Maui Arts & Entertainment

The Shops at Wailea is spreading holiday cheer and inviting families to join in the festive fun this December with an exciting lineup of events, giveaways, and live entertainment for all ages. Throughout the month, Maui residents and Wailea visitors can enjoy these special offerings designed to celebrate the magic of the season. 

The University of Hawaiʻi Maui College will host a “Holiday Bash & Electric Light Parade” on Friday, Dec. 13 at 4:30 p.m. on the Kahului campus’s Great Lawn and Pā‘ina Building dining area. The event is open to the public and admission is FREE.

GRAMMY-nominated artist Kimié Miner is shining a light on Maui’s strength and spirit through “Christmas in Hawai‘i with Kimié Miner & Friends,” an Emmy-nominated celebration of aloha and music. Dedicated to Maui, this year’s event aims to bring hope and joy, especially in the wake of the 2023 wildfires.

A third Canoe Crop Corner will take place at the upcoming Wailuku First Friday. The event is touted as a rare opportunity to learn about Maui’s agricultural traditions and experience firsthand the tastes and stories behind vital canoe crops.

Queen Kaʻahumanu Center invites everyone to get in the holiday spirit through an exciting lineup of festive events throughout December. 

The Hex Press presents the return of Maui Comic Con Dec. 7 and 8, Saturday and Sunday at University of Hawaiʻi Maui College, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. The convention is a family-friendly event and is always free to the public.

The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua welcomes a special holiday edition of the Kapalua Concert Series, featuring renowned hapa-Samoan artist Taimane. The complimentary event will take place on Friday, Dec. 6 from 6-9 p.m. at Alaloa Lounge, where Taimane and her band will bring the holiday spirit to life with a captivating performance.

Montage Kapalua Bay invites visitors and locals to a variety of festive events and dining experiences that celebrate the spirit of Christmas, Hanukkah and the New Year.

The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Kāʻanapali invites locals and visitors alike to ring in the holiday season with Spirit of the Season on Saturday, Dec. 7, starting at 4:30 p.m. This free, community event features festive entertainment and treats – all while enjoying the ambiance of a tropical winter wonderland.

The talented young musicians of Suzuki Maui and Haleakalā Waldorf School will join with seasoned artists in an annual holiday concert on Saturday, Nov. 30, at Makawao Union Church.

Celebrate the holiday season during Maui Ocean Center’s inaugural “Festival of Lights,” held from 6 to 9 p.m. on two consecutive Saturdays: Dec. 14 and 21, 2024. 

Moana 2 has arrived in Maui movie theaters with early community screenings drawing a swell of fans ahead of the Nov. 27 official opening in theaters. It’s been eight years since the original release, and movie goers were eager to see what new adventures abound beyond the reef for the wayfinder and her voyaging friends.

Hisako Film Lab, founded by Maui-raised filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton, is partnering with Maui Huliau Foundation to offer an after-school filmmaking program available to youth in grades 9-12 from all schools.

The spirit of the season is in full swing as Wailuku First Friday brings the holiday cheer with “Winter in Wailuku,” happening on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, from 6 to 9 p.m. The Main Stage will light up the evening with performances by the Kamehameha Schools Maui Hawaiian Ensemble and Hālau O Ka Hanu Lehua.

ProArts Playhouse on Maui presents Amy Hānaiali‘i’s “A Hawaiian Christmas” on Dec. 11, 2024 at 7 p.m. The ProArts Playhouse also presents “Every Christmas Story Ever Told,” opening Dec. 6 and running through Dec. 15, 2024.

Day 2 of the Lahaina Festival takes place today (Nov. 25) with a pop-up mākeke featuring dozens of vendors from 3 to 9 p.m.; and entertainment tonight with Kulāiwi at 6 p.m., and Kalani Pe‘a featuring Hālau Ke‘alakahinano o Puna at 7 p.m.  The event is presented by the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, in partnership with the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority and the Hawai‘i Community Foundation at the Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows.  The celebration of music, culture, and community supports Maui’s resilient spirit and coincides with the Maui Invitational college basketball tournament.

A Maui Pops Orchestra’s Holiday Pops performance in the Maui Arts and Cultural Center’s Castle Theater is set for Sunday, Dec. 8 at 3 p.m.

Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea invites guests and locals to embrace the holiday season with an array of island-style festive programming.

Monk Sen of Rinzai Zen Mission in Paia will lead Japanese calligraphy workshops in two sessions Dec. 1 at the Kahului Jodo Mission. The first will be from 10 a.m. to noon; the second from 1 to 3 p.m.

The Merwin Conservancy, a renowned palm garden and residency program for storytellers on Maui, has announced the next edition in its Green Room series. The edition will feature a reading and talk with Terry Tempest Williams in the Maui Arts and Cultural Center’s McCoy Studio Theater on Thursday, Dec. 12.