Chinatown block party shuts down S. Beretania St.

HONOLULU (KHON2) — The Lunar New Year is fast approaching. On Jan. 22, we enter the year of the rabbit, and with that comes celebrations and road closures.

Today, Jan. 14, S. Beretania Street at Mauna Kea Street will be closed until midnight to accommodate Lunar New Year celebrations.

The City and County of Honolulu said that all traffic will have to turn onto Mauna Kea Street and that they suggest detouring at Nu’uanu Street.

The 2023 Night in Chinatown Festival and Lunar New Year parade is taking place until 10 p.m. this evening.

This is a family-oriented event that is free for the public to enjoy.

The parade begins at 4:30 p.m. and will make its way from “Hawaii State Capitol lawn with participants marching along Hotel Street, where they enter Honolulu Chinatown and are brought to the Night in Chinatown Festival along Beretania Street, which flows into the historical A’ala Park,” according to organizers.

Along S. Beretania Street, the festival is hosting Gee Yung International Martial Arts Dragon & Lion Dance Association who will provide Kung Fu demonstrations and a lion dance and Luk Tung Kuen Worldwide Association of Hawai’i who will provide essential information on exercise and well-being.

They are also hosting Lin Shu Fang Chinese Folk Dance Institute who will perform Chinese folk dance and Chuk Kai Tai Chi Club who will demonstrate Tai Chi.

The celebration along S. Beretania Street will end with two more Kung Fu demonstrations and Lion Dances by Sing Yung Dragon & Lion Dance Association and Wah Ngai Lion Dance Association.

Once you go to A’ala Park after the parade, there will be a Night in Chinatown Welcome and a demonstration of Martial Arts by the Hawai’i Filipino Martial Arts School.

Kung Fu demonstrations and Lion Dancing will be provided by Hawaii Lion Dance Association , Kuo Min Tang Physical Cultural Association – Hsing Chung Dragon & Lion Dance Team and Yeung Dak Physical Culture Association.

There will be lots of vendors and food trucks to help revelers enjoy their evening.

Organizers for the event suggest that you park at either Chinatown Cultural Plaza or at City and County of Honolulu Municipal Parking.

The road closure until midnight is so that organizers, volunteers and vendors can clean up the area.

This block party is a great way to begin the year of the rabbit. So, take your family and enjoy the festivities as we embark on a new year.