It's not every day we civilians can drive over to Ford Island. The Biggest Little Airshow gave up a chance to drive over the bridge to Ford Island and enjoy a wonderful show. Well planned event accommodated the masses by providing an organized parking layout and bus transportation to and from the Pacific Air Museum where the activities were held. Once into the event area, you are greeted with bleachers and tents to watch the show. Food vendors (Aloha Beer) were there to quench the thirst of hundreds with bottled water and of course, beer. Hangar 79 homes the retired decommissioned gets and carriers. The Exhibits and Pacific Air store sits in Hangar 100 ((I think it's 100; in any case, its next to Hangar 79) The air show amazed hundreds with the scale sized planes and engines that performed literally like real life jets. Kudos to the makers and the remote fliers. I attended the Sunday event; and even at the late hour of 2 pm; people were still in the bus lines filing in to attend the finale of the event. Simply amazing. Thank you, Yelp for giving me the opportunity to attend such a great educational event. (ps- I am a climate control person and being under the hot sun is not my idea of fun BUT the Biggest Little Airshow was a definite reason to compromise my climate control attitude) read more

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Talk about a fun-filled family event! I know, I know, it sounds so cliché but that was definitely the case at this past weekend's Biggest Little Airshow at the Pacific Aviation Museum-Pearl Harbor. What makes this airshow the "biggest little" airshow, you ask? The live performances are done by pilots of remote control aircraft. In addition to the main airshow, there were tons of other activities to keep the whole family entertained. The airshow is held on Ford Island, where you usually need military clearance to enter. This event was open to the public and even offered free shuttle rides to and from Ford Island. Parking was definitely ample; however, the lots they utilized were several parking lots around the hangars so there were many different parking lots available-some near and some far. They also eventually had to use an overflow lot near the residential area. Check-in was a breeze, there were separate lines for those who pre-paid and those who needed to purchase tickets. Old planes and helicopters lined one side of the area which made for great photo ops. Across the aircraft was Hangar 79, where they had aircraft exhibits and activities for kids. Kids had the chance to do an arts and crafts project and make their own gliders and they also had the chance to go inside the aircraft exhibits. The cutest thing was there were flight suits and helmets for kids to wear while they walked around the hangar and take pictures inside of the cockpits. If that weren't enough, just past Hangar 79 was the Kid's Zone which was lined with bouncy slides, a bouncy obstacle course, rides, a rock climbing wall and a snow mound. Yes, a snow mound, which was basically a huge pile of ice which was desperately needed because it must have been 90 degrees out. How they kept the ice from melting too quickly is beyond me but I know the kids enjoyed it. Prices for the rides and activities were pretty reasonable. The entrance to the bouncy areas were only 2 tickets ($1 each ticket). Across of the Kid's Zone were bleachers that provided an unobstructed view of the runway and on the other side of the Kid's Zone were food vendors. They had a great mix of food vendors that included pizza, a beer garden, BBQ, shave ice, popcorn, funnel cake, nachos, and a few others. The food was no doubt priced sky high. I recall paying $4 for a bottle of Pepsi and $10 for the nachos; at least they were generous with the nachos and they piled it high with toppings. Anyway, I had a VIP pass for the air show so I didn't have to purchase any more food. The VIP tent, located next to the bleachers, included free drinks (including beer and wine), fresh fruit, vegetables, kalua pork sliders and dumplings. They also had little freebies on the dining tables like pens, magnets and flashlights. The VIP tent also came with a great view of the runway and the best part was shade from the sun. The actual air show was pretty good for an RC aircraft performance show. They got the show started right with the National Anthem and an introduction of the pilots and their aircraft. The show also gave a tribute to the Battle of Midway Warbird Performers. The Battle of Midway was a huge turning point in WWII where the US Navy became the aggressors of the war. The aircraft were pretty good replicas of the actual aircraft and the pilots proved to be skilled in their craft. They did tricks with the RC planes which included duets, spins, and even landing the aircraft smoothly. They ended the show with candy bombings for the kids, thanks to Jelly Belly! The Biggest Little Airshow seems to be getting better and better every year. The 2016 event included a lot of new vendors and much more activities for the kids. Our nephews had a blast the entire time they were there and it was a plus that they're already so into learning more about the military and aircraft in general. This is a great, family-friendly event that I hope they continue to have annually. It exhibits and airshow doesn't only teach children about aircraft but it also gives attendees a renewed appreciation for our military and our country. read more

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I had no idea what this Event was all about. I just went in blindly, trusting my friend, Jules, who invited me as her +1. She had won free tickets through Yelp - how lucky! Thanks Jules! We got to Ford Island before the show started so that we didn't have to catch the shuttles from the overflow parking area at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center. Everything was clearly labeled - the directions, the ATMs, the restrooms, the Kids' Zone, etc. The volunteers were helpful and organized! There were many vendors and food selections! We had the Kalua Pork nachos; Mango Lychee Bubble Tea with Ice Cream; Ribs; grilled Corn on the cob; and Lemonade in a refillable jar! Activities for children and adults included dress up as a pilot; make an airplane and fly it through a hoop; look through (and purchase) the used books on aviation; sit in the cockpit of a helicopter; collect candy from the Jelly Belly drop; tour the museum; visit the gift shop; go to the $5 concert by Maunalua; see the Nagaoka fireworks show at 8 pm! We spent a total of 11 hours there from start to finish! Time really flew by! The main event was the "Biggest Little Airshow". Model airplanes were flown individually and in groups. They did tricky maneuvers and had to adjust their flight plans according to the winds just as pilots in full sized planes do. We sat at the top of the bleachers, shaded by a large banner. We applauded the skills of the remote controllers' upside down techniques; cargo delivery moves; and smooth landings! Amazing! Many of the owner-operators of the planes have won National Awards in model aircraft flying competitions and are former pilots! Thanks to Yelp for being one of the sponsors of this Airshow! It's a great family activity as well as an educational opportunity! I have a better understanding of this hobby and a deeper appreciation of our Nation's history! Mahalo to Emi & Yelp Hawaii! read more

