Top 20 things to do on Maui, Oct. 19-29: Aloha Festivals, Kōkua for Lahaina concert, Hawaiian Ghost Stories, Rocky Horror Show

Aloha Festivals five-days of culture and fun starts Saturday with a parade; Oktoberfest and Kōkua for Lahaina raise funds for Maui wildfire victims; and Haunted Hawaiian Ghost Stories and the musical Rocky Horror Show pave the way for Halloween.

Coming soon, the Hawaiʻi International Film Festival and Maui Jazz & Blues Festival.

Check our Maui Now’s Top 20 list below. And for a comprehensive list of upcoming events — concerts, shows, entertainment, community activities and outdoor farmers markets — for this week and beyond, click here.

No. 1 – Aloha Festivals five days of culture and fun (Oct. 21-25, Hāna)

Aloha Festivals begins with a Hāna Parade at 11 a.m. on Saturday, featuring the Hāna Royal Court, floats, a grand marshal and marching band.

The celebration includes Zenshin Taiko drummers, a magic show and a Ho’olaule’a at the Hāna Park, as well as sports games, food vendors and an exhibition of arts and crafts. Here is the schedule:

• Oct. 22: Keiki/Wahine Shoreline Fishing Tournament, 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Oct. 22: ‘Ohana Beach Day: Ohana Play Day games, 12 to 5 p.m. at Hāna Bay.
• Oct. 23: Sports Night, 5 to 9 p.m. at Hāna Ballpark
• Oct. 24: Traditional Lei Making Class, 3 to 5 p.m. at Hāna-Maui Resort. Reserve seats by calling Kane Kanakaole at 808-264-1094.
• Oct. 24: Karaoke Night at Hāna Bay, 5 to 9 p.m. Sign up by calling or texting Poerava at 808-670-1200.
• Oct. 25: Floral & Lei Contest, with entries submitted between 10 a.m. and 11 p.m. at the Hāna-Maui Resort, followed by a Kupuna Luncheon from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Reservations are required; contact Kimo at 808-270-3284.
• Oct. 25: Ulana Niu – Coconut Weaving Workshop from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Hāna Farms, followed by Teen Night from 6 to 9 p.m. at Hāna Bay and an evening of DJ music, along with interactive games, an aloha attire contest and more.

For a detailed schedule in other parts of Maui through October, go to Aloha Festivals on Maui.

No. 2 – Kīhei Charter School benefit for Maui wildfire victims (Oct. 21, Kīhei)

Kīhei Charter School presents “Kōkua for Lahaina,” an afternoon of entertainment to raise money to benefit Maui wildfire survivors on Saturday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The event features singer-songwriter Anthony Pfluke and the bands Crossing Rain and Timelines. All proceeds go to the Maui Strong Fund.

The event at the school at 650 Lipoa Parkway also includes food trucks and an aerial silk performance. The event is substance free: no smoking, drugs or alcohol. For more information including tickets, go to kiheicharterschool.

No. 3 – Haunted Hawaiian Ghost Stories at the MACC (Oct. 25, Kahului)

Master storyteller Lopaka Kapanui tells Haunted Hawaiian Ghost Stories at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center on Oct. 25 in two presentations: at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Admission is free. But reservations are required at MauiArts.org

Kapanui talks about some of the haunted places in Hawai’i. Patrons are asked to bring needed items for those impacted by the Maui wildfires. Donations may be made at bins located near the main entrance. Needed items include diapers for babies and adults, and personal hygiene items like toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner.

No. 4 – $500 Best Costume Contest at da Playground Maui (Oct. 21, Māʻalaea)

DJ Jamn J and DJ Stylz host a Halloween costume contest da Playground Maui on Saturday at 9 p.m. Parking is free after 5 p.m. with local I.D. 21 and over. For tickets, which cost $15, click here.

No. 5 – Monster Mash Mansion of Fright at UH-Maui College (Oct. 20 & 21, Kahului)

Spine tingling thrills await visitors at the Monster Mash Mansion of Fright at the University of Hawaii-Maui College on Friday and Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m.

Family fun at the free Spooktacular Keiki FunZone starts at 5 p.m. and ends at 8 p.m. Proceeds from the pre-Halloween event go to the college’s Student Basic Needs project.

The exhibit at the Laulima Building features Five Rooms of Fright, including a Haunted Hospital and Spider Cave. For more information, go to Student Basic Needs.

No. 6 – The Carpenters tribute by Sheryl Renee at ProArts Playhouse (Oct. 25, Kīhei)

Songbird Sheryl Renee performs songs by The Carpenters at the ProArts Playhouse on Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Maui wildfire relief efforts.

Renee has been performing tributes to the songs and lives of some of the world’s greatest music icons. For more information including tickets, go to ProArts or call 808-463-6550.

No. 7 – Observe & Play Family Day at Shaefer International Gallery (Oct. 21, Kahului)

An Observe & Play Family Day takes place in and near the Shaefer International Gallery at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The event is free.

