiple malasada booths and the wait is usually shorter if you stand in the line to buy only 1-2.