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Thank you Yelp for the free perks. This show was great. This was my first trip onto Ford Island and the Pacific Aviation Museum. Although super hot and humid, the event was really fun. The model and real plane were a sight to see. The details and cost of these machines were incredible. The air show was amazing. These planes and choppers are unreal. The maneuvers and crazy moves, to me makes it more fun than watching the Blue Angels. The Heli operators are talented and CRAZY. Food vendors and lemonade stands made the heat bearable. I don't know if we were supposed to go into the Museum itself without paying, but we did. Aaaah the A/C was great haha. read more

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I had so much fun learning about planes and watching them fly in the air this past Sunday at Ford Island. Thanks to Yelp Hawaii and Emi H. for the free tickets. Thanks to all the other sponsors for making this event possible. See my picture below of the sponsors. There were so many kids there. They looked like they had a blast. They were sitting in the different aircrafts at the Aviation Museum and learning about them. Outside, they had the different planes flying around. They had this segment called "Candy Bombers" where the planes dropped candy from the sky and the kids got to pick them up. This was very interesting. It was raining candy! They also had a slide and rides at this event that you needed to buy scripts for. I didn't see too many kids on them though. They were too busy checking out the planes. They had about 7 food vendors to feed the hungry masses. We opted for a slice of Papa John's pizza and garlic butter corn on the cob from Waimanalo Farms. It was so hot that we couldn't pass up the lilikoi 'Nalo Made Lemonade. read more

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The show was phenominal. These planes average about 1/10 the scale, some running on actual jet fuel, some computerized with diagnostics and cost about 5K. It ran from noon to 5pm. Be sure to bring an umbrella, get lots of cool berages then sit down to watch the show. One of my favorites was the T-Rex Helicopter doing acrobatics that shouldn't be possible at all but it did beyond the physics, at least of what I know and understand, of aeronautics. It is worth watching again. The last part supposed had a plane dropping jelly bellies that you could go out grab. We decided to stay out of the mad rush not wanting to get stampede on. Some of those kids were big. Beard and all. No thanks. There were a few food trucks there or you could eat at the Laniakea Cafe inside the museum. Read my review on that before making a decision. Thanks YELP for the free tickets. read more

Biggest Little Airshow - Quack! - Festivals Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Much Mahalo @ #yelphawaii & Emi for the tickets to Air show @ Aviation Museum!! Big Mahalo to Yelp for sponsoring this event!! ( I heard the emcee announce this, watching the show) yay!! I was so happy, when I got the email confirmation. It was so easy confirming & getting our tickets. I rsvpd for my son, my momma's boy. When he was in preschool, he used to love airplanes!! This would be a great experience for us both. I went on the 2nd day of show, I wanted to take the shuttle bus in, didn't know about strict bag rules by security guard, no bags were permitted. Change of plans: I need my personal belongings, I decided to drive in. It was actually more convenient & got a chance to see how it feels to drive in to Ford Island. It's beautiful, they have their own island. Finding parking & entering the show was not a problem! We bought a few snacks & ate before we checked out the events. It's nice that they have food booths at the show including some alcohol. It was a very hot day! I'm glad there were tents to cool us from the heat. We had fun checking out the museum. Learning about the history of planes. My son tried on the jacket. He had fun & I could see it. Brings back memories of his preschool days!! We got to check out the air show, so neat how the plane drops candy!! I see all the kids running to pick up the candies, they were jelly beans. My son would run to get them if he was younger. He is in his pre-teen years, I think he is embarrass. We also enjoyed looking at the planes in front. Just amazing!! It was a nice learning experience & now time to test my son. Thank you Yelp!! Come check out the next air show!! & Aviation Museum. You sure will enjoy it!! read more

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Thank Emi and sponsors for the tickets to see this event! There were many helpful volunteers hiding and directing the traffic when you enter Ford Island. We came early and got parking that wasn't too far from the event. Others who parked further due to limited parking that was close to the event had to catch the school bus shuttle to the event. We got to see the air show!! I've never seen model aircrafts in action! It was so cool! They even had national competitors and former pilots come in and fly their plane model aircrafts. These aircrafts were the real deal because they flew so fast and did turns and tricks high up in the air. All the children were so excited to see the plane models in action. We decided to check the museum out, kamaaina rates are $15. Flight stimulator is $10. It can get very hot, because the main part of the event is the air show outside. Be sure to leave water containers/bottles at home because you can't bring them in! They'll check your bag! Please wear sunscreen, shades, or a hat. You can bring an umbrella for shade because the sun rays really do shine here. Bring a chair so you can sit and enjoy the air show instead of standing up. This experience is very kid friendly and is a great fun way for them to learn about airplanes! You can buy drinks and food inside of the event so don't worry about being hungry or dehydrated. There was pizza, sausage fest, teddy burgers, funnel cakes, lemonade, and barbecue. Have fun at the event! :) read more

