Plantation Days - Buy a Brick and Restore the Smokestack

Lahaina Plantation Days, July 31^st- August 1st
This new event begins July 31st on the former Pioneer Mill site (near the smokestack off Lahainaluna Road) and runs for three exciting days. The event, sponsored by Lahaina Restoration Foundation, pays tribute to Maui’s plantation heritage and should be a ton of fun with all that’s planned.  Pioneer Days will feature entertainment by cultural groups and popular musicians, restaurant food booths, coffee garden, beer tent, a Kid’s Zone with nostalgic activities, historical displays and exhibits, a “Camp Reunion Tent” honoring those who lived and worked in the West Maui plantation camps, and a preview of the proposed Pu‘ukoli‘i Village project by Kaanapali Land Management Corp. Hours are 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm on July 30, and 4:30 pm to 9:30 pm on July 31 and Aug. 1 Admission on all three nights of the event is $3, seniors are $2 and keiki 12 and under are free. A special three day pass is available for $5.

11^th Annual Keiki Hula Festival, July 25 and 26th
One of my favorite simple pleasures in Maui is watching keiki dance the hula. This weekend Lahaina Cannery Mall celebrates the talent and grace of Maui’s keiki dancers at the 11th Annual Keiki Hula Festival. One of the best free things to do in Maui, the two-day affair will feature performances from the island’s most talented youth as well as Hawaiian artisans and crafters demonstrating lei making, wood carving and other traditional skills. For more information, call (808) 661-5304, or visit www.lahainacannery.com.

Coral Spawning at Maui Ocean Center, Friday, July 24,  6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
For something really new and different, sign up for the Coral Spawning Spectacle at the Maui Ocean Center this weekend. Under the light of a new moon, guests will have the rare chance to witness live coral spawning in the Discovery Pool, Hawaiians and the Sea, Surge Zone, and candlelit Living Reef, where rice coral will be illuminated by special red lights. There will also be complimentary desserts, coffee, and cash bar available.

Sounds like a great thing to do on Maui and definitely something you wouldn’t be able to do anywhere else!  Call (808)270-7088 to reserve. Admission is $27 for adults, $22 for children 3 through 12, with special discounts for kama’aina and aquarium members

Maui Calls, August 14^th, 6-10 p.m. Reserve Now!!
Maui Calls is the premiere annual fund-raiser in Maui. Top chefs and restaurateurs from all over the island are on hand to prepare signature dishes, some devised especially for the events. It works like this – you gather a group of friends together, meet at the event, nab a table, and make your way around the many food booths while sharing tips and critiques of what you’re eating.  There are so many choices you won’t be able to try them all, so comparing notes is a very important aspect of this event. Which of course encourages mingling with friends, old and new, who have gathered from all across the island to spend an evening together and raise funds for the Maui Arts and Cultural Center’s many programs and initiatives  A “must do” for residents and visitors alike. For more information and to reserve see www.mauiarts.org, or call 808-242-2787. Tickets are $175/pp.

Food News

Basil Tomato Italian Trattoria in Kaanapali, Maui, HI

Basil Tomatoes in Kaanapali is now open for lunch! Plus, they serve the award-winning burger that used to be available only at Johnny’s (which closed about a year ago). A sweet little restaurant that actually feels like an Italian tratorria with views overlooking Kaanapali golf course, it’s tucked away on the road leading to the Royal Lahaina Resort.

China Boat has completed their remodel and is now serving lunch and family style early bird specials.

Buzz Wharf now sells their world-famous prawns, grown in the family farm in New Caledonia! Available by the case starting July 29^th, you can pre-order now by calling 661-4600 or emailing Michelle at buzz.michelle@gmail.com. Cost is $88 plus tax for 8.8 lbs., including shells and heads. After cleaning you’ll end up with about 80-120 prawns, Learn everything you want to know about the prawns at www.markeaprawns.com.

Maui Prime offers a similar deal by flying in live Maine Lobster for about $10/lb. Call Cary http://www.mauiprime.com/contact.html at least two days in advance for delivery on Tuesday or Fridays.

Panda Express Now Open in Lahaina, HI

Panda Express is now open across from the new Lahaina Center. The drive-thru convenience lane offers on-the-go meal options when you’re sick and tired of sandwiches and burgers but got no time to sit and dine.

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