Saturday, December 31: 
New Year’s Eve Fireworks Show.  Enjoy an aerial fireworks display in the early evening at Poipu Beach Park.  The event is free.

Saturday, December 31:  Mochi Pounding at Historic Wailea Village.  Celebrate the New Year with demonstrations of and participation in traditional Japanese mochi pounding and making of rice cakes. Plus New Year’s crafts, calligraphy & floral arrangements, taiko drumming, Hawaiian entertainment, local lunch and more. Akiko’s Bed & Breakfast, Wailea Village at the 15-mile marker on Hwy. 19 on the Hamakua Coast.  For information call (808) 963-6422.

Friday, December 30: 
Benefit Night for the Birds.  Join the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project (MFBRP) for a night of pints at the Maui Brewing Company, Kahana Gateway Shopping Center, 4405 Honoapiilani Hwy., Lahaina.  The Brewery will donate half of the night’s pint sales to the recovery of Maui’s endangered forest bird species. MFBRP is a research organization dedicated to the recovery of these rare and unique species. 6:00 p.m. to Midnight.  To learn more, check out www.mauiforestbirds.org.

Saturday, December 24:  Mokuaikaua Church Christmas Eve Candlelight Service.  This Christmas Eve service at Hawaii’s first Christian church (established in 1820) is always a beautiful and moving experience. All are welcome to this beautiful celebration of Jesus’ birthday.  Mokuaikaua Church, 75-5713 Alii Drive, Kailua-Kona.  8:00 p.m. For information call (808) 329-6718 or visit www.mokuaikaua.org.

Friday, December 23: 
Power up comedy presents: Adult Subject Matter.  Local Maui Comedians Chino Laforge, King Martin, Sunny Dennis & more perform live standup on stage.  Stella Blues Café, 1279 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei.  For information visit www.powerupcomedy.com and for reservations call (808) 874-3778.

Friday, December 23:
4th Friday in Paia.  Maui Crafts Guild will be remain open until 8:30pm rpoviding e free refreshments and a chance to meet multiple artists and talk story about their art form. Paia Town will be decked out for Christmas, including fabulous window displays to enjoy.

Wednesday, December 21:  The Art & Traditions of Hula at Kilauea. This program features kumu Maile Yamanaka offering 45-minute lessons in hula at 10:30a.m., lei making at 12:00 Noon and `ukulele playing at 1:30 p.m. (bring your `ukulele if you have one). Sign up on a first-come, first-serve basis that day. Open to all ages and levels. VAC Gallery in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Free (donations welcome); park entrance fees apply.  For information call (808) 961-5711 or visit www.volcanoartcenter.org.

Tuesday, December 20: 
Moonday Celebration.  The rare coincidence of the Winter Solstice and the full moon in total lunar eclipse on this day will be celebrated with a special evening of dining, music by the popular Puna Men’s Chorus, fire spinning by the Amberay Light Fire Troupe, a lunar eclipse ceremony and dancing under the Stars. 6 p.m. at Kalani Oceanside Retreat in Puna. Fee.  Kalani Ocean Retreat, 12-6860 Kapoho Kalapana Rd., Pahoa.  6:00 p.m.  For information call (808) 965-7828.

Sunday, December 18: 
A Kauai Christmas Hula Concert.  Kumu Hula Leilani Rivera Low and Halau Hula o Leilani invite everyone to celebrate the holidays Hawaiian style with beautiful music, hula, Maori, and Tahitian dances. Over 75 keiki and adult dancers dressed in colorful costumes and lei dance to lively Hawaiian Christmas songs and vibrant Tahitian drums. Guests from Niihau share their distinctive harmonies and Niihau dialect in mele composed by Mama Ane Kanahele and dedicated to the Lord. Local gifts and crafts in the lobby from 5 p.m. Come to this festive holiday show for the whole family. Call Darryl Low, (808)651-0864 to reserve limited front section seats, $30 each. Lobby doors open at 5:00 p.m. for crafts and food sales. Auditorium opens at 6:30 p.m., show starts at 7:00 p.m.  Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall, 4161 Hardy Street, Lihue.

Sunday, December 18: 
The Messiah.  This perennial holiday favorite choral work by Frederich Handel will be performed by the orchestra and chorus of the very talented Kona Music Society. Audience members may bring a score and “sing along.”  Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa, 78-128 Ehukai Street, Kailua-Kona.  For information call (808) 334-9880 or visit www.konamusicsociety.org.