Friday & Saturday, April 5 & 6: 
Annual Spring Fantasy Orchid Show. Free Hawaiian music concerts, art exhibits, ono food and the Garden Island Orchid Societies Orchid Show. Additional workshops for plein air painting and food demonstrations, as well as delicious local food vendors, will be available.  United Church of Christ in Hanapepe. Hours are from 1:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Friday and 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Every Friday:
Maui Friday Town Parties. Enjoy food, live entertainment, shopping and art. Free admission. Many retailers, galleries and boutiques operate extended hours and highlight special promotions. Crafters, artisans and culinary wizards add their creativity to the event.  April 5 – Wailuku, on Market Street; April 12 – Lahaina, on Front Street; April 19 – Makawao, on Makawao and Baldwin Avenues; April 26 – Kihei, on South Kihei Road.  For more information visit www.mauifridays.com.

Friday Evenings: 
Art Night in Hanapepe.  Stroll through the many art galleries in historic Hanapepe and meet the local artists from 6-9 p.m.  Enjoy a wide variety of shopping, local vendors, several excellent restaurants, art galleries, stilt walkers, classics cars, live music and entertainment.  Strolling is free; art is priced as noted.  For information call Ed Justus at (808) 335-6469.

Friday, April 5:
Hawaii Island Humane Society’s 17th annual Tropical Paws benefit gala at Four Seasons Hualalai Resort, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.Silent and live auctions, Four Seasons-style buffet dinner, Live entertainment and dancing. Tickets, $100 per person or $1500 for a reserved table of ten, available mid-February at HIHS shelters, select island retail locations, and online at www.HIHS.org. Tropical Paws supports vital programs offered by the Hawaii Island Humane Society including the Second Chance Fund and the Spay/Neuter Community Assistance Program.Visit www.HIHS.org or call 808-329-2135 X3 for more information.

Thursday – Saturday, April 4-6: 
20^th Annual Hawaii Arts, Crafts and Food Festival. Celebrate the artistic and cultural heritage of Hawai`i’s people and its environment. The Festival showcases over 100 of the finest artisans, crafters and food vendors.  Sangha Hall, 398 Kilauea Avenue, Hilo, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Hourly prizes, demonstrations and performances. For more information contact Hawaii Arts & Crafts at (808) 981-0518 or visit www.hawaiiartsandcraftsfestival.com.

Every Wednesday and Friday: 
Hilo Farmers Market.  Find a colorful selection of locally grown exotic fruit, vegetables, herbs, island jams and jellies, macadamia nuts and delectable baked goods. Big buckets of orchids and anthuriums line the stalls. Wind chimes, etched glass and koa wood treasures fill the craft section. You can even find local t-shirts, tropical fashions and handmade jewelry. And don’t forget to buy a lei for that someone special. Get there early to shop for the best choices from the market’s more than 200 vendors. Downtown Hilo.

Every Wednesday: 
Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Concert.  Host and slack key guitar master George Kahumoku, Jr. is joined by renowned slack key masters who are true ambassadors of their music, their culture and their land for an evening of traditional Hawaiian songs and authentic “talk-story”.  April 3 – Nathan Aweau; April 10 – Keoki Kahumoku; April 17 – Ledward Ka`apana; April 24 – Owana Salazar. Seating is limited. Dinner/Show packages are available. Pavilion at the Napili Kai Beach Resort, Napili. 7:30 p.m. For tickets and information call (888) 669-3858 or visit www.slackkeyshow.com.

Every Wednesday: 
Hawai`iana Live.  A 45-minute cultural tourism program hosted by Leilehua Yuen. It features live on stage presentations that share the history and traditions of the Hawaiian culture through storytelling, film, music, oli and hula. Topics and films change weekly as the program revolves around the Hawaiian lunar calendar, and surprise guests and musicians often appear. Also featured is Rick Mazurowski at the newly restored Palace pipe organ.  Palace Theater, 38 Haili Street, Hilo.  11 a.m. Admission is $5, Keiki 12 & under, free. For information call (808) 934-7010 or visit www.hilopalace.com.

Every Tuesday:
Featuring the new Emily T Gail Show which is found at www.espnhawaii.com under “Lineup” on the homepage.  Sponsored by Aloha – Big Island Visitor Guide, Emily “talks story” with recreational, high school and professional athletes, along with coaches, parents, organizers, and members of print and broadcast media. She talks about golf, running, swimming, biking, tennis, paddling, diving, skateboarding, as well as major league sports, high school sports, and college sports. Emily T Gail (808) 896-6780, emilytgail@emilys.org, www.emilys.org.

Tuesday – Monday, April 2 – 8:
Kalani Hula Heritage Festival. Held in conjunction with the annual Merrie Monarch Festival, this week-long event celebrates Hawaiian culture with traditional songs, chants, myths, crafts, language, plant uses and hula – in both kahiko (ancient) and auana (post 1860) forms.  Kalani Oceanside Retreat in Puna, 12-6860 Kapoho Kalapana Rd., Pahoa, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.  For information (808) 965-0468 or visit www.kalani.com.