SPOTLIGHT: KAUAI
10.3-4: Coconut Festival. Here’s a great way to learn about one of Hawaii’s favorite products. Visitors can sign up for the coconut pie-eating contest, enjoy local foods, learn how to make coconut crafts and taste the results of the coconut recipe contest. Live music, drumming and hula enhance the Kapaa Beach Park event.
www.kbakauai.org
HAWAII ISLAND
10.10: Ironman World Championship. Some 2,000 athletes converge on Hawaii Island for one of the world’s most demanding sports events, which comprises a 2.4-mile ocean swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run. Spectators turn out to cheer during the race, which begins and ends in Kailua-Kona.
www.ironman.com
KAUAI
10.10: Emalani Festival. In 1871, Hawaii’s Queen Emma blazed trails when she and her entourage embarked on a journey by foot through the upland forests of Kauai. Today, this free, annual tribute to her leadership and adventurous nature features Hawaiian music, chants, hula, crafts and exhibits in Kokee State Park.
www.kokee.org
MAUI
10.16-17: Lahaina Plantation Days. This event honors the cultures of those who moved to Maui to work in its plantations in the early 20th century. Now in its seventh year, it features live entertainment, a beer and wine garden, plantation art, games, demonstrations and ethnic cuisine, all at the Pioneer Mill Co. Smokestack & Locomotives Exhibit site.
www.lahainarestoration.org
OAHU
10.2: First Fridays. From 5 to 9 p.m. on the first Friday of every month, locals and visitors head to downtown Honolulu’s Chinatown district, where art galleries and boutiques stay open late. Hip eateries and free entertainment cater to the crowds during this trendy happening.
www.firstfridayhawaii.com
