With Sunset on the Beach, fondly known as SOTB, just a couple days away, we thought we would get some fans’ perspectives of what it is like to travel to Hawaii for the event. Of course being an Alex O’Loughlin fan site, we asked to highlight the experience with him the most, but the Hawaii Five O cast whom we also appreciate comes as a package deal so have included some of that too.
Fans come from all over the world for this special event and over the years it has progressed from just a red carpet premiere to a whole week of events. If you are one of the lucky ones that have been able to attend, you know what it is like to be able to share the build-up of the big event. Through a Hawaii Five O tour sponsored by Hawaii Jeep Tours, fan meet ups which will usually include one or two special guests, such as the beloved fan favorite Dennis Chun and the sightseeing of all things Oahu, the beautiful setting of Hawaii Five O, fans live it up before and after the big event.
The day of the premiere, fans will show up very early in the morning (if not the night before) to get a prime spot. Around noon Peter Lenkov has also been known to bring treats and prizes to continue the build-up and to keep everyone entertained while waiting it out on Queens Beach. Being one of the most popular and beautiful beaches of the world, waiting it out there is not that bad of a deal, but extra treats and fun can’t hurt.
As for the event itself, some of the stars of the show will appear a little earlier but the red carpet gets rather busy around 6 PM. The screams start around then and of course max out when Alex shows up. Based on the decibels of the arrivals and the majority of the signs, the fans are looking forward to see Alex when they make the jaunt or journey from wherever their home base may be. And he certainly does not disappoint!
It is clear that Alex knows the importance of this annual event and he has even stated that he thinks it should go on after the show is done airing. Of course, he was using his quick wit during an interview when he said that but the statement alone shows that he enjoys the time with the fans and knows the importance of this screening to Hawaii.
The below are just a few of the encounters that fans have reported over the years. As you can see it is a worldwide Hawaii Five O celebration. Thanks to those that shared their story with us.
Christina Ocampo- California- SOTB – Season 1 – Season 6
As you can see from the fan encounters below that were gracious enough to share their stories, Alex is there for his fans and does the best to make the experience a memorable one.
Back in 2011, I was one of the lucky fans to win a contest with CBS to go to the premiere party for Hawaii 5-0 at SOTB as well as a set visit in exchange for being a Social Media Ambassador for the weekend! Not only did we get treated like VIPs all weekend, including dinners with the marketing team from CBS, but we were able walk the red carpet and sit with the rest of the amazing cast and crew the evening of the premiere.
Since then, I have continued to write about the show, have also won a set visit for my birthday a few years back and met Alex O’Loughlin again, be part of H50 Ohana, and come to SOTB every year.
Here are pictures from my first trip, as well as pictures of my oldest daughter Alexia and I from last year’s SOTB!
* all photos in collage can be enlarged by clicking on them
Credit Christina Ocampo Kerwick
Emanuela Pari (Manu) – England- SOTB – Season 4
The 26th of September 2013, or as I like to call it the day of “my” SOTB has been unforgettable. Being part of the festivities for the start of the new season, meeting members of cast and crew, especially my favourite actor Alex O’Loughlin, was a dream come true. It started very early the day before, at about 6 pm on the Wednesday. My roomie and I didn’t even have dinner and joined some friends that were already on the beach. We chose one spot but after a little while I had a gut feeling that it wasn’t the right one and moved to the right, closer to the red carpet but where the big screen wasn’t very visible. Turned out to be the best choice since Alex didn’t take many pics at the point where we were originally.
After a couple of hours we went for a quick burger and then back to the beach until 3 am! It was tiring but also fun, got to talk to different people, we were trying to keep ourselves awake J The highlight of that evening was definitely meeting Dennis Chun and his lovely wife Laura. He remembered from the Luau that I was from Italy and Laura had lived for some time in Florence. They were so friendly, we had a nice little chat. A wonderful couple. Dennis is always full of praise for the fans, he is really adorable.
We were promptly back at about 7.30 am and believe it or not never left until after the premier, about 8 pm. OK, we had potty breaks and shave ice breaks but mostly we were there. At about 12 pm Peter Lenkov and Peter Tessler came over with cocopuffs (so yummie) and a quiz and prizes like t-shirts and scripts and badges. I got a cute little badge, I’m so happy about it.
By 5.30 pm most of the cast were backstage, my heart leapt when they said “Alex O’Loughlin is here” The first to walk the red carpet was Taylor Wily with his family, then I think Michelle, Daniel, Chi McBride (which never made it to us) and then Alex. I decided to take a video to have the memory of having Alex near forever. While he was signing my pic of him I asked him if I could take a video of us and he said “Sure” but muppet me screwed it up because I was too close L I think the rest of the video is good tough. He was going away but I thought, now or never and “dared” asking also for a pic with him, basically I got hold of his back and pulled him back closer to me (can’t believe I did that). Judging from the beaming smile in our pic together I think it didn’t bother him 😉 It was over so fast but it was one of the most exciting experiences of my life. Alex was gorgeous, friendly, patient. Smiled to everybody, cracked some jokes and really listened to the people that talked to him. He was everything I had dreamt of for years…..and more!