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Thanks to Yelp Hawaii, I scored free tickets for my daughter and I. We attended Saturday's event and we parked in the overflow parking lot, which had two buses shuttling us to the museum area and back. As soon as we were dropped off, the check-in process was smooth to where we were able to roam around checking out the displays of jets, planes and helicopters. There was a kid zone that had jumpers, rock climbing wall and a few rides. They had food booths that ranged from popcorn to Teddy's Bigger Burger! Bank of Hawaii Mobile was on site for ATM services too! The event also had displays of the remote control jets, which was fascinating especially because I never knew they had jet remote controls AND it flies so high up in the air. After we toured around, we toured inside the Pacific Aviation Museum, which was amazing! This is a definite must-see or must-visit for locals and tourists. I'll save the experience for a Yelp review on Pacific Aviation Museum though! Once we toured and seen everything, we were able to outside by the check-in area to board the bus to return to our cars. Hands down, this was one of the most organized events ever. Thanks again, Yelp Hawaii! read more

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Thank you emi and yelp for the free admission to this event! It was fun watching the remote control airplanes and helicopters, and to be able to view the real planes in hangar 79, which is part of the museum. The planes up close were spectacular, and we found parking close to the entrance. One of the other perks of going to this show is that we got to drive into ford island to enjoy an airshow, and pass the massive traffic to drive straight to the other parking lot close to the food booths and area to watch one of the best fireworks show on ford island. read more

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Thank you Emi and Yelp Hawaii for the complimentary admission tickets to today's event. Although we had the option to park at Pearl Harbor and catch the FREE shuttle to the air show, I decided to drive to Ford Island . I'm glad we did. The drive was beautiful and soothing. Just driving over the ocean made me feel calm and relaxed. The view was also spectacular! When we arrived, we were told to park in a lot adjacent to the event. The parking lot filled up pretty quickly. I'm glad we went early...a little before it started. Right next to the parking lot, there were planes and helicopters displayed with a description about it. After we looked at the different aircraft, we walked into a hanger that had more aircraft displays and activities. My daughter and I spent some time in this area. There were lots of aircraft to view and some to sit in. There were also activities for the children such as paper plate airplane make and take, an area to fly the completed airplane and also dress up in pilot uniforms. In addition, there were some booths selling aircraft toys, products and books. Next to the hanger, there was a Kid Zone that had mini carnival rides and activities for the kid's. Food booths and a Beer Garden was also within this vicinity. We bypassed this area and headed to the Pacific Aviation Museum. We were lucky to be able to go in FREE for today. It was a very informative and educational for my daughter and I. There is a gift shop located in front of the entrance to the museum. They had cool and wonderful souvenirs. We picked up a few. Then, we finally made our way to the air show area. We got to see a few model airplanes fly over us. Some did fancy aerial tricks. We enjoyed this, too. Overall, we had a fun and learning adventure today. It was a kid friendly event that I would recommend to all families. Just be prepared by going early, take sunscreen, wear hats and sunglasses. You may want to bring water, snacks and an umbrella because it was HOT! read more

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My son had such a blast at this event. He was so intrigued by the little airplane show and the real life size gigantic planes and aircraft in the hang glider. He even got to tour inside of some of them. It was a hot and I was a little unprepared. Pizza was sold but there were hardly any other options than to indulge in pizza.. We weren't allowed to bring in bags so money money money.. When we came the second time to see the battleship, he kept asking if we will go back to see this show. Such good memories!! There were some information tables offering some pilot programs/camps but since my son was too young, I'm sure we'll be back if he's still interested in planes. read more

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So fun watching the remote controlled airplane and helicopters. It was the first for me and so entertaining. We watched helicopters dancing with the music, jet-fighters going more than 200 mph. It was also fun to go on Ford island. Seeing the military bases with cute residential houses. The soldiers on duty were super nice and friendly. We took pictures of military airplanes, wore military outfits, and walked around the spacious hanger. read more

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Huge thank you to Yelp, Emi H., Sherri F., and U.S. military for making this event possible and blessing us with the opportunity to be active attendees at this great family fun event! Wear comfortable clothes and footwear, pack and take very minimal items with you and for your family, bring sufficient cash, sunscreen, wide brim hats as weather gets humid. Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor is located on Ford Island. Drive on Ford Island, show your military ID if this is requested at checkpoint. Otherwise, people can park at Arizona Memorial and catch free round trip shuttle. If driving on Ford Island, there are signs that will lead driver to free parking. No coolers, outside food and beverages are allowed. Inform staff if you must bring beverages and snacks that they are for your child/children. Staff will inspect all carry on items upon entering premises. After entry point, there are three connected, clean and modern restroom portables. There is Hangar 79, a covered building equipped with various military aircrafts. So cool to see children dressed in occupational one piece brown suit, sitting in aircrafts while mom or dad takes photos. I brought my 3 year old and he did not mind waiting in line to enter several of the aircrafts, to experiment with gears, switches, buttons and the best part is to capture moments on camera. My 3 year old enjoyed taking pictures on outside and inside of military aircrafts. Children also have the opportunity to make styrofoam airplanes and fly them across a circle stand. Outside of Hangar 79 are white tents for purchasing scripts ($1 for 1 ticket). Get ready to spend minimum $2 or more on scripts redeemable for keiki fun which includes snow area, rock wall climbing, helicopter ride, and pirate ride. There is also free dinosaur bouncer ideal for older children. Be prepared to spend cash for beer, Papa Johns pizza, shave ice, popcorn, lemonade and juice booth, churros, funnel cakes, nachos, Teddy's Bigger Burgers and fries. I do not recall seeing booths offering debit or credit card transactions. Find big white tent to enjoy your meal, snack or beverage in the shade. Highlight of our adventure is we love watching simulated controlled aircrafts from airplanes to helicopters fly in the sky, some at 180 degrees, 360 degrees, accompanied with smoke and high speed! Fun! Fun! Fun! read more

