Upcountry Winter Fest returns Nov. 28 at King Kekaulike High School

The Kekaulike High School Foundation will host the Upcountry Winter Fest from 3 to 8 p.m. Nov. 28 at the King Kekaulike High School campus in Pukalani, with free admission and parking, according to an announcement.

The event will include a holiday craft fair, a farmers market, food trucks and booths run by school organizations. Live entertainment will feature the Nā Aliʻi Big Band, Zenshin Daiko and V.I.V. & Band, along with a kendama tournament for students, the foundation said.

Children can take photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and a mailbox will collect letters to the North Pole. Student volunteers from the King Kekaulike AVID Club will portray holiday characters in a walkable display. School organizations will run keiki games with prizes, and local nonprofits and businesses will staff information booths.

Parking is available through the Kula Highway gate of the campus, the foundation said.

The festival will also serve as the pickup location for the foundation’s online silent auction, which runs through Nov. 21 at bit.ly/khsf2026auction. According to the foundation, proceeds go toward scholarships for King Kekaulike High School students. Items include restaurant gift certificates, a guided hiking tour, private music lessons and goat yoga.

Maui County, the county Office of Economic Development and the Nuestro Futuro Foundation support the event. Sponsors include Ace Hardware Pukalani, Action Photos Inc., Aloha International Employment, Pukalani Superette, Service Rentals, Pacific Media Group, Matson, Goodfellow Bros., Maui Hotel & Lodging Association, Hawaii Petroleum and Hawaiian Electric.

The nonprofit foundation aims to direct community involvement and investment toward student success across the Kekaulike school complex. The organization has facilitated more than $34,500 in scholarships since 2022 and directly funded an additional $14,500 for students pursuing higher education. It also has awarded more than $8,000 in grants to more than 30 Kekaulike complex staff members.

More information, including the full schedule, is available on Instagram at @upcountrywinterfest and @kekaulikehighschoolfoundation, and on Facebook under Upcountry Winter Fest and Kekaulike High School Foundation.