Island of Hawai‘i Visitors Bureau Media Contact:
Cheyenne Gomez, (808) 539-3409, [email protected]

Island of Hawaiʻi (October 3, 2022) — With the holidays just around the corner, the island of Hawai‘i is serving up an array of exciting experiences, events and festivals that travelers won’t want to miss. Hawai‘i Island offers the perfect relaxing getaway for visitors to recharge and take in some aloha spirit before the hustle and bustle of the holiday season arrive.

What’s on the agenda, you ask? You could experience the tasty food and drink creations of a slate of local, national and international chefs, culinary personalities, winemakers and mixologists headed to the island for the Hawai‘i Food and Wine Festival, October 28-29. For a naturally sweet taste of Hawai‘i Island, check out the 2022 Hawaiian Honey Challenge on November 4. Or set aside some nature time to explore the Niaulani rainforest as the Volcano Art Center hosts its annual Forest Fair on October 8 celebrating Hawai‘i’s natural resources. The first annual Aloha Shirt Festival, set for October 13-15, spotlights Hawai‘i’s contributions to the global fashion industry. And anyone in search of one-of-a-kind, uniquely Hawai‘i holiday gifts should pencil in November 25 for the Black Friday and Saturday Christmas Arts, Crafts and Gifts Fair. All of this and more, all on Hawai‘i Island.

Read on to learn more about these events and many others happening on the island of Hawai‘i, plus new must-do adventures and culinary offerings. 

ACTIVITIES 

Paradise Helicopters has launched two exclusive charter tour experiences with renowned local-expert guides. On one of the two charters, guests can enjoy a private tour of the island of Hawai‘i on one of the company’s twin-engine Bell 430 helicopters and learn about the island’s areas of cultural, environmental and historical significance from Mauna Lani Resort’s Hawaiian history and cultural advisor Danny Akaka. On Paradise Helicopters’ other educational and sightseeing private charter, guests land then hike through lava fields and visit volcano-created landmarks with an experienced volcanologist. Reservations start at $9,145.50 for up to six guests. For more information, call (808) 896-3336 or email [email protected].  

Plan ahead to avoid long waits at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park this fall and winter. As Kīlauea volcano continues to erupt at its summit crater Halema‘uma‘u, expect overlooks with views of the crater’s lava lake to be regularly crowded, with little or no parking during peak visiting hours between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. Your best bet to avoid overlook crowds? Arrive at the park before sunrise or after 8 p.m. — it’s open 24 hours a day. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/hawaiivolcanoes.  

Make a reservation with Bike Volcano for its E-Bike Rental/GPS Volcano Tour or Guided E-Bike Tour of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and its active lava-viewing area. You’ll e-bike through Kīlauea volcano rainforests and along the rim of volcano’s massive summit caldera, feel the heat of its steam vents, and stroll through a lava tube, then bike to the closest viewing point of active lava — in all, a 2.25-mile bike ride or walk. E-biking is a great way to explore Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, and you can park your car at Bike Volcano headquarters in Volcano Village — located less than a mile from the park. For more information, visit www.bikevolcano.com.

Hawai‘i Island is home to the state’s only native land mammal, the ʻōpeʻapeʻa (Hawaiian hoary bat), which, though an endangered species, is quite charismatic, enjoying the pleasures of eating bugs and roosting in trees. The Hawai‘i Wildlife Center, a native bird and bat hospital and rehabilitation center based in Kohala, has recently experienced an uptick in injured bats brought to its facilities. If you come across a downed or injured Hawaiian hoary bat — or any native bird — on your Hawai‘i Island travels, call the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center to get the animal medical help. For more information, call (808) 884-5000 or visit www.hawaiiwildlifecenter.org.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Volcano Art Center is inviting the community to its annual Forest Fair, a daylong celebration of its neighboring Niaulani rainforest and Hawai‘i’s natural resources set for October 8, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. The event will include the unveiling of the Niaulani Trail Enhancement Program, new interpretive signage, displays, vendors, free forest tours, lei making, hula performances, and plant and book sales. Attendees will also find sustainable Hawai‘i-made art, products and agriculture. For more information, visit https://volcanoartcenter.org/event/niaulani-forest-fair-at-volcano-art-centers-niaulani-campus/.