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Thank you Emi and Yelp Hawaii for these generous tickets to this weekend's 2015 Biggest Little Airshow on historic Ford Island. We chose to attend this event by driving onto the usual Military guarded island located in Pearl Harbor. Thank you to the many great volunteers who were directing traffic and providing assistance to attendees onto this Naval Reservation and at the show itself. There was a lot of parking near the old hangars at the airfield. We parked and walked past several displays of real and historic fighter jets enroute to watch the airshow that had just started. It was amazing to see these model airplanes that were quite large, well built and electronically sophisticated. The airshow started and there were teams of hobbyists readying to send their aircraft up. The announcer stated that many of these "hobbyists" were former airline or fighter jet pilots. I had no idea how "serious" and competitive these model aircraft builders are as the cost of building these models can be like purchasing a full-size vehicle. He also said that several of the planes being flown have been used in several big budget movies as they are so realistic. The aircraft went up individually at first then it seemed as if the sky was filled with acrobatic flights and even you could even hear them as they whizzed by. We stood in awe and gleefully cheered for the pilots' expertise...gosh, we stood watching the show for about 2 hours as time flew as quickly as the aircraft. We took a break by wandering into the Pacific Aviation Museum hangar where we were able to freely roam among restored jet fighter planes from different eras. We got to meet some of the expert modelers who were happy to discuss their work and history of their planes. Another part of the Pacific Aviation Museum was open but required a small admission fee. There were docents who were eager to point out the history of the types of planes used in accomplishing its mission and its pilot from World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War and Iraq War. It was exciting to see so many people who seemed entranced with history. When we were done being "educated", we managed to find ourselves cooling down in the beer tent while munching down some burgers from the Teddy's Bigger Burgers stall. There were several other food vendors that were more appropriate (Waimanalo lemonade, grilled fresh corn on the cob, kettle corn, Papa John's Pizza and bratwurst and hotdogs) for the younger attendees. All in all, this event was a wonderful fun family outing and hit my interests (geek and tomboyishness) in history. I'd so go again! #384 read more

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This is a great place for all kids and adults who enjoy planes, big and small. There's a lot to see in terms of planes but then also an entire KidZone and open area where kids can play. They have a snow area for $2/kid and a bunch of rides for smaller kids ranging $1-$3. They have armbands for $20 of unlimited rides, not including the snow area. There are miniature planes on a runway which is pretty cool. At $5 a person this is definitely one of the cheaper places to take a family. People are really nice too. They will stop with their planes to let you take a picture, even though your child will not cooperate and it will take a lot longer than it should. Kids can climb into the regular size airplanes which is really cool for them. There are a lot of Staff members around to answer questions. This is a great place to go to on a Sunday, especially during the summer. Would highly recommend for families. read more

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It's quite sad that most tourists can say that they've visited more places on Oahu during their vacations than I have in my entire life...lol! When Yelp announced that they would be giving away free passes to this event, I took it upon myself to be open to this new experience even if my interest in it wasn't all that great. To be honest, I really didn't know what to expect. The Biggest Little Airshow took place on June 4 & 5, 2016 on Ford Island (right outside the Pacific Aviation Museum) from 10 am to 4 pm. You usually need a DoD pass in order to gain access onto Ford Island, but none was needed on this weekend. The security guards just waved us on as we crossed the bridge to get onto Ford Island. Signage and people directing traffic were abundant so we were able to find the parking lot with ease. There was also a free shuttle that took people from the USS Arizona Memorial to the event. There were full scale planes displayed outside the check in. Check in was a breeze. Bags are allowed, but they will do a quick check inside. They do not allow coolers, outside food and beverage, and pets (only service animals). Thank goodness that they allow you to bring your own water bottles, though. It was a scorching hot day! We checked out Hangar 79 first to get out of the sun. There were HUGE fans inside to cool off. There were full scale planes and helicopters, as well as radio controlled sized planes for attendees to view. People could also sit inside a couple of the planes. I took the opportunity to sit inside the Northrop F-5A Freedom Fighter that was acquired by the Imperial Iranian Air Force in 1969 (painted with classic Republic of Korea Air Force markings honoring General Kim Too Man, a legendary figure in the Republic of Korea Air Force). There were also uniforms for people to try on and crafts for kids - make a glider, make an airplane out of a water cup. The part of the hangar that sparked my interest were the real bullet holes in the glass windows on the hangar doors. They were from the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Such history in this place... The actual airshow didn't start until 1:00 pm, so we just walked around the event looking for something to do. There were radio control flight demonstrations, rides for kids, a rock wall, snow to play in, other full scale airplanes to check out, and food/alcohol booths. We tried to take a look in the Pacific Aviation Museum, but there was an admission fee of $12/person. Luckily, we were able to find a table to sit at to kill some time under the eating area tent. We tried to find something to eat, but only ended up with some garlic fries from Teddy's Bigger Burgers. Food choices included: kielbasa, brautwurst, hot dog, giant cookie, bumbucha nachos, kalua pig nachos, cheese nachos, churro, pretzel, cookies, lemonade, other various drinks, Papa John's pizza, slushee, shave ice, popcorn, funnel cake, deep fried oreos, burgers, chicken tenders, and corndogs. The Laniakea Cafe in the museum was also open for food options. The airshow consisted of demonstrations of remote controlled warbirds, jets, and helicopters. We stayed to watch some of the jet and helicopter performers. It was pretty neat to see them zooming through the air at fast speeds and soar high up into the sky. The music they played in the background added to the entertainment. The helicopter we saw did some incredible tricks that you'd never see a helicopter do in real life. I also heard that there was going to be a Jelly Belly candy bomber at the end of the show dropping jelly beans for the kids. We didn't stay until the end, but that must have been fun for the little ones. Tips for future attendees: 1. Don't follow your GPS...just follow the signs and people directing traffic for the event. Your GPS (for the Pacific Aviation Museum) will take you in a different direction. 2. Bring an umbrella, your own water bottles, and put on sunscreen. It's going to be HOT! 3. Try to find the schedule of events prior to attending. The main airshow doesn't start at the beginning so you might want to go later in the day. A big high-five and hug of ALOHA to Yelp Hawaii for the 2 free passes to this event that I otherwise probably wouldn't have attended or even known about without their announcement. read more

