As part of a park-wide program entitled “Special Events to Engage and Connect,” roughly 500 4th-grade students kids flock to Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park on two days every November to soak up Hawaiian culture through hula lessons, fishing lure and lauhala bracelet-making, kapa cloth stamping and much more. Students also hear about invasive species, Hawaiian monk seals, and seasonal fish spawning. HPPA is a supporter of this event.

The Kīlauea Cultural Festival and BioBlitz at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park welcomes thousands of visitors and participants over two days every August. Festival-goers enjoy hula performances, music, a variety of demonstrations, informational booths on various environmental or scientific topics, and hands-on demonstrations such as traditional Hawaiian featherwork. The Bioblitz invites everyone into the park to count and tally plants, insects and birds.

Our donations help to create a yearly two-day cultural festival, which features traditional Hawaiian crafts and food, canoe rides on the bay, and a community hukilau (fishing method) to close out the festivities. The park also presents year-round classes and workshops in traditional arts, historical plays and evening programs for the community, and student programs.

The park invites everyone to their annual two-day Ho‘oku‘ikahi Establishment Day Hawaiian Cultural Festival, where visitors can learn to carve gourds or bamboo stamps, and sample traditional foods like taro and sweet potatoes. Early risers may be able to observe various ceremonies or other demonstrations. Yearlong offerings include Pacific Islander Day, Hawaiian Flag Day, and weekly whale watching programs during winter.