Hawk Week is coming to the island of Hawai‘i, October 9 through 15. Enjoy online content all week long spotlighting Hawai‘i’s native ‘io (Hawaiian hawk) on the Hawai‘i Island Festival of Birds website. Each day of Hawk Week will have a theme — natural history, cultural connections, conservation actions, public appreciation and more. Hawk Week is a collaborative effort between several State of Hawai‘i agencies and conservation nonprofits. For more information, call (808) 884-5000 or visit www.birdfesthawaii.org. 

Nā‘ālehu Theatre will present its inaugural Aloha Shirt Festival, Vintage Exhibit and Fashion Week Hawai‘i, October 13-15, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily at Outrigger Kona Resort and Spa. The festival aims to bring together traditional and contemporary wearable arts in recognition of Hawai‘i's contributions to the global fashion industry. It will feature vintage exhibits, sales and appraisals, music and entertainment, and a fashion runway spotlighting vintage and repurposed fashion, local designer fashion collections, and wearable art designs. Also on the festival schedule are workshops, pop-ups, presentations, hair and make-up shows, local and vintage food and beverage, and even manta watching. Fashion Week Hawai‘i hopes to bring together global resources, and environmental and cultural campaigns, to make the local fashion industry more sustainable. For more information, visit https://alohashirtfestival.com.

Mele and Mo‘olelo With Kona Music Mentors, set for October 15 at La‘i‘ōpua 2020’s Ola ka Lahui event, is a talk-story session with Kona music educators Malani DeAguiar, Honeybea Ravenscraft and Gloria Juan, hosted by Dr. Holeka Goro Inaba. The hourlong session, preceded by a La‘i‘ōpua 2020 cultural crafts demonstration from 1:30 to 3 p.m., begins at 3:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Attendees can bring beach chairs and coolers. For more information, visit www.laiopua.org.

ʻImiloa Astronomy Center, in partnership with Lonoa Honua and ʻOhana Waʻa, is hosting the ʻIkuwā Festival, October 15 and 16, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The two-day festival, held at ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo, celebrates the connections of life and relationships supporting the Hawaiʻi island community, as well the island’s natural resources and landscapes. The ʻIkuwā Festival is free, open to the public, and will feature activity booths, local food and craft vendors, canoes, makahiki festival games, oli (chant), live entertainment, cultural demonstrations and more. For more information, visit https://imiloahawaii.org/events/2022/10/15/ikuw-festival.

ʻImiloa Astronomy Center is also hosting Night at the Museum — Curious Creatures of the Night, a spooktacular family night celebrating Halloween and Hawai‘i’s nocturnal creatures. Join in at the center on October 26, from 4 to 8 p.m., for a fun night of activities for the whole family, including spooky-cute hand painting, crafts and activities featuring favorite creatures of the night, a pumpkin decorating contest, and, for the first time in the event’s history, a glow-in-the-dark scavenger hunt and Toddler Halloween Town with Halloween-themed activities specially designed for toddlers. For more information, visit https://imiloahawaii.org/events/2022/10/26/night-at-the-museum.

One of the state’s premier annual culinary events, the Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival (HFWF) features more than 150 Hawai‘i-based and global chefs, culinary personalities, winemakers and mixologists doing what they do best at dining and grazing events held statewide. HFWF’s mission includes bringing national and international attention to Hawai‘i’s extraordinary culinary talent and the diversity of quality local-grown products and showcasing the Islands as a world-class dining destination. HFWF hosts more than 20 events annually spanning three islands — including Hawai‘i Island — and drawing more than 10,000 attendees. Since its 2011 launch, HFWF has donated more than $3 million to community organizations supporting sustainability, culinary programs and agriculture. Hawai‘i Island’s two HFWF events happen on October 28 (“Bourbon, Brews and BBQ”) and 29 (“Cuisines of the Sun”). For more information, visit https://hawaiifoodandwinefestival.com.

