Carnival

The tradition began in 1932, when, during the Depression, Academy students hosted an "Oahuan Campus Carnival" to raise money for the yearbook. 

The state's largest art show, the Carnival Art Gallery features more than 1,000 works of art created by over 300 Hawai'i artists, including paintings, photographs, wood bowls, ceramics, sculpture, jewelry and other original fine art pieces. Proceeds from each piece of art are shared evenly between the contributing artist and the Carnival fundraising effort.

With around 60 booths and a variety of E. K. Fernandez rides, Carnival has something for everyone. For those who like a challenge, skill games give everyone a chance to win a great Carnival memento.

A relaxing getaway from the main Carnival area, Hawaiian Plate features great Hawaiian food (like lau lau, lomi lomi salmon, haupia and poi) and a place to sit and enjoy a variety of live music acts. Find Hawaiian Plate at Dole Hall, mauka of Rice Field parking and the main carnival grounds. A great variety of bands (student, enthusiast and professional) play and rotate on an hourly schedule, with first shows at noon and final shows at 10 p.m., each day of Carnival.

Carnival-goers love to compete for these fantastic big- and small-ticket items. Past auction items have included hotel stays, professional sports tickets and signed memorabilia, art, clothing, furniture, restaurant and spa certificates, jewelry and more (even mango chutney for those who missed it).

A decades-old tradition, the Variety Show is the senior class contribution to Carnival. It is a student production that typically incorporates theater, music, dance and comedy in an original theme and script. Though held in spacious Dillingham Hall, tickets to the show usually sell out very quickly.