Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
December
The
Holiday Lighting of the Banyan Tree
takes place in Lahaina, as well as decorating
the Old Courthouse for Christmas.
While there are numerous smaller festivals which take place on Moloka'i, the following
are some of the larger annual events. For specific dates and more information, visit
January
The
Ka Moloka'i Makahiki Festival
is held for one day each January to celebrate the
makahiki,
a traditional time following the harvest when wars would cease in favor of arts,
crafts, competition, and merriment. This tradition is carried on today at the Mitchell Pauole
Center in Kauanakai.
May
The
Moloka'i Ka Hula Piko
festival is perhaps the largest annual event on the island and
celebrates the history of the hula at its legendary birthplace in West Moloka'i. For more
information on this cultural event visit
www.kahulapiko.com
.
September
Moloka'i is well known for its outrigger canoe races, during which time the island buzzes
with visitors from across the Pacific. The
Pailolo Challenge
(
www.pailolo.com
)
features
paddlers who race from Maui to Kauanakakai, and the
Na Wahine O Ke Kai
features all-
girl paddle crews who race from Hale O Lono Harbor to the neighboring island of O'ahu.
October
More famous than the Pailolo is the
Moloka'i Hoe
(
www.molokaihoe.com
)
outrigger ca-
noe race in which paddlers race from West Moloka'i to O'ahu. More than 1,000 paddlers
compete in the event. It's an exciting time to be visiting West Moloka'i.
The
Festivals of Aloha
is a community event which has been taking place for more
than 50 years and is held in the city of Kaunakakai.
Despite only having a population of 3,300 people, Lana'i still has a full roster of events.
The following are just a handful of occasions that pop up throughout the year.
