For those of you familiar with our beloved Maui Film Festival that takes place every summer and is truly one of our family's favorite events, you will enjoy the new round of films being showcased by the film festival in their FirstLight Film Screenings. 

Starting the end of November throughout the holidays, an incredible variety of films for every moviegoer will be shown at the MACC. Starting this Thursday in fact, will be 3 wonderful films...Alan Cummings in "Any Day Now", documentary surf film "Cowboys & Aerials" and Kung Fu film "Tai Chi 0". 

So make sure you check out the list of films and pick your favorites for the next few weeks. What a great early Christmas present for the movie buff in your life, including a 4 film pass! Hope to see you there!

One of our favorite things to do as a family is watch movies-we have always been avid movie lovers and if you and your family are, this is the perfect event for you! Bringing back their beloved Starry Night Cinema event, The Maui Arts & Cultural Center is hosting another great film event under a clear Maui sky. And this one is sure to be a crowd pleaser, as they are celebrating the cinematic 80s classic E.T. Extra Terrestrial, an undeniably great family favorite...and its FREE!

So come down to the MACC tomorrow Sunday, November 11th with your warmest, comfiest lawn chairs and blankets to curl up under the stars...doors open at 5pm and offer several delicious dinner options from Whole Foods, Maui Vegan Soups, Sumo Dogs, Maui Kazowie Kettle Corn & Ono Gelato. Check out the MACC website for more information and enjoy the film!

I am so excited to share this event with all of you, as I am thrilled to be attending it myself. I have missed watching my daughter dance hula for the past 2 years while she has been on a break, but this year she will grace the stage once again with her wonderful halau for their annual Mohala Mai fundraiser concert. The funds raised from the concert as well as the Silent Auction support the halau in their competitive endeavors, as they have received honors from the most prestigious hula competitions in the world. Please come support Halau Na Lei Kaumaka O Uka for a night of truly incredible Hawaiian music featuring the brilliant voices of Napua Makua, Aaron Sala, Hi'ikua and Weldon Kekauoha as they inspire the dancers with their music. It will surely be an unforgettable event you wont want to miss! 

Mohala Mai 2012 - Fundraiser for Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka
Saturday, October 27, 5:30 PM
Castle Theater

Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka under the direction of nā kumu hula, Nāpua Makua and Kahulu Maluo, will perform their annual hō‘ike and fundraiser in an evening filled with inspiring traditional and contemporary hula, oli (chant) and mele (song). The award winning hālau shares the stage with Hawai‘i’s finest musical groups and solo artists, such as Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winners, Hi‘ikua and Weldon Kekauoha, as they meld melodic voices, graceful hula and the imagery of Hawai‘i into a production that promises to be moving and memorable. A silent auction will open at 4 pm in the Yokouchi Pavilion Courtyard. Check out the MACC website for more details.

For those of you currently visiting Maui and who are true music lovers, this is the perfect week for you! Our beloved Maui Arts & Cultural Center will play host to not one but two wonderful musical performances by the incredible local talents from our islands!

Lovers of slack key guitar are in for a treat this Thursday, July 19th at the McCoy Theater when Hawai'i island guitarist John Keawe takes the stage for an unforgettable night of music. And for those who are unfamiliar with this style of music, check out the soundtrack to The Descendants which featured a plethora of brilliant slack key masters. For more information, click here for a direct link to the MACC website to purchase tickets!

On a very different end of the musical spectrum, Saturday July 21 will host the 7th annual Reggae in the Valley concert here on Maui, which is sure to be an event for reggae lovers. Also celebrating Fiji's 20th Anniversary, this year will feature island music by the likes of Ekolu, Kalama, Positive Motions, Mana'o Company, Common Kings, Maoli, Siaosi/Kiwini, Vaita/Laga Savea, J Boog and of course Fiji. Tickets are sure to be a hot commodity on the island so if you happen to be here on our beautiful island and want to check out one (or both) nights of incredible music by our island talents, be sure to visit the Maui Arts & Cultural Center website here for more information. 

The month of June is always an exciting one for our family, because with it not only comes summertime and the completion of our family as my kids return home from the summer, but the Maui Film Festival as well! It has long been an event we look forward to each year as we are all film lovers, and those featured at the Film Festival are never short of amazing. This year looks to be no different, as we picked up the list of festival films being screened this year and are narrowing down which of our favorites to see!

We are so fortunate to not only have the Maui Arts & Cultural Center play host to many of the films featured at their Castle Theater, but our absolute favorite of course is the Celestial Cinema that features films each evening under the stars for a truly magical film experience. You can bring your own lawn chairs and blankets to make it an extra cozy event for yourself and your loved ones, which under a Maui sky at sunset and later in the evening as the stars come out, is a truly unforgettable experience.  So make sure to check it out online and reserve your tickets ASAP, as this is an event you will absolutely not want to miss and its approaching quickly! The Maui Film Festival begins this coming Wednesday 6/13 and ends on Sunday, 6/17. Click here for more details

For all the local beer connoiseurs out there, you won't wanna miss the exciting event taking place this Saturday, May 15th at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center. Hosted by the MACC and our own Maui Brewing Company, this will certainly be a day of relaxation and indulgence favored by residents and visitors alike. For a beautiful day of hand crafted beers, delicious local appetizers, amazing live music, prizes, and fabulous Maui sunshine! Click here to purchase tickets in advance to this great event and come enjoy the incredible local food and drink our island has to offer!

For those of you blessed to be here on Maui, tonight at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center The Brothers Cazimero will be taking the stage for what is sure to be a beautiful evening of Hawaiian music. Their voices are truly heavenly and one of my own personal favorite Hawaiian entertainers...you won't want to miss it! And for more on these gifted gentlemen, check out their music on itunes and mele.com!

So to get you ready for this evenings festive Hawaiian event, here is a clip to get you inspired for this wonderful Cazimero affair: