Community Calendar

On Saturday, June 13th, the Maui community is invited to gather at Maui Nui
Botanical Gardens for a day dedicated to honoring and revitalizing niu (coconut)
as a multi-use, culturally significant Hawaiian canoe plant and staple crop.
At ‘Aha Niu, cultural practitioners, farmers, educators, chefs, and families will
come together for hands-on workshops, moʻolelo, and coconut-centered food
and crafts. Through workshops, the whole ʻohana will have the opportunity to
learn how to weave pāpale lau niu, make cordage from the husk (kaula niu),
prepare ʻapu ʻawa, and plant and sprout niu (kanu niu), along with food
processing and cooking demonstrations. Cultural practitioners and niu farmers
will hold space for moʻolelo and conversations about stewardship and the future
of niu in Hawaiʻi. Educational and non-profit booths will share information and
resources, including how to identify, report, and mitigate the coconut rhinoceros
beetle (CRB). Food and craft vendors will demonstrate niu’s versatility,
highlighting traditional and contemporary uses of this staple crop.

The hope is that this festival reconnects Maui Nui with niu as a living resource
that nourishes, shelters, and sustains. A free niu sprout giveaway (while supplies
last) will help families bring that commitment into their backyards and kitchens.

Space is limited, register today! https://bit.ly/3QtP3JS

Volunteering is a great way to connect with the niu community, sign up here:
https://swettehawaii.ivolunteer.com/ahaniu2026

An in-depth presentation and conversation with Schindler film director Valentina Ganeva, and architects Axel Schmitzberger & Graham Hart. Enjoy sunset at Liljestrand House with Austrian wine, beer and charcuterie. The ticket price includes a pass to the film screening at Honolulu Museum of Art the previous evening, Friday, June 12.

Hawai’i’s post-war Modernist Architecture is known for its procession through space, consideration of place, shaping of light, and framing of nature. Although these modernist ideas suited Hawai’i’s context perfectly, they developed pre-war along the West Coast from concepts originating in Europe, and even earlier in Japanese architectural traditions. One of these West Coast practitioners, and early masters of modern architecture, was Rudolph Schindler. Considered one of the greatest architects of the past century, Schindler’s work in California inspired generations of architects. Join the Liljestrand Foundation as we discuss the through line of Modernist Architecture influences, from Japan, to Europe, to California, and back here to Hawai’i. Framed as a follow-up discussion to the screening of the recently produced film, Rudolph Schindler: Space Architect, director Valentina Ganeva is joined by California architect Axel Schmitzberger and Hawai’i architect Graham Hart to discuss the work and concepts of these masters.

This event is part of Remembrance Awakened: Speaker Series, one of many events comprising Honouliuli National Historic Site's 80 Years of Closure Commemoration to honor when Honouliuli Internment Camp permanently closed.

Ellen's talk will focus on legal challenges to the wartime injustices that sought to protect the constitutional rights of Americans of Japanese ancestry (AJA) during the wartime, and subsequent legal efforts to obtain apology, compensation, and recognition of the severe injustices inflicted on this community.

In the 1980s, Ellen represented Japanese Americans in a class action lawsuit that went to the United States Supreme Court, seeking redress for the massive deprivations of constitutional rights of these Americans during World War II. She has spoken throughout the country about these injustices and the importance of protecting constitutional rights.

Join singer-songwriter Gemma Hayden and longtime producer/composer Eric Dubois for an exclusive, immersive listening party celebrating the release of Hayden’s debut EP, Unfinished Business. Developed right here in Honolulu and primarily recorded at Rendez Vous Studios in Mānoa, this project marks an ambitious new chapter in Hayden’s genre-bending sound, blending pop, contemporary R&B, rock, and metal under Dubois's distinct production and composition.

Instead of a traditional live concert, this unique event offers a deep dive into the creative chemistry between artist and producer. Guests will experience a track-by-track screening of the EP, where each song is paired with its accompanying official music video. Following each screening, Hayden and Dubois will host a series of intimate, behind-the-scenes discussions. Together, they will break down the songwriting, studio production choices, and visual storytelling that brought the project to life. It is a rare look into the collaborative mechanics of local independent filmmaking and music production.

Ride a new wave of storytelling at the Best of the Wailuku Film Festival. After four days of community screenings, panels, and events in historic Wailuku Town, the festival builds to a climactic finish featuring bold regional voices in the re-screening of our audience-choice award-winning Hawaiʻi and Watersports shorts and features. Celebrate film as a bridge between cultures, a spark for conversation, and enjoy an unforgettable cinematic experience showcasing the stories audiences can’t stop talking about, while meeting the makers of these electrifying works up close and personal.

3:00 PM 1st Screening
Best of HAWAII:

Short & Feature

with Q&A to follow in the Yokouchi Courtyard

6:00 PM 2nd Screening
Best of WATERSPORTS:

Short & Feature

with Q&A to follow in the Castle Theater

For more information visit WailukuFilm.com

Wailuku Film Festival is made possible with support of the Maui Film Office and the County of Maui.

As Hawaiʻi works to build a more resilient and sustainable future, it is important to maintain a clear understanding of where we are today and a thoughtful vision for where we need to go. This panel will explore the progress being made, the priorities ahead and how Indigenous values can help inform resilient solutions that support growth without eroding place, modernization without erasure of identity, and stronger systems that keep communities at the center.

Join a distinguished panel of leaders as they explore how Hawaiʻi is building a resilient and sustainable future—where Indigenous values, community connections, and thoughtful vision guide progress without sacrificing place or identity.

Talent Summit 2026 brings together employers, HR professionals, business leaders, and workforce partners from across Hawai‘i for a full day of insight, connection, and practical workforce strategies designed for today’s evolving workplace.

Through main stage conversations, interactive breakout discussions, networking experiences, and community-building opportunities, attendees will explore how Hawai‘i organizations can navigate workforce challenges, strengthen leadership, and collectively shape the future of work in Hawai‘i.

Convene talent stakeholders: HR practitioners, Business Leaders, and Workforce Development professionals around the state of Talent in Hawaii today and in the future
Connect with existing talent solutions to share knowledge, network and facilitate information sharing
Share best practices in talent attraction, development and retention along with practical tips for implementation
Challenge the current mindset about Hawaii's talent market while fostering innovation and collaboration

Display of bonsai plants along with demonstrations.

The award winning film, THE ADDICTION OF HOPE, will hold a ONE TIME ONLY screening to benefit/fundraiser the historic Aloha Theatre in Kona, Hawaii. A Q&A will immediately follow the screening with the film’s star, Anne-Marie Johnson (In The Heat Of The Night, JAG, Melrose Place, That’s So Raven) and the film's writer/director Martin A. Gottlieb (About 50)

Display of bonsai plants along with demonstrations.