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Thank you Yelp Hawai'i for the tickets to this year's show. My family and I had a blast!!! We planned to park at Pearl Harbor and take the shuttle down but we made the "wrong" turn and ended up driving onto Ford Island. I'm so glad we did because it was my first time onto Ford Island and the drive is gorgeous!!!! We parked our van, loaded up the stroller and walked to the entry point and realized no outside beverages or food was allowed. Oops! I wish there were signs saying so before we got to the entrance but no biggie; sent the hubby to bring the cooler back to van and the kids and I watched the remote controlled model planes from outside the event area. Checking in easy! I simply showed the email from Sherri @ Yelp, the volunteer wrote down my ticket number and on we were. Thanks again Yelp!!!! My hubby and I were amazed with the shows put on by the model planes. It really looked like we were watching The Blue Angels...just much smaller planes. The speed and tricks were unbelievable! And who knew model planes had to be safely and correctly landed just like real planes! Learn something new everyday! My kids were much more entertained with the hands on activities (building mini gliders, dressing up in air suits and sitting in cockpits of military aircrafts) in the Hangar and the rides at The Keiki Zone. Thankfully ride tickets were affordable! They had a blast in the bounce house obstacle course, helicopter rides, and rock wall. The food court included, but not limited to, Papa Johns, Teddy Bigger Burgers, and BBQ. All the food vendors accepted credit cards and offered fresh and affordable food. Thankfully there were plenty of tables and seats under the tent because the sun was scorching today! We had hoped to spend some time inside the Pacific Aviation Museum but ran out of time. We can't wait to finally check it out and for the next Biggest Little Air Show! read more

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I promise, I was there. (For the record, so I wasn't a no-show.) Just at 3:30, because my ticket said "Sunday, AT 4:00." So...I showed up at 3:30, when everything was pretty much winding down. But from what I did see, it was pretty dope. The hanger and museum were both really neat, and definitely worth checking out. Even though it wasn't a real air show, I will say that the model planes definitely looked like real planes soaring through the air when they were at a high enough altitude. I wish I could say more but given the brevity of how long I was able to hang out, I missed out on getting to meet everyone there on Sunday. But hey, that stuff happens. read more

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Thanks Emi for the opportunity to attend this event. We arrived early, and the parking was well organized and easy breezy. We first tackled the hanger and saw all the various helicopters and planes. There was even an option for the kids to put on flight gear and pose for pictures. My three year old nephew loved it! The lines for photo ops sitting in the cockpits were somewhat long but the staff/volunteers were pleasant and helped kids get up and down the stairs with ease. The keiki rides were awesome and the script system seemed to work fine. The food options were somewhat limited and there weren't a lot of healthy options so I was a little disappointed by that. They had nachos, Teddy's Bigger Burgers, and a couple other options like brats and pizza. I was thankful for the Nalo lemonade booth cause it was HOT! The model airplane show was cool and the announcer was enjoyable. My nephew loved it! Thanks Yelp! read more

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First off Big Mahalo to Yelp & Emi for getting us free tix to this event. The aircraft & 'pilots' were great. Lots of cool planes on display & planes were always flying. You never had to wait long for the next ones. This year they had Papa Johns, Teddy Bigger Burgers & a few other booths with funnel cakes & lemonade (and more). Just the right variety. Part of the show area is also the Pacific Aviation Museum. So def had to check that out too. They did the traditional candy drop for the kids at the end. All in all...great afternoon on Ford Island. The bus situation to & from the parking area was kind of a cluster, but it wasn't that bad. Definitely wear sunscreen & you can take chairs. Oh, they had a beer tent too...but only Aloha Lager & Red ale. read more

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Thanks to YELP, me and my ohana enjoyed ourselves at the airshow. Was another beautiful day in Hawaii nei and this event topped our day. Tons of parking with many volunteers posted throughout. They even had parking with a bus shuttling people to and from the event. There was security enforcing the no food and drink from outside rule. Entry into the venue ran smoothly. So many photo opportunities to get of the many different planes and helicopters of the different branches of the military. Instead of viewing them in the sky, we all had an opportunity to get close and see how complicated the cockpit looked and how huge these planes and helicopters were. As much as I enjoyed seeing all this flying beauties up close. I enjoyed the airshow much more! Those pilot's are top notch! How, I'd love to get a ride, but maybe not. They made moves, that would make any amusement ride seem like kid's play. Some of those moves were so risky, that I caught myself holding my breath. I would have loved to watch more, but it was just too hot. So what do you do when it's that hot? You seek an ice cold beverage! So, we lined ourself in the lemonade line. Where we forked over our $10.00 for lemonade in a mason jar. It was $7.00 if you wanted it in a cup. It was kind of disappointing that the lemonade was warm. I think the mixture was warm when they poured it unto the ice, making the ice melt instantly. It made the top of the drink cool, but the bottom of the drink remained warm. I love popcorn, so we stood in line. For $3.00 I got a small bag with additional toppings at a $1.00 each. So I added Furikake and mochi crunch. However, when I got the bag, they had no butter, so the Furikake didn't stick to the popcorn. As I started to eat it, the popcorn was so salty, that I just started picking the mochi crunch out. Somebody had a heavy hand with the salt! The shave ice was okay, the ice wasn't smooth, but rather chunky. However, when you're hot and sticky, crunching on some ice brings some relief. The keiki enjoyed the man-made snow, to beat the heat. Cost was 2 scrips. There were some rides and rock climbing put on by Extreme Fun. Maybe the event should consider making it later in the afternoon, say 3:00 p.m. till 8:00 p.m., this so people could stay later and beat the heat. Also, if there were more food vendor's that would be awesome! Either way, we'll return again! read more