Credit Emanuela Pari (Manu)
Linda Stein – Pennsylvania- SOTB – Season 6
For those who have never had the opportunity to attend a H50 Sunset on the Beach in person, I can honestly say, I really hope that someday you do get the chance to go. Because it is an experience you will never forget. I was lucky enough to be able to attend the Season 6 SOTB last September. There are so many wonderful memories of that day, of the hours spent with great friends on the beach as we all awaited the big night. When the magic hour finally arrived and the stars began their trek down the red carpet, it was better than I ever dreamed it could be. We saw and met everyone. We were able to talk to and get autographs and pictures with Daniel and Grace, and Ian and Taylor, and Jorge and Dennis among others. Of course, the man of the hour, the one I personally couldn’t wait to meet was Alex.
As would be expected, Alex was the most popular star on the carpet and the last to arrive. He spent a great deal of time greeting the fans at the arrivals area and by the time he made his way down our way the entire production was running extremely late. Even though they were hustling Alex down the carpet pretty fast, he had to stop and talk to the press which was situated right in front of us. And, of course, we were all yelling his name. He tried… he really tried to come over to us but his publicist was pulling him down the carpet in the opposite direction. He turned toward us, threw a double shaka, looked right at me and said “I’m sorry…. I have to go… but I’ll try to come back”. I mean… he talked right to me … direct eye contact and everything!! Oh my friggin’ God! I honestly thought I’d held it together pretty well all night until that moment but I have to admit, when he actually spoke to me, my inner 15-year-old took over and I totally lost my head. As he’s walking away I was pleading… “no… don’t go… come back… please come back”. It was pretty pathetic! ROFLMAO
So, I never did get to meet or talk to Alex. I got great pictures of him but didn’t get to be in the picture like I was so hoping for. But even so, watching him interact with those around us, the way he handled the press and the way he really tried to come over to us even though he was being pulled away showed just what gracious guy he is. I will never forget how he spoke to me from across the carpet, the double shaka (pic below) along with that smile and that we were “this” close. Yes… a night I will never forget!
Credit Linda Stein
* all photos in collage can be enlarged by clicking on them
Shaka Pic Credit Christina Ocampo Kerwick
Lynnette Janssen – Montana – SOTB – Season 6
SOTB6! Wow, what an experience! A SOTB experience was something I had dreamed about since I first heard about it in Season One, but I had no idea what a full day’s party it was! From the fears that the whole event would be cancelled due to rain, to sweltering under the broiling afternoon sun on Queens Beach, watching the H50 team set up, to the excitement of the announcement that the stars were finally arriving, it was an experience not soon to be duplicated!
My merry little band of new Ohana and old, were pressed up tightly to the ropes cordoning off the public from the runway, but we had a fantastic view of every star walking the red carpet. Autographs and selfies were asked for with every star, and each and every one agreed to both! They were all so kind, warm, and happy to be there mingling with their fans.
It’s all true. Grace Park is drop dead gorgeous, but so is Ian Anthony Dale! Jorge Garcia is good at giving photography directions, and Dennis Chun bends over backwards to thank each and every fan for their support. DDK is every bit as considerate and funny as you would imagine.
Alex. Well, combine everything I just said about his co-stars – funny, warm, grateful, considerate, gorgeous ….let me repeat that ….GORGEOUS!…and you have Alex.
No, I didn’t get to meet him, but I was in his orbit and he acknowledged my presence with a Shaka and the most beautiful smile ever! Let me tell you, when one of those smiles is directed your way…time stops. When I came back down off my cloud, he had moved off, being hustled down the runway to his seat so the festivities could begin.
It was brief, but it was special. Who knows, maybe someday, if the show continues past S7, I’ll get back to Queen’s Beach and actually get that selfie and autograph with the man, but if not, I do have a wonderful memory to hold onto forever!
Credit Lynnette Janssen
Those are some great experiences and no doubt that those that are in Hawaii now or on the way for Friday night’s event are sure to have the same type of memorable stories. Looking forward to hearing about more encounters with the cast this year and for many more to come.
For those that can not make it, there will be lots of streaming events online and we will have a separate post to list those all. If you know of any we do not list please let us know. Just for starters Hawaii New Now will be cutting in and out on their live news cast, Billy V will be live streaming from his FB account, and Long Legs O’Loughlin (LLOL) will be live streaming as usual. More to come – stay tuned.