By John Fischer
Hawaii Travel Expert, about.com
Hawaii Island is widely known as the Big Island and it's, therefore, no surprise that the island has so many Christmas and holiday events. Some of the biggest events take place on Thanksgiving weekend and continue at a brisk pace throughout the month.
Here are some of the most popular events that will take place in 2015.
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November 27 - Kailua Village Holiday Tree Lighting - A
traditional lighting of the Village Christmas tree at EmmaÕs Square,
across from Hulihe`e Palace, will take place at 5:45 pm, kicking off the
holiday season. For more information, visit www.historickailuavillage.com.
November 27-29 - Volcano Village Artists Hui Annual Art Studio Tour & Sale - Over
the Thanksgiving weekend, from 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., visitors are
invited to meet the Volcano Village Artists in their studios and see
artworks in a wide variety of media. Pottery, raku masks, hand blown art
glass, wood & metal sculpture, hand-tooled metal and fiber art, as
well as photographs, paintings, drawings and block prints will be on
display and available for purchase.
A special drawing for pieces contributed by the artists will be held on the last day of the event. Maps to the artists' studios will be available at local businesses in Volcano Village, as well as at www.VolcanoVillageArtistsHui.com.
November 27 - Christmas Treasures Art, Gift, Collectibles & Craft Fair
- This annual holiday event, now in its 32nd year, will take place
Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m. in the hotel ballroom and parking lot tent area of the Courtyard
King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel in Kailua-Kona. Vendors from all over
the state will offer their top goods to make a perfect Christmas
present. There will be a silent auction and prize drawings. Admission is
free.
[post_ads]November 28 & 29 - Na Lima Hana Holiday Craft Fair
- More than 100 local vendors will be selling their goods from 9:00
a.m. to 4:00 p.m on Saturday and Sunday at the Hilton Waikoloa Village
Convention Center. In addition to the finest in local artwork and crafts
including Hawaiian quilts and wood carvings as well as holiday
ornaments and jewelry, the festival will include Big Island agricultural
products including Kona coffee and macadamia nuts, food for purchase
and a silent auction. There will be special activities for the children.
Proceeds from the 21st Annual Na Lima Hana Craft & Collectibles Fair will benefit charities throughout Hawaii Island.
[post_ads]December 4-5, 2015 - Na Makua Invitational Christmas Gift Fair - Nelson and Kainoa Makua host their 18th
annual Christmas Gift Fair at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium in
Hilo. The Fair will run from 4-9:00 p.m. on Friday and 9:00 a.m. to 4:00
p.m. on Saturday and admission is free. They have gathered together
some of Hawaii's best artists and producers with their collections of
fine handmade crafts and gifts. They will also have food for sale, live
entertainment and door prize drawings. All of the vendors are "screened
with special consideration given to the uniqueness, quality and
craftsmanship of the craft" and they look specifically for products that
will make good Christmas gifts.
December 5- Christmas at Kamakahonu Bay
- The American Culinary Federation Kona Kohala Chefs Association will
present their big 27th annual fundraiser which benefits local culinary
education at King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel Luau Grounds from 5:30 -
8:00 p.m. The evening features the hotel's official Christmas tree
lighting, followed by numerous culinary stations featuring over 20 top
Hawaii chefs and confectioners, handcrafted ales, wines and 100 percent
Kona coffee, live and silent auctions, spectacular gingerbread house
creations and live jazz music under the stars. Tickets are $85 ($90 at
the door) and can be purchased at their website at konakohalachefs.org.
December 5 - Hawaii-Made Crafty Hands & Gifts, Too!
- As part of Waimea's huge celebration, this Christmas fair will take
place from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Thelma Parker Gym. The fair
will feature locally made items by dozens of island artisans. Admission
is free. There will be plenty of Christmas music. Plate lunches and
other food will be available, plus there will be lots of door prizes
throughout the day. Food donations for the Annunciation Pantry are
encouraged. For more information, visit waimeatown.org.
December 5 - Waimea Christmas Twilight Parade and All-Day Celebration
- For the 55th year, the town of Waimea will hold its annual Christmas
Twilight Parade from 5:30- 6:45 p.m. This year’s theme is “Our
Kupuna…Our Kuleana.” There will be craft shows and entertainment
throughout the town on the day of the parade, so visitors can arrive
early and spend the afternoon in the Big Island's original cowboy town.
Free entertainment during the day will feature Waimea's own Penny Kelii
Vredenburg and friends. Kahua Ranch owner Monty Richards has agreed to
be this year’s Grand Marshall, and as always, the parade and weekend
festivities are focused on supporting the Big Island Giving Tree.For
more information, visit waimeatown.org.
[post_ads]December 5 - Waimea Christmas Tree Lighting
- The Christmas season gets its start in Waimea in order to formally
kick of the 2015 Big Island Giving Tree Project – a gathering of
donations so that everyone in the community is remembered during this
holiday season. At 6:00 p.m. entertainment will include caroling.
Donations will be collected. Food and warm beverages will be available.
Stories of Waimea Past will be told and it all will culminate with the
lighting of the giant Norfolk tree fronting historic Barbara Hall at
Parker School. Those attending should bring their own chairs. For more
information visit waimeatown.org
December 5 - Holualoa Music & Light Festival
- Holualoa Village will hold their 19th annual Music & Light
Festival on Saturday, December 6, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. From the
Holualoa Ukulele Gallery to the Kona Hotel there will be numerous music
stages celebrating the lighting of the town's Christmas tree. For more
information call the Holualoa Village Association at 808-322-8484, or
visit holualoahawaii.com.
