Maui Events and Festivals
(Maui, Hawaii - HI, USA)
Residents of Maui have much to enjoy during the course of the year, with annual festivals often reflecting the island's rich Hawaiian culture, food and art, as well as its beautiful coastline.
There is also a plethora of sporting events held in the magnificent Maui countryside and along the surrounding coastline, with the island being known for its superb windsurfing and accomplished rugby club. Keen runners looking for things to do may like to participate in the Run to the Sun in March, while the Pohai Na Keiki Nalu each June offers plenty of surfing and body boarding fun at the Launiupoko Beach Park.
Each year at the end of August, the annual six-week Aloha Festivals draw thousands to the island of Maui, as well as its cousins - the Big Island, Kauai, Lanai, Molokai and Oahu. These events now number in excess of 500 and remain a real celebration of Hawaii's heritage and culture, being first held in 1946 and now attracting more than one million people (across the islands).
National Public Holidays
- 1st January - New Year's Day
- Third Monday in January - Martin Luther King Day
- Third Monday in February - Washington's Birthday
- 26th March - Prince Kuhio Day
- Late March / early April - Easter Monday
- 1st May - Lei Day
- Last Monday in May - Memorial Day
- 11th June - Kamehameha Day
- 4th July - Independence Day
- First Monday in September - Labor Day
- Second Monday in October - Columbus Day
- 11th November - Veterans Day
- 4th Thursday in November - Thanksgiving
- 25th December - Christmas Day
Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015
January
- Mercedes Championship - early January, golfers compete for a purse of five million
February
- Chinese New Year - early February, lion dances on Front Street, fireworks, food and more
March
- Whalefest Week - mid-March, a celebration of the humpback whales who visit Maui during the winter months
- Run to the Sun - ultra-marathon runners take the volcanic challenge and run 37 miles / 60 km from sea level to Haleakala's summit
April
- Buddha Day - an annual celebration of the birth of Buddha involving a flower festival pageant
- Annual Trash Art Show - works of art made from garbage
- Banyan Tree Birthday Party - late April, a weekend of festivities to celebrate the birthday of Lahaina's huge Banyan Tree
May
- Annual Lei Day Celebration - May Day, lei making contests, arts and crafts, entertainment and more
- Annual Seabury Hall Craft Fair - mid-May, crafts, demonstrations and entertainment
- International Festival of Canoes - mid to late May, heritage festival featuring master canoe carvers
June
- Annual Pohai Na Keiki Nalu - mid-June, shortboard, longboard and bodyboard events
- Annual Maui Film Festival at Wailea - mid-June, movie screenings and premieres under the stars
July
- Pineapple Festival - early July, held in Lanai, performances by Hawaiian musicians, fishing tournaments, pineapple cooking contests, entertainment and more
- Fourth of July - July 4th, traditional celebrations take place in Lahaina and Kaanapali
August
- Maui Onion Festival - early August, celebrating all things onion
- Admission Day - early August, Hawaiian state holiday in honor of the island's becoming the 50th state
- Aloha Festivals - late August to early October, parades and events celebrating Hawaiian culture
September
- Maui Marathon - mid-September, runners speed from Maui Mall to Kaanapali
- Maui County Fair - late September, entertainment, amusement rides, exhibits and a parade
October
- Halloween in Lahaina - October 31st, giant costume party with about 20,000 attendees
November
- Hawaii International Film Festival - mid-November, cinematic festival featuring filmmakers from Asia, the Pacific Islands and the US
December
- Festival of Lights - early December, festivities, parades and tree-lighting ceremonies
- Lighting of the Banyan Tree - early December, the huge tree is lit with thousands of sparkling lights for the holiday season. Entertainment, crafts fair and Santa appearances make this an event to remember
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