Waikiki, Honolulu - Hilton Hawaiian Village "Aloha Style" Show

Hilton Hawaiian Aloha Friday King's Jubilee and Fireworks Show

Every Friday the Hilton Hawaiian Village puts on an "Aloha-Style" show, sort of like a luau show without the dinner. We recently checked it out, and I must say it was quite entertaining. The show started at 6:30 pm.The evening began with the King's Procession and then continued with the music, attire, performances and dance from Hawaii and other Polynesian Islands. The night ended with music to a spectacular fireworks display.

The performance was a reenactment of King David Kalakaua's royal court performances. The King entered wearing a navy blue suit adorned with medals on a red and yellow sash. Surrounded by the Village Guards who marched to the steady, slow beat of the drummers, the King took his place on the main stage and spoke to the crowd in Hawaiian. After he spoke, he claimed his throne and the Village Guards, with their golden horsehair plumed helmets and 1903 rifles, exited the stage and the show began.

The band played behind the King while the performance happened in front of him. The band used percussion instruments that included various gourds, rattlers, and pahus (drums). The stringed instruments included the slack key guitar, electric bass guitar, acoustic 6-string guitar, and a ukulele. They sang to some songs and others were completely instrumental. The band performed the vocals for the hulas with most songs sung in both Hawaiian and English. When they sang, it was in a low tone, not in falsetto. The songs were all medium to fast tempo for the hulas. I could recognized the twang sound of the slack key guitar when it played the melody of "He Aloha No O Honolulu." The songs played for the hulas all sounded like the traditional Hawaiian style music.

The dancers, both men and women, wore traditional attire according to the dance they performed. For some dances they used instruments or props. The men performed hula both by themselves and with the women. They wore sarongs or lavalavas with pants underneath. Like the women's costumes, their costumes were different colors and designs for each song. One energetic dance performed was called the "fa'ataupati" or "Samoan Slap Dance."

There was one part of the show when the men came into the audience from behind and scared some people but otherwise the audience just watched. An excellent show that demonstrated the types of music and dance practiced throughout the Polynesian islands. I would describe the experience as similar to what happens at a luau but without the food. You cannot tell from the pictures, but all of the seating arranged around the pool had good views. It was open seating and the cost was twenty dollars, which included one drink. If one drink is not enough, there is a poolside bar close by.

The hour-long show concluded with a short but energetic fireworks display which can be seen (and heard) throughout Waikiki Beach. Overall, it was an entertaining evening on the beach worth the price of admission.

Tips and info:

Official web site: http://www.hiltonhawaiianvillage.com/activities/entertainment.asp
Registered hotel guests can pre-purchase tickets for poolside seating at the Ali'i Tower desk near Tropics Bar & Beach Café. The desk is open 8:00 am - 9:00 pm daily except Fridays, and 8:00 am - 2:00 pm on Fridays. Tickets can also be purchased by hotel guests and the general public at the entrance to the Super Pool from 5:30 pm until show time on Fridays. Poolside seating includes one standard cocktail beverage.*

Show Schedule
Village Guards Precision Rifle Drill Team
6:15 p.m. (October to March)
6:45 p.m. (April to September)
Main Show at the Super Pool
6:30 p.m. (October to March)
7 p.m. (April to September
Fireworks Display
7:30 p.m. (October to March)8 p.m. (April to September)