The Mauka Makai Drag Show, happening at Honoka‘a’s People’s Theatre on November 5, will feature Hawai‘i Island performers Aaries The Extra, Tora Hamstring and Luna Eclipse, and Denver, Colorado-based drag artists Mz Boogie and Elise Itried in a night of high-energy dancing, fashion, fun and fabulousness. All ages are welcome. For more information, visit https://maukamakai.eventbrite.com.

The Big Island Beekeepers Association will present its 11th annual Hawaiian Honey Challenge on November 4, as a free and open to the public event. The statewide challenge aims to help Hawai‘i beekeepers continue producing quality products, increase public awareness of the ample varieties of honey made locally, and do all things possible to take care of our state’s honeybees. For local beekeepers, the Hawaiian Honey Challenge is also a platform for recognition of their work and includes a formal judging event and a people's choice tasting event. For more information, visit https://www.bigislandbeekeepers.com.

The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival will again be an in-person event this year, with a full schedule of events set for November 4 through 13. Throughout the 10-day celebration of Kona coffee, art and culture, attendees are invited to enjoy a safe, entertaining and fun slate of events honoring Kona’s cultural heritage and the accomplishments of its regional coffee pioneers, farmers and artisans. The festival features coffee farm tours, a coffee cupping competition in search of the region’s best java, art exhibits, music performances, a parade, coffee recipe contests, and food and coffee tastings, all sharing the story of Kona’s rich history and world-famous coffee. For more information, visit www.konacoffeefest.com.

In search of unique Hawai‘i handmade crafts and art for holiday gift giving this year? Set aside some time on November 25 and 26 for the Black Friday and Saturday Christmas Arts, Crafts and Gifts Fair at the Edith Kanaka‘ole Stadium in Hilo. The free and open to the public fair is sponsored by island-based Hawaii Arts and Crafts, and several community nonprofits and organizations. Vendor booths will spotlight Hawai‘i-made gifts, local art, handmade crafts, local and Hawaiian food favorites, free prizes and more. For more information, call (808) 981-0518 or e-mail [email protected].

ACCOMMODATIONS

The Hilo Hawaiian Hotel’s Sunday Brunch Buffet is open again. Diners can enjoy the buffet’s cold salad bar — featuring fresh greens, potato-mac salad, shrimp salad, poke and more — and hot items, including a prime rib carving station, kālua pork eggs benedict, oxtail soup, steamed snow crab clusters and breakfast meats. The buffet also includes a made-to-order omelet station and desserts, including ice cream bars, brownies and cheesecake. The Hilo Hawaiian Hotel’s Sunday Brunch Buffet is offered from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. It is priced at $69 for adults and $34 for children ages 5 to 12. For reservations, call (808) 935-9361.

At Royal Kona Resort’s Don the Beachcomber Restaurant and Mai Tai Bar, Chef George Gomes Jr. presents a fresh, local and sustainably sourced menu drawing inspiration from his grandfather and ingredients from local farmers, ranchers and fishermen. The chef’s daily specials range from entrées to specialty salads and appetizers, and include local kiawe wood smoked meats and made-from-scratch vinaigrettes, sauces and salad dressings. Lunch and dinner are served daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Seating is first come, first served. For more information, visit www.RoyalKona.com/Dining or call (808) 329-3111. 

Enjoy winter deals at Hilton Grand Vacations Club Kings’ Land Waikoloa and Hilton Grand Vacations Club Ocean Tower Waikoloa Village. The cancelation policy for these deals is 14 days with a first-night’s deposit. Deals expire December 31, 2022, for travel through March 1, 2023. For more information, visit Hilton Grand Vacations Club Kings’ Land Waikoloa Deal and Hilton Grand Vacations Club Ocean Tower Waikoloa Village Deal.