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First of all, a huge Mahalo to Yelp for the free passes - my kids and I enjoyed! We attended the Biggest Little Airshow this past weekend (Sunday). I'm going to get my gripe out of the way first so I can get on to the other stuff. To no fault of the show, the weather was just too hot for an event that is on asphalt and concrete. I wish this event were two months earlier or two months later. The event technically starts at 10am but I arrived a little early and was surprised to be let in. The highlight also is getting to drive over the bridge to Ford Island, that was a treat in itself. Admission is $5 per person or I think $15 for a family (not sure how many that includes). Since I got 2 free passes from Yelp (thanks again!), I only had to buy one. They give you a wrist band and this year gave two tickets for the kids to go in the bounce house. One of the hangars has model planes, real planes, dress up areas, make your own plane (out of plates) areas and a helicopter and jet to go in. It's neat for the kids to see and experience this all up close. The airshow runs 1 or 2 planes at a time and they zoom around quite quickly and high up (more than you'd expect!). These planes are also not your rinky dink RC planes, they're big! They had ample food booths: shave ice, ice cream, lemonade and corn, burgers, dog dogs, barbecue... Extra charge to visit the actual museum (but you can go to the front to go to the gift shop and/or restrooms at no charge). Free parking available and people/signs directing you to the parking areas are helpful! Bring sunscreen! I brought Hydroflasks with water and they asked if it was for the kids and I said yes but I saw others without kids walking around with Hydroflaks so guessing you can bring them in with or without kids. read more

What a great day! Good weather and lots of people showed up for this airshow featuring scale model planes performing awesome stunts and displays. The pilots using remote controls treated the public to numerous take-offs, tricks, and landings. The helicopter was intense- it literally danced to AC/DC! A big Mahalo to all of the participants. Along with the fun for kids, fair food, open cockpits and hangars was an opportunity to learn some history (The Battle of Midway), see some history (restored and partially restored vintage aircraft) and become part of an historical Biggest Little Airshow in the Pacific! read more

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I had soo much fun at the biggest littlest airshow. My friend had bought a family pack ticket and invited me to come along. It was a very hot, sunny, humid Sunday afternoon when we arrived. I saw from afar once we parked the huge display of planes and helicopters. As we got closer we saw the check in booth and were given wristbands. We then walked into a smaller white tarp tent where it held model remote planes. One was up for grabs for 1,000 buckeroos. That's one expensive hobby. We walked into an open hangar which displayed a couple booths that sold drones, aviation books, and a section of Legos for the keiko. It was pretty sticky and hot inside with only one large fan. I saw a group of families congregating by the fan and not moving from their spot lol. What really appealed to my friends daughter was dressing up as a pilot. There were suits for all ages. They even threw in a helmet. That's what I'm talking about ! Top gun Tom cruise lol. There was plenty of photo ops and so we waited on line with other families for her to get one done. After we were done with the photo ops inside we walked out to check out the activities. There were rides, bouncy houses, and wall climbing where kids could partake in. The tickets were only a buck a piece! Not bad for families with multiple kids. Then we went by the gate to watch the planes take off in the air doing tricks by twirling, flipping, and flying so fast in the air. It was a wondrous sight to see. There were bleachers on the side first come first serve. We then ventured over to the food booths where we bought some drinks to cool down. I had nalo made strawberry lemonade. It was cold, sweet, tart, and refreshing. We tried to buy a burger from teddys booth, but they ran out of cheese:(. I ended up becoming a kid when they announced they were dropping jelly belly candy from one of their remote airplanes. I saw all the keikos getting ready to push the gates aside to run into the field. It was a cute sight to see little toddlers trying to stuff candy down their shirt. The reason I received the amount of candy I did was the guys went around the gates with boxes handing them out! Ahhhhhh yes I won't be stampeded by the little masses. It was a great air show. It was organized with helpful informative volunteers. I look forward to the one in October!!! read more

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Big thanks for yelp and Emi for the tickets. Decided to check this out today since it was my day off. Took my brother along with me since he is in the Military and would appreciate it. We came around 12 pm and it was pretty packed. Luckily volunteers were there directing us to the location and where to park. There's a lot of different planes you can look at and I saw some kids dressing up and taking pics. The air show was exciting for me because I like to see the different maneuvers they make the plan turn and spin and fly as high as possible. I like that you did not have to wait long until the next plane would take off and put on a show. Definitely something fun for the kids and those who love to fly or like planes. They had rides and some kind of ice mound for kids to play and enjoy (you would need to purchase scripts to ride). There was a variety of food vendors like papa johns, teddys bigger burgers, a lemonade stand, BBQ stand, hot dog stand and funnel cake stand. Great that they took credit/debit card but there was also an ATM machine available. It was really sunny and hot so it would be best to bring a hat or a huge umbrella. Also sunscreen up! Also a beach chair/folding chair if you wanna relax and watch the air show. We decided to also take a look at the Pacific Aviation museum which was also filled with different planes and history. It's $15 for military and kamaaina so have your IDs available. It's a short museum but filled with interesting fun facts. read more

