This year on July 4, the U.S. will celebrate 250 years of being a nation. Aloha State Daily compiled a list of events celebrating the semiquincentennial on Maui, Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi Island.
Kauaʻi
*Concert in the Sky (Līhuʻe, FIREWORKS). Enjoy live music from headliner The Green under the stars. There will be live music, ʻono food and craft vendors, a keiki zone and fireworks at the Vidinha Stadium Soccer Fields in Līhuʻe. Tickets help support Kauaʻi Hospice. If purchased in advance, tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for keiki. Details.
Maui
Catch the Makawao Stampede (Kula). Upcountry Maui will celebrate paniolo culture with its July Makawao Stampede and the Oskie Rice Memorial Rodeo at Kanonoulu Ranch, which is home to the Oskie Rice Arena. More than 300 competitors from across the state and country are expected to participate. The event includes three days of experiences and family friendly activities. On Friday, July 3, there will be the Bull Bash, which features professional bull riders as they take on some of the most challenging bulls in the region, as well as food trucks and more than 50 local vendors. On Saturday, July 4, attend rodeo events such as bull riding, double mugging, barrel racing, team roping, tie down roping, match barrel racing, and more. Doors open at 3 p.m. and country music artist Liz West (formerly known as Lissa Dee) will perform at 5 p.m. Finally, on Sunday, June 5, go to the Championship Rodeo. Tickets for each event start at $20 which allows attendees to watch events on a jumbotron. General admission is $45, with discounts for kūpuna and keiki. VIP experiences are also available. Details.
Eat barbecue by the pool (Kā’anapali). Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows is hosting its summer poolside barbecue series which features chef-inspired specials, cocktails and live entertainment along Kā’anapali Beach. Usually, the summer barbecue series consists of Sunday events, but for the holiday weekend, there will be island inspired barbecue specials available starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 4, and Sunday, July 5. Details.
Head to the Chili Cook-Off (Kā’anapali). Check out this Chili Cook-Off featuring the original creations of the Hyatt Regency Maui team, judged by Lahaina firefighters, at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa. Enjoy chili tastings, specialty cocktails, live music and lawn games while outside. During the event Proper No. Twelve, which is an Irish Whiskey company, will present a check to the Lahaina Fire Station. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 plus fees for adults and $25 plus fees for keiki. Details.
Enjoy the Flowerworks Festival(Kā’anapali). Outrigger Kā’anapali Beach Resort will host a summer celebration of flowers, food and music with its Flowerworks Festival, an all-day experience featuring family friendly activities, local artisans, live entertainment and island barbecue. There will be lawn games, a strolling magician, face painting and balloons. At 11 a.m. Blue Hawaiian Helicopters will drop a shower of fresh tropical flowers at the ʻUlu Lawn. Afterwards, learn how to weave the blooms into a lei. At 1 p.m. head to the Maui Brewing Co. lanai for a summer kick-off that includes live music, prize giveaways and craft beers, as well as the Maui Lite Release Party. Open to resort guests and kamaʻāina. Details.
Take the spicy wing challenge, and see the flower drop (Kā’anapali). The Westin Maui Resort & Spa will hold its Annual Spicy Wing Halftime Challenge. There will also be a helicopter flower drop on the pool deck, ocean front barbecue, activities for keiki, a shave ice truck, live music by Adrian Trevino and a patriotic evening drone show, as well as late night karaoke. Details.
Hawaiʻi Island
Catch the Parker Ranch Rodeo (Waimea). The 62nd annual July 4th Rodeo and Horse Races returns to Parker Ranch Rodeo Arena in Waimea this year. Paniolo will compete in events that include horse races, team roping, poʻo wai u and more. There will be local vendors selling crafts and food, as well as activities for keiki including a petting zoo and pony rides. Gates open at 7:30 a.m. Events start at 9 a.m. New this year is live music in the evening, which starts at 2 p.m. and goes until 6 p.m. and features Lim Ohana, Kalapana Awa Band, and Ekolu. Tickets purchased in advance are $25, with presale tickets available to kamaʻāina for $20 if purchased at the Puuopelu Historic Home, Kamuela Hardwoods, Paniolo Preservation Society, and Waimea Butcher Shop. Details.
Run a marathon (Kailua-Kona). The Kona Marathon will take place on Saturday, July 4. Run 26.2 miles in paradise. There are also half marathon, quarter marathon and 5K races. Register at konamarathon.com. Details.
*Watch the parade (Kailua-Kona, FIREWORKS). The Historic Kailua Village Independence Day Parade will start at 6 p.m. and follow a route along Kuakini Highway and Ali‘i Drive. This year, the theme of the parade is “America the Beautiful.” At 8 p.m., there will be a professional fireworks show called “Independence Day Extravaganza” set off from a barge located in Kailua Bay. Details.
Dance the night away at Jimmy Buffett’s 4th of July (Kailua-Kona). This Jimmy Buffett inspired beach party is heading to the Big Island Social Dance Club. The dance studio teaches ballroom, Latin, swing and nightclub dance styles. Put on a tropical costume and participate in a complimentary line dance lesson. Cheeseburgers and chips will be available for purchase. There will be a DJ and Jimmy Buffett sing alongs, as well as contests and prizes. Tickets are $20, if purchased in advance. Details.
Catch the 4th of July Extravaganza (Waikoloa). Enjoy live entertainment, activities for keiki and merchant sidewalk sales, plus shop artisan and food vendors at Queens’ Marketplace in Waikoloa. There will also be live music, as well as face painting. Free. Details.
Run a 5K (Hilo). Participate in the “A Salute to Our Veterans” Hilo Bay 5K Run/Walk/Roll 202 at Liliʻuokalani Gardens. The route includes stations that take attendees through 250 years of history, starting with the birth of the United States as a new nation on July 4, 1776. The event is being hosted by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and Auxiliary 3830, Pāhoa, in partnership with Hawai'i County Parks & Recreation. Registration is $45. Details.
Attend the Hot Rides Expo (Hilo). Vintage, classic and futuristic vehicles will be on display at the Hilo Bayfront Soccer Fields from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be live music by Rhythm X, Just Us Band, Girls Nite Out, and the Abbie Willow Band, as well as food trucks and activities for keiki, including water slides and bounce houses. Free. Details.
*Watch fireworks (Hilo, FIREWORKS). Catch a professional fireworks exhibition from a barge in Hilo Bay. The Hawaiʻi County Band will perform at 7 p.m. at the Mo‘oheau Park bandstand, concluding with music to accompany the fireworks show, which starts at 8 p.m. For those not near the bandstand, the fireworks display will be synchronized to patriotic music aired on KWXX. Free. Details.
Shop the Mākeke at Bay Bridge (Hilo). Local makers and food vendors will gather at this indoor venue to sell crafts, apparel, food, desserts and more. The event will be held at Bay Bridge in Downtown Hilo. Free. Details.
*Items with an asterisk include fireworks. Do you know of a July 4 event not on this list? Email katie@alohastatedaily.com.
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Katie Helland can be reached at katie@alohastatedaily.com.