Visitors will have the opportunity to witness the unique installations of artists Chenta Laury and Holly Wong inside the gallery. Outside, families will have an opportunity to make art pieces at several interactive maker stations and take the pieces home. The art pieces include hand-felt bracelets and mono prints.

No. 8 – Sharks After Dark: 80s Night at the Aquarium (Oct. 21, Māʻalaea)

The Maui Ocean Center presents “Sharks After Dark: 80s Night at the Aquarium” on Sunday from 6 to 9 p.m. It’s a 21-and-older event. This event features live tunes by Keoki Ruiz and Ami Schorr. Themed attire is encouraged.

––There will be diver presentations in the aquarium’s 750,000-gallon Open Ocean exhibit showcasing hundreds of fish and five species of sharks and screenings of the “Humpbacks of Hawai’i” 3D film inside the Sphere Theater.

Venison meatballs, sushi rolls and more food will be available for purchase at Reef Café, along with beer, wine, cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages. At Maui Ocean Treasures, guests may purchase locally made products, in addition to “Maui Strong” T-shirts and stickers benefitting Hawai’i Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund.

Reservations may be made at the Maui Ocean Center. Tickets are $25, but 24 hours prior to the event they go up to $35.

No. 9 – Grammy-nominated singer Elele Tiana performs at Ocean Organic Vodka Farm (Oct. 19-21, Kula)

Grammy-nominated singer Elele Tiana performs at the Ocean Organic Vodka Farm & Distillery Thursday through Saturday from 5 to 7 p.m. Tiana, a songwriter and ‘ukulele player, has music that ranges from island groove and roots reggae to soulful funk. Here’s her website.

The entertainment is complimentary, with outstanding views of the central valley. The farm has set up locations where visitors may donate to funds helping Maui wildfire survivors. Many of the performers are from West Maui. Other entertainment includes:

• Oct. 22: Deason Ka’ohele Baybayan of the Lahaina Grown Band performs Hawaiian island rhythms.
• Oct. 23: Jason Tempora, who previously performed at Dukes Beach House Maui and Dirty Monkey in Lahaina.
• Oct. 24: Keyboardist-singer Mark Johnstone of the Mick Fleetwood Blues Band.
• Oct. 25: Aaron Booth performs island style grooves.

No. 10 – Bottom Of The Barrel Blues performed at ProArts Playhouse (Oct. 20, Kīhei)

Tempa Singer and Nave Naor are joined by special guest Jimmy Dillon in performing Bottom Of The Barrel Blues at ProArts Playhouse on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

The trio creates a blend of soul and folk music. They will be playing songs ranging from Bessie Smith to Muddy Waters, including Big Mama Thornton’s Hound Dog and Blind Willie Johnson’s Soul of Man. Their music, including original songs, can be heard at tempaandnaor.com. For more information including tickets, go to ProArts. Tickets run from $25 to $35.

No. 11 – ‘Rocky Horror Show’ at ‘Īao Theater (Oct. 20-31)

The 50th anniversary of this popular musical “Rocky Horror Show” continues this weekend at the ʻĪao Theater in Wailuku. Actor Eric Gilliom is reprising his role of the diabolically funny Dr. Frank ’N’ Furter, and Aaron Pardini as Columbia. This fully produced stage production, with live band and rocking singers, has a lot of campy, interactive opportunities. Audience participation bags will be on sale. The musical had sold-out performances last year.

The plot begins with sweethearts Brad and Janet searching for help after getting a flat tire during a storm and discovering the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank ‘N’ Furter. Their innocence is lost as they meet a house full of wild characters, including a creepy butler and rocking biker as well as Furter, who unveils his latest creation: a muscular man named “Rocky.”

For more information, including dates, times and tickets, click here.

No. 12 – Birthday Candles at MAPA’s Living Room (Oct. 20-22, Wailuku)

The Maui Academy of Performing Arts continues the Maui premiere of the Broadway play “Birthday Candles.” It runs through Oct. 22 at MAPA’s Living Room, 2050 Main St.

Written by American playwright Noah Haidle, the play tells the story of a woman and her loved ones on her birthdays as she ages from 17 to a 107-year-old great-grandmother. It starred Emmy Award-winner Debra Messing when it opened on Broadway in March 2022.

Haidle has had 10 plays performed in Germany, where one newspaper compared him to Chekov and Beckett. He has received three Lincoln Center Lecompte Du Nouy awards and a 2005 Helen Merrill Award for emerging playwrights.

The play is directed by MAPA’s artistic director David C. Johnson and is part of MAPA’s Living Room series. For more information including tickets, go to MauiAcademy.

No. 13 – Jazz at ProArts Playhouse with Joie Taylor, Jeff Helmer (Oct. 22, Kīhei)

Singer-saxophonist Joie Taylor performs with some fine jazz performers at ProArts Playhouse ons Sunday at 5 p.m. She’s accompanied by Jeff Helmer on piano and Paul Marchetti on drums, and Ian Sheridan on bass and presented in part by the Maui Jazz and Blues Festival.

