Volunteer Details

Educational School Tours is an opportunity for students in elementary schools through high schools to experience a unique “behind the scenes” preview of the Honolulu Festival. It also offers the students a special opportunity to experience firsthand the various traditions and cultures from countries.

•School Tour Reception – Assist with reception, including bus dispatch, escorting student groups to/from bus depot and ballroom, and assigning tour escorts to each group. Must speak English.
•School Tour Escort – Tour escort for student groups. Must speak English.
•School Tour History Board – Provide explanation of the History Board that outlines the history of Honolulu Festival. Must speak English.
•School Tour Bon Dance – Encourage students to participate in Bon Dance and dance together with them. Must speak English.

Various volunteer opportunities are available at the Honolulu Festival – please see below for details of each.

Volunteer Reception
•Saturday, March 14 – 8:30am-10:30am – Assist with checking in volunteers, including handing out volunteer shirts and escorting them to their volunteer location within Hawaii Convention Center.
•Sunday, March 15 – 8:30am-10:30am – Assist with checking in volunteers, including handing out volunteer shirts and escorting them to their volunteer location within Hawaii Convention Center.

Japanese Film Festival
•Saturday, March 14 – 9:00am-5:00pm – Welcome guests and provide guidance to/at the film festival venue.
•Sunday, March 15 – 9:00am-3:00pm – Welcome guests and provide guidance to/at the film festival venue.

Sake & Food Fest
•Saturday, March 14 – 9:00am-6:00pm – Support Sake & Food Fest operations. Includes photo ID verification and wristband distribution, wristband checks, alcohol service at tasting corners, install/relocate stanchion poles for crowd control, manage/guide lines. Some Japanese language skill required. Individuals assigned to the alcohol tasting corners must be 21 years of age or older.
•Sunday, March 15 – 9:00am-3:00pm – Support Sake & Food Fest operations. Includes photo ID verification and wristband distribution, wristband checks, alcohol service at tasting corners, install/relocate stanchion poles for crowd control, manage/guide lines. Some Japanese language skill required. Individuals assigned to the alcohol tasting corners must be 21 years of age or older.

Japan Product Bazaar
•Friday, March 13 – 1:00pm-5:00pm – Assist with setting up the booth for the product exhibition. This includes preparing the venue by putting up POP signs and banners for the products to be sold, attaching bags for the scripts, and organizing boxes of the delivered products.
•Saturday, March 14 – 9:30am-6:00pm – We will be selling popular select products from across Japan at a special goods booth. Includes exchanging scripts for products (no cash handling), replenish stock, ensure that the products are neatly arranged and presentable for customers at all times, and help with tidying up boxes of replenished products. Greet customers cheerfully in a global-friendly manner.
•Sunday, March 15 – 9:30am-3:00pm – We will be selling popular select products from across Japan at a special goods booth. Includes exchanging scripts for products (no cash handling), replenish stock, ensure that the products are neatly arranged and presentable for customers at all times, and help with tidying up boxes of replenished products. Greet customers cheerfully in a global-friendly manner.

Stage Performances
•Saturday, March 14 – 9:50am-5:00pm – Support stage operations. Includes reception duties, liaising between MC and sound staff, and assisting with cues. Japanese language skill required to assist with participants from Japan (Japanese-English bilingual language skill preferred).
•Sunday, March 15 – 9:50am-3:00pm – Support stage operations. Includes reception duties, liaising between MC and sound staff, and assisting with cues. Japanese language skill required to assist with participants from Japan (Japanese-English bilingual language skill preferred).

Genki Ball Project
•Saturday, March 14 – 10:00am-6:00pm – Assist public participants to make Genki Balls and escort them to the Genki Ball tossing location at the Ala Wai Canal. Tossing scheduled three (3) times.
•Sunday, March 15 – 10:00am-3:00pm – Assist public participants to make Genki Balls and escort them to the Genki Ball tossing location at the Ala Wai Canal. Tossing scheduled two (2) times.

Media Check-In
•Saturday, March 14 – 10:00am-5:00pm – Assist with media check-ins, including issuing media pass and other related tasks.
•Sunday, March 15 – 10:00am-3:00pm – Assist with media check-ins, including issuing media pass and other related tasks.