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The Biggest Little Airshow at the Pacific Aviation Museum on Ford Island! We've been coming for several years, but this year was the best, by far! More food, more exhibits, more planes, more people- MORE FUN! Thanks to Yelp for two free tickets, we only had to pay for our kiddos. The first thing I noticed as we drove up was that it was so much bigger than last year, the tents and activities were more spread out and the had more vendors! First we looked at all the model planes displayed outside and learned that one of them cost $13,000! What an expensive hobby! Then we went into Hangar 79 where all the other fun stuff was. As usual, they had the Lego display and contest, which both of my boys joined. Last year my kids wanted to dress up in the pilot uniforms and hats and go onto the planes, but this year it was so hot, no one wanted to et near those sweaty costumes! Yuck! There is so much to do and see here, most people seemed interested in the fun stuff; the food vendors, the bounce houses, the candy drop, etc. being a nerd, I love the historical aspect and when you first walk into hangar 79, there was an older gentleman seated at a table... and yeah, he looked like he might be a greeter, that is certainly how people were treating him. But then I saw a sign: His name is Dick Girocci and he is a Pearl Harbor survivor, a WWII veteran, and a served 20 years in the Navy. In short, he is a living legend, a hero. Don't walk up to him and ask him when they are doing the candy drop! He doesn't care, he has more important things to say! I waved my husband and kids over to meet Mr Girocchi and my children (though they don't realize yet) had the amazing privilege of shaking the had of a true American hero. We spent quite a bit of time speaking with him and learning about his experiences. We also met Philip Baham, one of the few remaining Tusgekee Airmen. Wow, what an honor. Another American Hero! We spoke to him for a while and thanked him for his service. And just marveled at the privilege of being able to meet such men who fought so courageously for our country. Since it was about 10,000 degrees out there, we went and got some Nalo Pineapple and regular lemonade. And some shave ice! Then we waited for the candy drop. My kids always love the candy drop. And I totally appreciated that this year, the sponsors Kumukit, used Jelly Belly Candies. They are free of the top 8 allergens, so totally safe for my little one to eat :D For those who went to the Airshow on Saturday, they also had a festival and ceremony across the street on the grassy area, called the Peace Friendship Commemoration, which was followed by the Nagaoka Fireworks. Nagaoku is known for creating magnificent firework displays. For those who don't know, Nagaoku and Honolulu are sister cities. As a matter of fact, the admiral who planned the attack in Pearl Harbor was originally from Nagaoka. 70 years after the end of WWII the Mayor of Nagaoka and the Mayor of Honolulu, both gave wonderful speeches memorializing the fallen service members and commemorating and celebrating the end of the war and the 70 years of peace between American and Japan. It was a touching ceremony, which lead up to the famous and amazing Nagaoku Fireworks. I'm sure for many Americans, the fireworks were slightly different from what they are used too, but they were amazingly beautiful and meaningful, nonetheless. All in all, it was an amazing day. Even the part where I tripped over a root and totally fell flat on my face in front of all the thousands of people in the food truck lines. I totally biffed it, hard. But no one laughed. Most people were kind enough to help me back up :) read more

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Very organized. Short and sweet. Planes were so authentic. Great for kids and kids at heart! read more

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Thank you Yelp and Emi for hooking us up for free tickets! amazing small plane air show as well as free entry to the museum part as well! If you are a plane enthusiast or not, you will love this show! read more

Biggest Little Airshow - Festivals Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This was the funnest little airshow ever! If you got there early, after you pass through the maned gate, you were directed to the parking area. If you got there late, you would have been directed to the overflow or the extra overflow or just shuttled yourself in from Pearl Harbor. Some can even choose to bike into Ford Island. The all-day event had kiddie rides, food vendors, models, displays and airshow. Its an enjoyable time for all ages. Thanks for the free admission!! read more

Just a fun fun day... the kids really love seeing all the aerial acrobatics. A great day- different, and well-remembered by the kids. I know the promoters probably have more fun at this event than the audience does- who in their right mind would be upset about having a huge crowd of people ohhh and ahhh at you for making great areal performances???? It just makes everyone want to go out and make a big model airplane and fly it all over the island. I think it is a great way to get kids hooked on the idea of flying and it is a great show. I wish I could control those planes too all year long- it would be so much fun!!!! I think that every kid needs the opportunity to have big ideas in their lives. I don't think it is possible to dream about flying without seeing things that really do fly. I think it just widens opportunities and imagination by seeing really great planes that just spark the aspirations of children. It makes teachers jobs so much easier if they know that flying takes a lot of science to be able to do all of that- so STEM is a great way to learn from an introduction like this Little Big Air Show. I know different science teachers can do so many experiments with lift, acceleration, and take off and models are so cool to work with for kids and adults- it is just wonderful to spark imagination and make kids want to learn more. My nephew's dad works on planes as a mechanic. My nephew doesn't get to see his dad often so being able to see planes makes him feel that much better and remembers his dad. It means so much to him to be able to visit and see cool planes. He just loved seeing all the planes doing all of their tricks- he talked so much about how his dad works on planes to the other kids that he saw there. I know he really enjoyed himself this day and I know next year to be better prepared to stay longer for him (as he liked it so much) but the little girls can't take the sun and heat as much and still be perfect little angels if they are not happy. It can be hot outside. I know my kids limits. I know I paid admission and all - but it is just not worth it to say all day in the sun and have them miserable - when all I have to do is let them enjoy themselves $15 worth each and then call it a day while everyone is still smiling and happy and not to close to meal time so that they are not complaining a ton and we can go back to town side and eat takeout in air-conditioning and have smoothies so that they cool down before taking a shower and having a great long nap. It makes for a big great day and lots of memories for the kids and the wow factor is still there if they have a better day without complaining or getting too much sun. In general, the Pacific Aviation Museum is just a great museum to take the family, reasonably priced and a good day of clean fun. I have another post with more info if that helps. Bad news- parking can be difficult. If you can take the Bus - please do. I know for this event driving was better as I didn't know how long we would be able to stay out in the sun. Remember that Ford Island is close enough to the military bases that parking can be tricky. Please be mindful of what's going on around others so that there are no traffic accidents and tourists arrive at the Arizona especially safely. The earlier the better and parking lots can fill up quickly. I really just need to be better prepared next year for gearing up sunscreen, umbrellas, water bottles, snacks and food for in the car to make everyone happy before and after we get out of the car and back in so no need to worry. I just need to plan better next year because the kids really enjoyed themselves. Also they will be a year older so things may get easier as time goes by- but still being prepared is so important that I need to be more next time. read more

