Christmas in the Country at Ulupalakua Ranch

Mark your calendars for a day filled with ono food, photos with Santa and

holiday shopping among local vendors at Ulupalakua Ranch’s Christmas in the Country, a full day of festivities on Saturday, December 14.

The field behind Ulupalakua Ranch Store will be transformed into an Upcountry winter wonderland from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with live music, photos with Santa, keiki activities, a petting zoo and more than 30 local vendors where you can discover one-of-a-kind gifts and ono food while supporting Maui’s local business owners and economy.

In the spirit of giving, Ulupalakua Ranch will also be auctioning up the ultimate gift for your favorite outdoor enthusiasts: an Exclusive Ulupalakua Ranch Hunt, which will benefit two local nonprofits, Common Ground Collective, nonprofit dedicated to building food security, and the Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of Maui, which advocates and protects Maui children. This once-in-a-lifetime experience includes accommodations at the Ulupalakua Ranch Country Cottage and hunting apparel from Hawai’i Hunters.

“Community is the heart of everything we do at Ulupalakua Ranch. We are especially looking forward to hosting this holiday fair for our Maui community members to enjoy time with their ohanas, support local businesses, and soak in beauty of Ulupalakua.

This year, our event beneficiaries are two local nonprofit organizations dedicated to causes that are especially important for our island: food security and child advocacy. We encourage you to join us on December 14th to celebrate the holiday season in tandem with supporting Common Ground Collective and Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of Maui.” (Sumner Erdman, Ulupalakua Ranch President)

In addition to other generous local sponsors, Maui Nui Venison, Maui Soda & Ice Works, and Mākena Golf & Beach Club and its ʻŌiwi Resources & Stewardship Department are the featured “Bull Rider” sponsors of Christmas in the Country, which includes providing direct support to the event’s nonprofit beneficiaries.

Additional nonprofit partners offering educational booths and activities include Kula Community Watershed Alliance, Maui Fire Academy, The Underdog Foundation, Auwahi Forest Restoration Project and Ulupalakua Arena Club. Entry for Christmas in the Country is $5 and free for keiki 12 and under. There will also be multiple free parking lots and VIP paid parking.

"We are super grateful to be a part of this amazing community event," said Jennifer Karaca, the executive director of Common Ground Collective. "We want to give a huge mahalo to Ulupalakua Ranch for hosting and choosing Common Ground Collective and the Children’s Justice Center of Maui as the event beneficiaries. Make sure that you save the date for the family friendly holiday event, and we look forward to seeing everyone there."

Next door to the festival, MauiWine will be hosting Kamaʻāina Day, with exclusive discounts for Maui residents. Make your reservation in advance at mauiwine.com or pop over to the winery when you visit Ulupalakua Ranch for the Christmas in the Country Festival. Hope to see you there!

About Ulupalakua Ranch:

Nestled on the slopes of Haleakala, Ulupalakua Ranch’s history dates back to 1856. As one of Hawaii’s largest working cattle ranches, we take pride in our legacy of sustainable farming and beautiful landscapes. We go beyond cattle and wine as we embrace renewable energy, our wind farm harnesses the power of nature, further enhancing our commitment

to sustainability.

In the late 1960’s, Pard Erdman began the tradition of Ulupalakua Ranch partnering with organizations that also wanted to help and preserve the native flora on the ranch’s property. This tradition has grown steadily over the decades and today the ranch is actively partnered with eight different organizations in its efforts to protect and enhance the native habitat on Ulupalakua Ranch.

For more information about Ulupalakua Ranch, visit our website at ulupalakuaranch.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram at @ulupalakua_ranch and @ulupalakuaranchstore.

About Common Ground Collective:

Founded in 2017, Common Ground Collective (CGC) is a Maui-based non-profit

organization that works to promote food security and economic opportunity through education and capacity-building assistance. To accomplish its mission, CGC provides harvesting and administrative services for agricultural landowners and supplies Maui nonprofit organizations with fresh, local produce to nourish food-insecure populations. For more information about Common Ground Collective, visit our website at commongroundcollective.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram at @cgcmaui.

Christmas in the Country Event Information:

For more information about the event, visit https://ulupalakuaranch.com/pages/christmasin-

the-country