The Hawai‘i Convention Center is pleased to offer its meetings space for use as a satellite unemployment insurance processing location for the State of Hawai‘i, as jobless claims have dramatically increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nearly 1,000 volunteer positions will be staffed by public labor unions and members of the State Legislature to handle the processing of claims at the Center, in addition to ongoing claims processing at the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Computers were sourced from State offices across O‘ahu.

Several hundred work stations were set up during the week of April 20, 2020, in the Center’s Ballroom space, as well as seven other meeting rooms.

To ensure the health and safety of volunteers and staff, social distancing and personal protective equipment (PPE) guidelines are being followed, and Hawai‘i National Guard service members are conducting security and temperature checks.

The Hawai‘i Convention Center claims processing center is not open to the public.

For more information, visit the State of Hawai‘i Unemployment Insurance website at labor.hawaii.gov/ui/.

Things are heating up this summer month of June as we welcomed two major sporting events along with an educational conference plus a Music and Fashion Festival.

Among this month’s notable events was the Aloha Region Summer Volleyball Classic 2019 held last June 14-16, 2019 This tournament welcomed student volleyball teams aged 12 – 18 in our Kamehameha Exhibit Hall 1. Soon after was the Pacific Rim Championships from June 21 – 24, 2019. This basketball tournament, hosted by AAU’s Jam on It, utilized all of our 3 Exhibit Halls. 

Wrapping up June’s highlights is the first ever Hawaii Veteran’s Summit. Held over a two-day period, veterans, veterans’ organizations, and supportive services from all sectors were able to educate and network with veterans and their loved ones. Representatives from several service providers interacted with veterans to learn more about the needs of the veteran community. 

For more highlights and to find out more about our upcoming events, check out our photos below!

Concerts, graduations, sporting events, a Radiology convention and a Dance and Cheer competition. These are just some of the events that we’ve welcomed during this busy month of May.

“May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii Nei.” This statement brings to mind the annual celebration of Lei Day during the first day of May. Adding to the festivities was the annual May Day 2019 Concert was held in our Kamehameha Exhibit Hall last May 1st to celebrate Lei Day. A star-studded lineup featured Robert Cazimero and Halau Na Kamalei o Lililehua, the vocal artistry of Kaumaka‘iwa Kanaka‘ole, the celebrated reunion of Na Palapalai and more. Concert attendees were also treated to exclusive access to a May Day marketplace, featuring local vendors and artisans.

From May Day, we quickly transitioned to welcome the American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) for their 2019 Annual Meeting. Among the world’s premier conferences for radiology professionals, the ARRS Annual Meeting drew nearly 2,500 participants from 32 countries, generating an estimated $9.4 million in statewide visitor spending. In total, more than 3,000 will participate in the meeting, including virtual registrants from around the globe. ARRS, founded in 1900, is the first and oldest radiology society in the United States. It was an honor to welcome them to Hawaii for the first time and look foward to having them back again soon.

Check out some of our photos below for highlights of some of our notable group and to find out more on upcoming events in the coming months.

The month of April welcomed an eclectic mix of events that highlighted diverse cultural, social and educational fields.

Kicking off the month was the return of one of Hawaii’s most popular local anime comic conventions, Kawaii Kon, which welcomed close to 12,000 attendees and showcased a lot of unique costumes throughout their 3-day event from April 5 – 7.

Next up was the return of voyaging canoe Hokulea to the Hawaii Convention Center last April 19 – 20. Sailing aboard the canoe included crew members and students representing the young generation of “navigators” who are working on solutions to create a sustainable future. Hokulea crew members also welcomed visitors on board to tour the legendary canoe and learn about the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s mission to perpetuate the ancient art and science of voyaging and promote the values of caring for Island Earth. The event culminated with a gala dinner on April 20th in our Kalakaua Ballroom.

Another notable event this month was the Applied Materials meeting. This corporate meeting welcomed back close to 1,300 attendees for a private training event for their Sales team. Applied Materials provides innovative equipment, services and software to enable the manufacture of advanced semiconductor, flat panel display and solar photovoltaic products helping to make smartphones, flat screen TVs and solar panels more affordable and accessible to consumers and businesses.

Check out some of our photos below for highlights of some of our notable group and to find out more on upcoming events next month.

As we welcome the first few days of Spring, the month of March has brought in a number of popular community and sporting events as well as a few new meetings. 

We began with the 25th Annual Honolulu Festival last March 8 – 10. The Honolulu Festival is Hawaii’s premier cultural event, promoting mutual understanding, economic cooperation and ethnic harmony between the people of Hawaii and the Pacific Rim region. During this 3-day festival, they showcased cultural exhibitions which are free and open to the public. They also featured a Bon Dance, Japanese film festival and dance workshops, along with a fair featuring more than 100 food and craft vendors and kids games and activities. This year’s festival also showcased a special Kabuki performance on March 8th during the Friendship Gala.

Next up, we welcomed the Society of Gynecologic Oncology’s 50th Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer from March 16-19. This conference is the premier educational and scientific event for women’s healthcare professionals, including members of the entire gynecologic cancer care team who provide treatment and care in the areas of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, and palliative care. This meeting drew registrants from more than 40 countries and close to 2,400 attendees. We are honored that SGO chose to hold their 50th meeting here in the 50th State!

Lastly, another showcase event this month is the annual First Hawaiian International Auto Show which will feature over 350 new cars, trucks and SUVs inside our Kamehameha Exhibit Halls. We are looking forward to closing the month on a high with such great events.

Check out some of our photos below for highlights of some of our notable group and to find out more on upcoming events next month.