Visitor Survey
•Saturday, March 14 – 9:45am-6:00pm – Support the Honolulu Festival’s visitor survey activities by actively and warmly encouraging guests to participate in the digital visitor survey. Greet attendees, invite them to take part, and assist with scanning the QR code and opening the questionnaire on their phones. After completing the survey, direct guests to the garapon prize drawing area, explain how it works, and hand out prizes. This role is ideal for volunteers who enjoy interacting with people and helping create a welcoming and positive experience for festival visitors. English-speaking volunteers are preferred, as the role involves frequent guest communication.
•Sunday, March 15 – 9:45am-3:30pm – Support the Honolulu Festival’s visitor survey activities by actively and warmly encouraging guests to participate in the digital visitor survey. Greet attendees, invite them to take part, and assist with scanning the QR code and opening the questionnaire on their phones. After completing the survey, direct guests to the garapon prize drawing area, explain how it works, and hand out prizes. This role is ideal for volunteers who enjoy interacting with people and helping create a welcoming and positive experience for festival visitors. English-speaking volunteers are preferred, as the role involves frequent guest communication.

Various volunteer opportunities are available for the Honolulu Grand Parade – please see below for details of each.

Volunteer Reception
•Sunday, March 15, 2025 – 3:00pm-5:00pm – Assist with checking in volunteers for the parade, including handing out volunteer shirts and instructing them where to go.

Grand Parade
•Sunday, March 15 – 3:30pm-8:30pm Parade Hirosaki Neputa – Assist with the Hirosaki Neputa parade float for the duration of the parade.
•Sunday, March 15 – 3:30pm-8:30pm Parade Saitama Ryujin – Assist with the Saitama Ryujin parade float for the duration of the parade.
•Sunday, March 15 – 3:30pm-8:30pm Parade Banner/Placard – Hold the Honolulu Festival Parade banner or placard for participating groups and walk to the end of the parade route. You may be asked to assist with collecting happi coats at the end of the parade.
•Sunday, March 15 – 3:30pm-8:30pm Parade Timekeeper – Timekeeper at various locations throughout the parade route.
•Sunday, March 15 – 3:30pm-8:30pm Happi Collection – Collect Happi Coats from volunteers/participants at the end of the parade route.
•Sunday, March 15 – 3:30pm-8:30pm Waikiki Shell – Provide assistance at Waikiki Shell such as guiding the floats and mikoshi assisting chief.

Grand Parade – Daijyayama
•Saturday, March 14 – 1:00pm-4:00pm (Hawaii Convention Center) Dance Practice Setup – Assist with preparation of Daijyayama dance practice (includes lifting and carrying heavy equipment) and escort dance volunteers to practice location. Japanese-English bilingual language skill preferred to assist with translating about dance practice and history for English and Japanese speakers.
•Saturday, March 14 – 1:50pm-4:00pm (Hawaii Convention Center) + Sunday, March 15 – 4:00pm-8:00pm (Waikiki) Parade Daijyayama Dancer – Dancers for the Daijyayama parade float (must be able to attend practice on Saturday and actual parade on Sunday).
•Sunday, March 15 – 8:30am-1:00pm (Waikiki): Daijyayama Assembly – Assist with the Daijyayama parade float assembly, decoration, and attachment of lights and banners.
•Sunday, March 15 – 3:00pm-8:00pm (Waikiki): Parade Daijyayama Pusher – Push Daijyayama parade float for the duration of the parade.
•Sunday, March 15 – 8:00pm-9:30pm (Waikiki): Daijyayama Disassembly – Assist with disassembly of the Daijyayama parade float.

This event is dedicated to expressing our gratitude to those who have supported the Honolulu Festival as it celebrates its 30th anniversary.
•Anniversary Event Support (English) – Assist with venue setup and preparation, as well as help with the reception of invited guests.
•Anniversary Event Support (Japanese) – Assist with venue setup and preparation, as well as help with the reception of invited guests. Japanese language skill required to assist with participants from Japan.

Apply Now