Sunset on the Beach

Sunset on the Beach was in the past one of the more popular and successful activities in Waikiki. Taking place on Queen's Beach just before and after sunset, it would typically include a variety of food vendors, entertainment by a series of local performers, and a movie shown on a giant screen supported by a very good sound system.

Sunset on the Beach started around 2001 and in its heyday had an event just about every weekend. It was sponsored by the City and County of Honolulu, and it didn't take long for Sunset to become the target of budget cuts. These were held off for a while, though the events started to decrease in frequency; then Tesoro picked up sponsorship and all was relatively well for a little while.

When the recession came, though, Sunset receded along with it, and today we mostly see just the empty screen in the photo above. There are a few events, but not many.  Back in the fall, there was the premiere of the new Hawaii Five-O which drew between 3,000 and 5,000 spectators (estimates vary) but was by any measure a success and a fine event, courtesy of CBS and additional sponsorship.

On Friday evening (January 28, 2011), Sunset on the Beach returned for the first time since the fall, as part of the weekend's Pro Bowl festivities (a Waikiki block party on Saturday evening was too late to cover for this week's press time). A football-related movie, Blind Side, was shown, and there were the usual food vendors (though they subjectively seemed to be fewer in number than usual) and stage entertainment. We only took photographs during the daylight portion of the event, but as you can see the crowds were building nicely in anticipation of another excellent event.

Sunset on the Beach is a great idea and an even greater draw. Tourists, after paying Waikiki's high prices for nearly everything, have been amazed that such a great evening is offered for free (we know; we've talked to some of them). Kama`aina come from all around, and there's little that tourists like better than spending time with the locals.

Now, we can't quantify just how much tourism money a Sunset evening brings in, nor have we found any studies that can tell us. But it seems rather intuitive that the events are a genuine plus, and it seems a shame that they are down in number to just a handful per year (we don't even see any more on the schedule right now).

Bean counters are paid to count beans and focus on a quantifiable bottom line, and it's no secret that Honolulu has serious budget issues. But we've just got to believe that making Waikiki tourists happy is really important, and that has to be worthy of investment. Taking a short-sighted view won't get us out of long-term trouble. We think Sunset on the Beach should return on a regular and frequent basis, and we're confident that the returns will justify the costs.