Mahalo Yelp for the passes. Always wanted to check it out. Enjoyed that you could drive over the draw bridge to get there, very well organized, parking attendants working hard in the hot sun to get us situated. There were many displays of the model planes, the owners put in a lot of time to matinicus get their planes to perfection. Even the helicopters looked and flew great. It was a hot sunny day there. Many from the mainland brought their models down to fly it on Ford Island. Unbelievable how much one of them will cost.. $20 -25,000. The jet plane can go up to 200 mph, and can only hold enough fuel to fly about 7min. They had tons food trucks, [Shave ice and ice cream trucks had the longest lines.bouncers and displays, They even had a beer tent...To get out of the heat they had displays of planes inside a hanger, Cool stuff, I still remember the Flying Tiger plane, it was my first model plane that I put together when I was a kid. The Swamp Ghost is a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress piloted by Captain Frederick 'Fred' C. Eaton, Jr, that was shot down over Papua New Guinea during the Second World War in 1942, after a raid on ships at Japanese-occupied New Britain. While flying over Rabaul, it was intercepted and eventually had to force-land in a remote swamp near the north coast of New Guinea. All of the crew survived the crash landing and arduous trek out. Did I mention how HOT is was there... glad I had my hydro flask and a sun hat on. Be sure to bring sun screen if you plan to be out watching the air show. Some that were prepared had umbrellas... I think they also opened the Pacific aviation museum which has A/C but I think they had an additional charged to get in, i did go there prior to a party there, awesome back drop, very interesting place. read more

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Thanks so much to Yelp HI for the complimentary tickets to the Biggest Little Airshow! I brought my dad along with me, and we had a great time. As Dad has base access regularly, we had no issues driving over to Ford Island from town. Since we got there around 11:30am, we were directed to park in overflow parking and ride the shuttle schoolbus to the event on the airfield. Once we got off the shuttle, we were able to enter through the prepaid ticket line with no trouble. There were a bunch of things going on, from the open exhibits in the hangar to the kid play area, food area, and airshow. We didn't partake in the food or kid activities, but had a good time checking out the exhibits and watching the model plane airshow. It was cool that there were a bunch of model planes on display with owners on hand to answer questions - the planes looked extremely realistic, and I was surprised that several of the larger models use real jet fuel to operate! My suggestion would be to bring an umbrella for shade...or at least a hat and sunscreen. It gets really hot out there on Ford Island! I noticed several signs that said no outside food and drinks were allowed into the event, but when I got there I saw a bunch of people there with food/drink and even their personal hydroflasks. I would have definitely brought my water bottle with me had I known they were not being too strict! TL;DR - prepare for sunny weather, great exhibits, and amazing model plane airshow! read more

Many, many, Mahalos to Yelp for the free passes to this wonderful event. My sister, little niece and I had a blast and all slept very well afterwards. The parking was well organized this year and we were able to drive in on Sunday and get parking very close to the venue with no trouble at all. The volunteers did a fantastic job and I am thankful that they were posted all around the area to keep things moving seamlessly. We arrived at lunch time and enjoyed the nice selection of lunch offerings, settling on sausage from the hilariously named, Sausage Fest, and a burger from Teddys. As expected at any event like this the food prices were a bit steep, but it was anticipated in advance. If you want to save a lot of $$$ plan on eating in advance. The museum displays, volunteers and staff were so wonderful & user friendly. We entered the hanger, took some photos and took part in interactive experiences. We truly appreciated the time and effort they put into preserving the history and could tell the pride and joy they took in their work...so a huge thank you to all the Pacific Aviation Museum volunteers and staff for their awesomeness!! The show itself was very interesting. These model planes are no joke! they sound and look almost like the real deal and their operators are obviously very skilled. It would be interesting to know more about the planes and operators other than what the announcer shares throughout the show, perhaps on the event website. They put a lot of time and money into this so it would be interesting to see how one gets into a hobby like this. The only slight bummer of the day was that there were only a few kids rides / activities and they were mostly for bigger kids. We got the wristband for my 4 year old niece and she could only really get on 2 of the rides so we just did the little planes once and then let her run up and down the same slide until she was exhausted. I saw some folks with younger kids give their tickets away all together because their kiddos were too young for all the rides. Otherwise it was a very well orchestrated and unique event! I can't wait to go back to museum and spend more time sans little ones soaking in all the history. The mightly mo nearby is hosting picnics on the pier on various Fridays throughout the summer so this is really the time to get out to Ford island and enjoy all the activities there. read more

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This was a good event if you're into aircraft. The small planes keep the little ones happy and the large ones in the hanger which is open during the event are good for the older ones. The only real complaint is you can't bring in your own food and drink and the food and drink for the show are really over priced. read more

Parking was easy. Fee only $5 per person. Bleachers are provided. A lot of kids activities including bounce houses. Model collection is a highlight for my boy. Entrance to the museum is included. Of course, the RC air show is a amazing. Everything from Corsairs to high speed jets keep everyone engaged. This is definitely a more intimate event for families who love aviation! PS - don't let the kids miss the candy drop. read more