Sunday, December 27: 
Wailea Village Mochi Pounding. Celebrate making traditional rice cakes the “old-fashioned” way.  Everyone takes their turn at pounding the glutinous sticky rice for good luck. Hearty local style lunch for $5. New Year’s crafts, calligraphy & floral arrangements, plantation stories, Okinawan taiko drumming, Hawaiian entertainment & more.  Akiko’s Buddhist Bed & Breakfast, 29-2091 Old Mamalahoa Hwy., Hakalau.  8 a.m. to 2 p.m.  For information call (808) 963-6422 or visit www.akikosbnb.com.

Monday & Tuesday, December 21 & 22:
The Nutcracker Ballet.  Over 50 local dancers, guest dancers from the Maui Academy of Performing Arts and professional dancers from the Carolina & Bolshoi Ballet will make the ballet come to life. A Chinese auction in the lobby will benefit West Hawai`i Dance Theatre & Academy’s ongoing programs and studio renovations.  Kahilu Theatre, 67-1186 Lindsey Rd., Kamuela. Show times are Monday at 6 p.m., Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.  For information call (808) 329-8876 or visit www.WHDT.org.  For tickets and more information visit www.kahilutheatre.org.

Friday, December 20: 
Jingle Bell Beach Run – 5K & 1-Mile Runs.  The Jingle Bell Beach Run began in December of 2005 in an effort to kick off Christmas week with a bang. Awards are given out to the top overall finishers as well as the top three best dressed Christmas costumes. Raffle prizes follow the awards, so it’s very hard for one to go home empty handed.  Coconut Grove Marketplace, Ali`i Dr., Kailua-Kona.  For information call (808) 345-6214 or visit www.kona5k.com.

Saturday, December 19: 
Hula Kahiko Performance. Hula halau from across Hawai`i and beyond have been invited to perform in a one-of-a-kind outdoor setting at the kahua hula (platform) in the Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, located just a short walking distance from the Volcano Art Gallery in Ka`auea. 10:30 a.m.  Audience members are encouraged to bring sun/rain gear and sitting mat. The event is free, park fees apply.  Held in conjunction with the Hula Kahiko performances, enjoy a display of “Na Mea Hula” (all things hula). Visitors share in a variety of instruments, implements and lei styles that play an integral role in the life of the hula practitioner. This memorable demonstration is hands-on and family friendly.  Lanai of the Volcano Art Gallery. 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For information call (808) 967-8222 or visit www.volcanoartcenter.org.

Thursday, December 19: 
Kona Harp Ensemble – Celtic Christmas.  Ancient Hawaiian Music and the Spirit of Christmas meet at Kahilu Theatre, featuring three Harps and Woodwinds – including Clarinet, Sax, Hawaiian Bambooflutes, Shakuhachi and Bansuri flutes. Enjoy listening to music by Bach, Pachelbel, Tchaikovsky, O’Carolan, traditional Hawaiian, Celtic, Japanese and Indian Music.  Kahilu Theatre, 67-1186 Lindsey Rd., Kamuela. 6 p.m. For tickets and information call (808) 885-6868 or visit www.kahilutheatre.org.

Wednesday, December 16: 
Amy Hanaiali`i.  Amy’s talent emerges from a disciplined blend of classical training, fusing powerhouse vocalists, and honoring her family through her worldly heritage and rooted ancestral responsibility.  Her albums have garnered 22 Na Hoku Hanohano awards, Hawai`i’s equivalent to the GRAMMY® awards. Kahilu Theatre, 67-1186 Lindsey Rd., Kamuela.  7 p.m. For tickets and information call (808) 885-6868 or visit www.kahilutheatre.org.

Sunday, December 13: 
Kokua Kailua Hulihe`e Palace Concert Series & Village Stroll.  Ali`i Drive along scenic Kailua Bay in Kailua-Kona becomes a festive pedestrian-only walkway from 1 to 6 p.m. Enjoy music, artists, merchants and restaurants. At 4 p.m., there is a free Hawaiian music concert on the lawn at Hulihe`e Palace. Bring your own mat or chair and they will be checked for free while you stroll Ali`i Drive, Kailua Village (Kona).  For information, visit www.KVBID.org.

Wednesday, December 9: 
Jake Shimabukuro.  Known for his energetic strumming on the ukulele, Jake’s performance incorporates elements of thoughtful, sophisticated arrangements to spontaneous, improvised passages. In addition to his original compositions, his repertoire includes Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, Schubert’s Ave Maria and Cohen’s Hallelujah. Kahilu Theatre, 67-1186 Lindsey Rd., Kamuela. 7 p.m. For tickets and information call (808) 885-6868 or visit www.kahilutheatre.org.

Saturday & Sunday, December 5 & 6: 
9^th Annual Paradise Studio Tour.  Visit artists in their home studios in Hawaiian Paradise Park, Keaau. Nine studios with 25 local artists showing oil painting, watercolors, collage, pastels, acrylic, wood sculpture, jewelry making, ceramics, silk painting, fashion art, and more. Free featured demos and entertainment. For brochure and map call (808) 982-5150 or visit www.paradisestudiotour.com.

Every Friday: 
Aloha Fridays at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.  A free hands-on demonstration lesson is given in a cultural craft that varies each week. Volcano Art Center Gallery porch in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Free (donations welcome); park entrance fees apply. For information call (808) 967-8222 or visit www.volcanoartcenter.org.