Community Calendar

The Quarterfinals of the Aloha International Piano Festival (AIPF), a leading cultural organization in Hawai‘i, as part of the second installment of the Ke‘alohi International Piano Competition in celebration of its 20th anniversary. The competition will take place from August 17 to 24, 2025 and is poised to become the Van Cliburn of the Pacific, attracting world-class amateur pianists from across the globe.

Get ready for an unforgettable shopping experience at Pearlridge Center Mauka Wing! Discover your favorite local snacks, one-of-a-kind handcrafted treasures, and unique creations made with aloha by passionate small businesses. With dozens of amazing vendors spread across both phases of the mall, you're sure to find something special—whether it's a delicious treat or a perfect gift!​ ​ Need cash? ATMs are conveniently located near Center Court, the Food Court, and near Lavish Nails on the ground level. Giveaways all day. Free Admission to shoppers. Lots of Parking.

Event Contact
Phone: 808-688-6638
​info@islandcraftfairs.org​​​

VENDORS:
Currently accepting applications for all types of small businesses, including food booths, food trucks, retail, and produce vendors. Application deadline is on the Wednesday prior to the event at 4 PM HST.

**All applications can be found on our website. Payments will only be requested once your application has been received and approved by Island Craft Fairs. If you suspect any fraudulent activity, please contact us using the information provided above**

The triennial Keʻalohi International Piano Competition will host 14 of the world's top pianists who will compete for cash prizes over $30,000. Finalists will perform a complete concerto with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. The competitors will marvel you with their pianism and artistry performing in three exciting rounds. Don't miss the ‘Olympics of the Piano’ in Honolulu, Hawaii!

Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 10:30 am - starting on January 3rd, 2025. Reservations are recommended. Call (808) 768-7135.

Here are some additional details:

Public Tours of Foster Botanical Garden resume in January 2025!

Volunteer docents will conduct tours on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., rain or shine.

Docents just completed a six-week training and are eager to engage the public meaningfully.

On these tours, docents will provide an overview and some details of some of the gardenʻs seven sections. No two tours are the same—different docents bring different background knowledge and life experiences. All are passionate about plants.

Please call (808) 768-7135 to reserve your spot.

Tours are limited to about 20 people and are included in the price of admission ($5 for visitors, $3 for residents, $1 for children).

For school or other organized groups, please call the number above to discuss differentiated tour options.

Foster Botanical Garden has a rich history and a world-renowned collection. Here are some quick facts:
-14 acre historic garden opened to the public in 1930
- Dedicated to the “people of Hawai’i” by Mary Elizabeth Mikahala Robinson Foster
- Portions once owned by Queen Kalama
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places
- Oldest of the five gardens and the headquarters of the Honolulu Botanical Gardens
- Home to 21 “Exceptional Trees” protected by City Ordinance

The Hawaii Watercolor Society (HWS) 2025 Open Exhibition consists of artwork created by artists using water-soluble media such as transparent watercolor, gouache, casein, acrylics, water-soluble crayons, and water-soluble pencils. Juror of the show, Gary Tucker, has selected 62 paintings representing 51 artists from the 128 works submitted for the exhibit. The Exhibition will occur from July 29 to August 23, Tuesday - Sunday, 11 AM - 5 PM at the Downtown Art Center (DAC, 1041 Nu’uanu Ave., 2nd Floor in Honolulu). A free demonstration by Gary Tucker is on Sunday, July 27, 2-4 PM at the DAC. Opening Reception is Friday August 1, 5-8 PM.

Immerse yourself in the creative hub where iconic records were born at Island Sound Studios. Limited to only 20 people, our exclusive tours take place every other Sunday from 11am-12:00pm, allowing you to hang out with the owner Kyle Spicer and explore the legendary spaces where music history was made. Get a firsthand look at where masterpieces like Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy were brought to life. Please note that tour availability is subject to change based on studio bookings, so book your spot today to experience the magic of Island Sound Studios.

Celebrate the launch of Kahilu's new season at a festive community Open House and Season Launch Event on Sunday, August 17.

From 12:00 to 4:00 PM, Kahilu Theatre is throwing open the doors for an afternoon of live performances, behind-the-scenes fun, food trucks, and connection — and you’re invited.

This free, all-ages event is your chance to:
🎟 Buy tickets as they go on sale to the public
🎶 Enjoy performances and sneak peeks from local artists
🤝 Meet and mingle with community groups
🎭 Discover what’s ahead in our exciting new season

Learn more about the event at www.kahilu.org

Kahilu will launch its 2025–26 season with a free Open House & Season Launch on Sunday, August 17, from 12:00–4:00 PM — and we’re excited to have Waimea Community Theatre as part of the afternoon’s performances and activities.

This free community event will feature live performances, season ticket sales, and community partner tables — a great opportunity for audiences to connect with you and learn more about your programs.

Performance Schedule
12:00 PM – Welcome & Opening Remarks
12:30 PM – Kona Dance & Performing Arts
1:00 PM – Waimea Community Theatre
1:30 PM – Prince Dance Institute
2:00 PM – Waimea Community Chorus
2:30 PM – West Hawai‘i Dance Theatre & Academy
2:45 PM – Kamuela Philharmonic Orchestra
3:00 PM – Hawai‘i Radio Hour

We’ll be promoting the event through email, our website, social media, and press outreach — and we’d love for you to help spread the word through your own channels.

Here’s a link to visual assets and general copy we used for our social post that you can use to share with your network.

Mahalo for being part of this special day. We look forward to celebrating the new season together!

Aloha,
Danny Waddell
Marketing / Kahilu
808.757.5940

Honouliuli National Historic Site is pairing up with Honolulu Museum of Art to bring you "Voices Behind Barbed Wire", the second in a series of three films by Kinetic Productions that tell the stories of Japanese Americans in Hawai'i and will have special one-day screenings at the Doris Duke Theatre. Free tickets are available to the movie, courtesy of Pacific Historic Parks (see event details below).

While the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II has been well documented on the continent, new information about the sites and untold stories continue to emerge from Japanese Americans in Hawai‘i who endured this dark chapter of history. Voices Behind Barbed Wire: Stories of Hawai‘i explores the personal stories of Japanese Americans on O‘ahu, Maui, Kaua‘i, and Hawai‘i Island., They talk about their initial arrests, their transfer and interrogation, and incarceration in faraway places like New Mexico, Arkansas, and Arizona. The film also takes an archeological journey through nineteen former WWII confinement sites in Hawai‘i and the relevance of history upon civil liberties today.

Presented by the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai'i. Original film sponsored by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Japanese American Confinement Sites Grant Program, Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i, Monsanto Hawai‘i, The Freeman Foundation, and the Kama‘āina Fund of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation.

The film screening will be followed by a panel discussion with Carole Hayashino, the former President/Executive Director of the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i, author Tom Coffman who wrote a book on how Hawaiʻi protected its Japanese American population from mass incarceration, and writer-director Ryan Kawamoto.

Photo courtesy of Kinetic Productions

Join us for Barks & Brews at Beer Lab Hawaii for a tail-waggin' good time. Let's celebrate rescue pups, good people, and even better beer!