Every Wednesday, one of our awesome HPR besties will keep you posted on happenings across our Islands that we're most stoked about. While each of us has a different perspective and set of interests, we all share a goal of helping you stay curious and connected across our Hawaiian Islands. Not yet subscribed? Subscribe today.
This week, we hear from HPR Digital Content Producer, Sylvia Flores.
HPR’s Social Club — it's your guide to unique, can't-miss events across the islands. Sign up for the HPR Social Club.
Have an event to share? You can submit it to our HPR Community Calendar for consideration. We might feature it in a future newsletter or on the air!
Is it just me, or does October feel like the busiest month ever? There's so much happening, especially this weekend with Halloween events popping up everywhere.
There's something for everyone: from costume parties like Discovery Center's Keiki Costume Ball (Oct. 26), to trunk -or-treats like this one at Hōʻaeʻae Park in Waipahū (Oct. 25), to fall farm events like Hoa ʻĀina O Mākaha's Kaloween, a U-Pick Farm to Basket event (Oct. 25). To be honest, the scary season is not my favorite, but I'll get my fear fix this Friday at the Haunted Plantation, which is celebrating 20 years of haunts.
I'm skipping other spooky stuff and will stick with celebrating Filipino American History Month! On Oct. 25, check out "Sakada to Cypher: Island Gongster Edition" at Capitol Modern. The free event highlights Filipino-American creativity in Hawaiʻi with dance, music and community. The lineup includes Braddah Ash & the Zion Band, the UH Kulintang Ensemble, and Kulintronica. I'm also very excited to see Ruby Ibarra and her Tiny Desk-winning band, who will close out the night.
Prefer a slower-paced way to appreciate Filipino culture? Visit "Kulturang Makulay: Colorful Cultures of the Philippines," on view through March 15 at the East West Center Gallery. The exhibit showcases the Philippines’ diverse regions through traditional attire and also includes a display of photographs that honor the story of the Sakada, the first Filipinos who arrived in Hawaiʻi as laborers in 1906.Keep scrolling for more event picks for the upcoming weekend! If you have an event you'd like to share with us, submit it to the HPR community calendar.
Until we meet again,
Sylvia
P.S. If you're heading to Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra's "Symphony of the Hawaiʻi Seas" tomorrow (Oct. 23), be sure to say hello to HPR-2 show hosts Sharene Taba and Gene Schiller, who will be sharing HPR information (and stickers!) at the event.
HPR Social Club Picks of the Week (Oct. 23 Edition):
COMMUNITY MATTERS: Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority Community Talk Story
Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority Community Talk Story
Kahilu Town Hall
67-1182 Lindsey Road in Waimea
Hawaiʻi Island
Thursday, Oct. 23, 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Watch the livestream
Open to all
The Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority (MKSOA) is hosting a Community Talk Story in Waimea to hear from Hawaiʻi Island residents. Come learn about their mission, share your thoughts on stewardship priorities and meet the Authority’s board members and staff. The session will include a short presentation on the draft strategic framework, followed by open discussion and Q&A. Can't attend in person? Watch the livestream.
FUNNY FAIRY TALES: Stinky Cheese Man & Other Fairly Stupid Tales
Stinky Cheese Man & Other Fairly Stupid Tales
ProArts Playhouse
1280 South Kihei Rd. in Kihei
Maui
Oct. 25, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. & Oct. 26, 2 p.m.
Nov. 1, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. & Nov. 2, 2 p.m.
$10, available online
Your favorite fairy tales get a hilarious twist in Maui on Stage Education and Youth Program's presentation of this quintessential children's book of stilly stories. Support local keiki as they share new takes on "The Gingerbread Man," "Chicken Little," and other familiar tales, bringing sass, laughs and more to the stage.
FALL INTO FUN: Higashihara Park Fall Festival
Higashihara Park Fall Festival
Harold H. Higashihara Park
78-7300 Kuakini Hwy in Kona
Hawaiʻi Island
Saturday, Oct. 25, 10:00 am. - 3:00 p.m.
Free and open to all
Enjoy a day of family fun featuring live entertainment by Kenny Tagavilla and Maka Gallinger, plus food trucks, a petting zoo, a scavenger hunt, a bouncy castle and more. Presented by the Lions Club of Kona and the Konawaena Leo Club, stop by for a fun filled day you don't want to miss. See more info on the Friends of Higashihara Park's Instagram and Facebook.
POP PUNK PRIDE: Aura Bora "Welcome to Heck" EP Release Show
Aura Bora "Welcome to Heck" EP Release Show
3rd Space at Harbor's Vintage
1269 S. Beretania St. in Honolulu
Oʻahu
Saturday, Oct. 25, 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Ages 16+, $10 cover
After nearly a decade, local indie pop-punk band Aura Bora is releasing a new EP, "Welcome to Heck." Expect raw, cheeky vibes, brimming with DIY energy. Joining the celebration are local favorites Taboo Zero (dark pop catalyst), SWITCH (shoegaze-infused post rock) and The Mauve (indie pop/rock).
TREASURE TROVE: Trash & Treasure
Trash & Treasure
McKinley High School Cafeteria
1039 S. King St. in Honolulu
Oʻahu
Sunday, Oct. 26, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Open to all
Focusing on handmade Asian and Pacific arts, Temari Hawai‘i’s biggest annual event returns a new location: McKinley High School. Shop this unique craft market, featuring Hawai‘i’s finest makers and their one-of-a-kind creations. Don’t miss the Good Kine Trash Table, a curated mix of pre-loved and brand-new treasures waiting for a second life. You never know what you’ll find.
HPR x Hawaiʻi Youth Symphonyx The Arrangements
Experience an unforgettable evening celebrating Hawai‘i’s youth arts. The 2025 ʻOhina Short Film Showcase pairs a live performance by Hawai‘i Youth Symphony (HYS) with the premiere of The Arrangements short film.
On Wednesday, November 12, join Hawaiʻi Public Radio for a one-night screening, performance by HYS, and post-film Q&A conversation moderated by HPR’s Cassie Ordonio. It's an opportunity to see exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of HYS's involvement with the film's score, which was recorded in HPR’s Atherton Studio. Enjoy a Q+A session with the filmmakers, and screening of the film itself.
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In case you missed it...
Jason Momoa prepared for his role in "Chief of War" with a personal language coach who lived with him for nearly a year. Momoa is Native Hawaiian but didn't grow up speaking Hawaiian. He and other actors worked with coaches to master their lines. Listen and read more.
If you haven't yet discovered "Feathers and Fire," find our companion to the Apple TV+ series "Chief of War" wherever you play your podcasts. You'll get to know more of the real history behind "Chief of War" as HPR’s Russell Subiono and University of Hawaiʻi history instructor Mehana Makaʻinaʻi recap and discuss each episode. Listen to "Feathers and Fire"
