Register today! | Already registered? Sign in

traveldk.com

from Eyewitness Travel Guides: the world's bestselling travel guides
  • Personal guide
  • Open
Member image

Maui : Festivals

Submit an attraction

Make sure your favorite shops, restaurants, hotels and more are listed.

Submit an attraction illustration
WIN WIN WIN

Win an Apple MacBook!

Apple MacBook laptop
Download a podcast

Free podcasts Find free podcasts for Boston, New York & more.

Join our free monthly newsletter

Advertisement

Top 10 Festivals

No one has rated this yet.
Rate it
  • Review this attraction
  • 1. O-Bon Festivals

    You should try to get to at least one of these glorious celebrations, held between late June and early September. An Asian tradition honoring deceased ancestors, O-Bon festivals are no longer strictly religious in nature, and all are welcome at the nighttime dances, which are held at Hongwanji , or Buddhist missions, such as Jodo (see Jodo Mission).

  • 2. A Taste of Lahaina

    Maui’s largest culinary festival is held each year on the Friday and Saturday closest to September 15th. Dozens of island restaurants and hotels put their best culinary creations forward while many of Hawai’i’s finest modern musicians provide the entertainment.

  • 3. Lei Day

    “May Day is Lei Day in Hawai’i” say the lyrics of a popular Hawaiian song. Not that anyone in the islands needs an excuse to make, wear, or give a lei , but May 1st is the day Hawai’i’s master lei makers demonstrate their amazing skills to the public.

  • 4. International Festival of Canoes

    For two weeks every May, master canoe builders from Polynesia and Hawai’i gather in Lahaina to celebrate their craft and the art of traditional Polynesian voyaging. There are cultural events, including a parade, throughout the period, which culminates with the launch of a canoe, built during the festival.

  • 5. East Maui Taro Festival

    Hawai’i’s most important food (see Local Dishes) is celebrated each spring in Hāna. The first day of the three-day event features a symposium; then there’s an allday festival of food, music, hula, arts, and crafts; and finally a taro pancake breakfast.

  • 6. Aloha Festivals

    Contemporary Hawai’i is celebrated from mid-September to mid-October every year. The festivities begin on O’ahu and move through the island chain with at least a week-long celebration at every stop. A “royal court” is chosen on each island, and the festivals are marked by floral parades, concerts, and craft fairs.

  • 7. Chinese New Year

    The sound of hundreds of thousands of firecrackers, the time-honored Lion Dance (see Lion Dance), and bountiful feasts of delicious and traditional foods mark Chinese New Year in the islands. The celebration takes place in early February, and you most certainly don’t have to be of Chinese heritage to take part.

  • 8. Makawao Rodeo

    Surprisingly, rodeo is a popular sport in Hawai’i and nowhere more so than in the little “paniolo” town of Makawao. Held every July 4th weekend, the festivities begin with a parade through town, and two days of rodeo events are held at an arena just up the road.

  • 9. Maui County Fair

    Carnival rides, livestock, flowers, produce, extraordinary orchid displays, and, of course, lots and lots of food – all of that and some of Hawai’i’s best entertainers can be found at this fair, held in central Maui every October. The fair draws almost 100,000 folks over four days.

  • 10. Celebration of the Arts

    The brainchild of respected Hawaiian cultural specialist Clifford Nae’ole, Maui’s Ritz-Carlton Kapalua resort hotel (see The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua) is transformed during Easter weekend into a honeypot of cultural activities. Cultural presentations and craft demonstrations are held throughout the festival. The traditional lū’au presented in a very contemporary setting celebrates Hawaiian food, music, and dance.

Write a review

If you were signed in, you could write a review here. Register for a free account, or if you're already a member, sign in.

Advertisement

 Latest guides
What’s on now in Maui
  • International Festival of Canoes
    The International Festival of Canoes is Maui's main annual event: a two-week celebration of Hawaii's rich heritage honouring the voyaging canoe which united all of Polynesia. Read more
  • Maui Film Festival
    The annual Maui Film Festival, held at the luxurious Wailea Resort, offers film and digital cinema premières and a handful of filmmakers' panels, while social events and galas help keep up the... Read more
  • Maui Writers' Conference
    The Maui Writers' Conference, held over Labor Day Weekend, is one of the most important in the world for both the publishing and film industries. Over 50 top agents and editors and 150 presenters... Read more
  • Aloha Classic Windsurfing Championships
    Ho'okipa Beach Park, near Paia in Maui, hosts top windsurfing action at the Aloha Classic Windsurfing Championships. The consistent trade winds and large seasonal surf make the event one of the most... Read more