Helmer, twice named a finalist in the Great American Jazz Piano Competition, was the long time director of the University of Texas Jazz Orchestra whose band performed at the North Sea and Montreux Jazz Festivals. For more information including tickets, go to ProArtsMaui.

No. 14 – Phil & Angela Benoit perform (Oct. 22 & 25, Wailea & Wailuku)

Angela and Phil Benoit performs original music and jazz standards, bossa nova, pop and Hawaiian swing at Pita Paradise on Sunday and The Empanada Lady Restaurant & Lounge on Wednesday. Both performances run from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

Angela’s vocals are smooth and rest somewhere between high alto and low mezzo-soprano while Phil provides a swinging guitar. For reservations, call 808-879-7177 at Pita Paradise or 808-868-4644 at The Empanada.

No. 15 – Autumn Craft & Food Fair (Oct. 21, Wailuku)

An Autumn Craft & Food Fair takes place at Wailuku Hongwanji at 1828 Vineyard Street on Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. Holiday supplies including handmade ornaments from Maui and Oʻahu and will be for sale.

No. 16 – 25th Annual Oktoberfest features benefit (October 21, Kahului)

Oktoberfest at Brigit & Bernard’s Garden Cafe takes place Fridays and Saturdays in October, starting at 6:30 p.m. The event features an Ohmpah Band, with more than 15 food items in an all-you-can-eat celebration.

The menu includes German pork Roast, Bavarian style meat loaf, Hungarian goulash, veal sausage, apple strudel and vanilla sauce, and a shot of Jaegermeister.

Chef Bernard Weber said there will be an auction of beer steins and other items, with proceeds every Saturday in October going to the nonprofit Maui Strong for the survivors of the wildfires. The remaining Oktoberfest dates are on Oct. 20, 21, 27 and 28. For more information including reservations, go to Brigit and Bernard’s or call 808-877-6000.

No. 17 – Upcountry Farmers Market ( Oct. 21, Kula)

The Upcountry Farmers Market takes place at the Kulamalu Town Center on Highway 37 near Long’s Drugs on Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Vendors sell fresh locally grown organic produce including coconuts, macadamia nuts, fresh caught fish, tropical flowers, plants & trees, Maui grown coffee, lilikoʻi butter, raw and vegan prepared foods, and exotic prepared foods such as Thai.

For more information, including any changes in schedule, go to upcountryfarmersmarket.com.

Coming Soon:

No. 18 – Manaʻo Strong Concert for Maui wildfire victims at Mulliganʻs (Oct. 27, Wailea)

A musical fundraiser for Maui wildfire victims will take place at Mulligans On The Blue on Oct. 27 from 4 to 8 p.m. All ticket proceeds for “Mana’o Strong: Healing Through Music, Food & Friends” will go to the Maui Strong Fund at the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation.

Performers include Gail Swanson, Dorothy Betz, Steve Grimes, The Hula Honeys, Randall Respond with special guest Vince Esquire and Joe Caro. Tickets are $35 and available at Manao Strong.

No. 19 – Hawai’i International Film Festival (Oct. 27-29, Kahului)

The Hawai’i International Film Festival takes place at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center on Oct. 27-29. The festival is an Academy Award-qualifying Festival in both its Best International Short Film and Best Made-In-Hawaiʻi Short Film award categories.

A film short of Kanaka warriors in ancient Hawaiʻi- and Molokaʻi-raised Matt Yamashita’s story of estranged brothers brought together after the death of their father are among short stories featured on the opening night.

There also are documentaries such as “Hoʻoulu Hou,” honoring the life and legacy of ʻĪmaikalani Kalāhele, a Kānaka Maoli musician, poet, artist and activist from Nuʻuanu, Oʻahu and “Hokulea Hōkūleʻa: Finding the “Language of the Navigator,” a story about cultural anthropologist Wade Davis and Hōkūleʻa navigator Nainoa Thompson.

For more information including a detailed schedule, visit HIFF.

No. 20 – Maui Jazz & Blues Festival at Ocean Organic Vodka Farm (Oct. 29, Kula)

A “Day of Jazz & Blues” takes place at Ocean Organic Vodka Farm & Distillery Sunday from 3 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 29, featuring flutist Levi Huffman. The music is complimentary, but donation stations are posted for those who wish to contribute to Maui wildfire victims through Maui Strong.

The concert features performances by a number of groups, including members of Mick Fleetwood’s Blues Band such as Lenny Castellanos and Mark Johnstone. Gretchen Rhodes, who sings with Fleetwood’s band, also will be performing.

Sheppard released his debut CD entitled “Silk”, with the single “Heels and Pearls” which has reached the Top 20 airplay chart on national smooth jazz radio. For more information including reservations, go to Ocean Distillery or call 808-877-0009.

Editor’s Note: Send inquiries or events listings with attached photographs about Maui Entertainment, Arts and Community events to garytkubota@gmail.com. To add events directly to the Maui Now Events Calendar, click here.