December 5 & 6 - Paradise Studio Tour
- The Paradise Studio Tour Artist Collective will celebrate their 9th
year of the Paradise Studio Tour on the first weekend in December from
10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day featuring 27 artists in 9 studios in
Puna's Hawaiian Paradise Park. This is a great opportunity to find that
perfect holiday gift including many unique types of art including
locally made and braided bracelets, lava pots, native plant dyed
fabrics, recycled art, woods and furniture, hand blown glass, jewelry,
fashion and clothing, quilting, doll art and more. For more information
and directions visit paradisestudiotour.com.
December 7 - Britten’s “Ceremony of Carols” & Handel’s “Messiah”-
The Kona Choral Society, under the direction of conductor Susan
McCreary Duprey, presents their annual Handel's Messiah Concert and
audience "sing along" at 4:00 p.m. at the Sheraton Kona Resort &
Spa. Tickets are $20 and are available at the Kona Stories Bookstore in
the Keauhou Shopping Center and Kona Bay Books. Choral Society members
will also have tickets for purchase for this concert which can also be
purchased by calling 808-334-9880 or online at konamusicsociety.org
[post_ads]December 12, 2015 - Kailua-Kona Community Christmas Parade
- The 31sth Annual Kailua-Kona Community Christmas Parade will kick off
at 5:00 p.m. at Kona's Kekuaokalani Gymnasium, and will proceed along
the Kuakini Highway where it will make a right down Palani Road to Ali'i
Drive where it will make a left and proceed past the Coconut Grove
Marketplace. The theme of this year's parade is Na Mele `O Kalikimaka -
Songs of Christmas The parade will feature lots of holiday floats,
marching bands, holiday music and lights, and, of course, Santa Claus,
Mrs. Claus and their elves. The Kailua-Kona Community Christmas Parade
will once again be supportive of Hawai`i Island's Food Basket, and
parade entrants and parade attendees are encouraged to contribute what
they can to the 4th Annual Menehune Holiday Food Drive. Donations will
be accepted at all of the west side food markets on the day of the
parade, from Captain Cook to Waimea, as well as during the parade, when
the Hawai`i Food Basket entry passes by.
December 12 - Kea'au Christmas Parade
- The 2014 Kea'au Lightes Christmas Parade will be held starting at
5:00 p.m. with choral groups followed by the parade at 5:45 p.m. in
Kea'au Village, just south of Hilo. This parade has become a fixture in
the Christmas season for families and members of the local community.
Typically 50 or more entrants thrill the crowds of sightseers crowding
village streets.
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December 13 - "Kokua Kailua" Hulihe`E Palace Monthly Sunday Performance and Village Stroll/Free Concert - Kailua-Kona - Free
Hawaiian Music Concert featuring the Merrie Monarchs men's glee club
and Kumu Hula Etua Lopes and his halau Na Pua U`i O Hawai'i on the
Palace's South Lawn at 4 p.m., presented by the Daughters of Hawai`i.
Bring your own beach mat or chair. Before and after the Concert, stroll
thru Kailua Village (the Stroll starts at 1pm & goes till 6pm),
enjoy outdoor cafes and restaurants, local musicians & artists.
Special kama`aina pricing at participating restaurants & merchants.
Award-winning uke player/vocalist Mark Yamanaka takes center stage at 5
pm for a free holiday concert under the monkeypod tree at Emma's Square.
December 13 - Lighted Boat Parade - Kailua Bay - The
2nd Annual Lighted Boat Parade following the Kokua Kailua and
Kalikimaka Concert events on Sunday, December 13th, showcases KonaÕs
fleet with a jovial holiday light show. Great viewing from Kailua Pier
or any of the Kailua Village's many restaurants.
December 19-20 - Kona Choral Society
will present two free holiday concerts of seasonal carols from around
the world, including Hawaii, Nigeria, France and Jamaica. The concerts
will take place each day at 4:00 p.m. at the Old Kona Airport State
Recreation Area Pavilion at the end of Kuakini Highway (Highway 11) in
Kailua-Kona. For more information visit www.konachoralsociety.org/.
December 20 (tentative) - Chorale Christmas Concert - The Celebration of Christmas in Music
is a musical winter wonderland showcasing the Kona Festivale Chorale,
Celebration Singers women's ensemble, and Kids Choir. Time: 3:00 p.m. at
the Kamakahonu Ballroom at the King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel
(Marriott Courtyard). Reserved seating is $25 and general seating is $20
in advance. For tickets or more info, call 808-331-1115 or email
kfchoral@hawaii.rr.com.
December 21 & 22 - The Nutcracker - The West Hawaii Dance Theatre & Academy will present The Nutcracker
at the Kahilu Theatre in Waimea at 6:00 p.m. Over 50 local dancers and
guest dancers from The Maui Academy of Performing Arts will perform with
narration by Barbara Pritchard. Tickets range from $18-33. For more
information call 808-329-8876, or visit www.kahilutheatre.org.
December 24 – (date tentative) Mystery of the Christmas Star Planetarium Show - The 'Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo will present their annual Mystery of the Christmas Star
from 7:00-8:00 p.m. The show takes audiences on a journey back 2000
years to Bethlehem to discover a possible scientific explanation for the
star the wise men followed to find the baby Jesus. The cost is just $10
for non-members and $8 for members. For more information and to buy
tickets visit www.imiloahawaii.org.
December 24 - Mokuaikaua Church's Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
- In Kailua-Kona, Hawaii's first Christian church (est. 1820) will hold
its Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, featuring the annual "Silent
Night" hula during the candlelight portion of the service. The service
will begin at 8:00 p.m., but Christmas carols under the Archway will
begin just prior at 7 p.m. wth songs from their `Ohana Choir. For more
information, call 329-0655 or email office@mokuaikaua.com.
See our related features on 2015 Christmas and Holiday Events on the Neighbor Islands
