Honolulu, HI

My wife and I have known for some time that there are weekly fireworks displays—every Friday– put on in Waikiki, because we can hear them. However, we’d never actually gone to see one, so this last Friday we decided to give it a try, since we do live right in Waikiki. We went down to the beach in between Fort DeRussy and the Shorebird restaurant. There is a rock jetty there where people sometimes line up on to watch the fireworks. We arrived on the beach at about 7:30 PM. People were already beginning to gather, snapping sunset photos as the sun sank below the island.

We walked about halfway onto the jetty, laid down a beach towel and settled in to wait the remaining few minutes until 8:00 when the show usually begins. The fireworks are set off from the direction of Ala Moana, affording anyone on the beach in Waikiki with an excellent view. People could be seen gathering on the west-facing lanai’s of the beachfront high-rises in anticipation of the pyrotechnical display.
 
Then, promptly at 8:00: boom! The first fireworks lit up the night sky with blazing reds and whites. There were some really impressive explosives—firecrackers, rockets, pinwheels and what have you—which can be heard throughout Waikiki. A few boats also lead fireworks cruises and could be seen bobbing not far from shore to witness the spectacle.
 
The only drawback is that the show is a short one—only about five minutes. This is because they do it every single Friday, and so due to city noise ordinances it has to be kept to a minimal level of disturbance. But it was very nice while it lasted! If you want a more prolonged pyrotechnical experience, check out the Fourth of July fireworks show, or the New Year’s Eve show. There are occasionally fireworks for other events too, such as Hawaii state holidays like Statehood day (the day Hawaii became a state).
 
After the fireworks we walked back along the jetty to the beach. Although brief, the weekly fireworks display is a reminder that Waikiki is a special place worth celebrating!