It’s April in the islands of aloha — here’s what not to miss!
Every day is Earth Day in Hawaii, as this translated Hawaiian proverb implies: “The land is chief, man is its servant.” Still, this month is the perfect time for activities that can refresh your spirit and renew the environment, too. April is Volunteer Month, when more than 20,000 volunteers, including visitors, participate in some 600 beach cleanups, cultural preservation projects and other forms of community service statewide. Kanu Hawaii offers listings that you can search by island, date and kind of event.
Feature photo courtesy of Genki Ala Wai on Facebook.
Oahu
When your schedule doesn’t permit an organized environmental cleanup, stop by the customer service desk at International Market Place in Waikiki and ask for a Sustainable Coastlines Beach Cleanup Kit for a $10 deposit. Use it to pick up litter when hiking or at the beach. If you post an action shot on social media with the right tag, you’ll receive a $20 gift card as well as your deposit when you return the kit.
Here are highlights of events around Oahu in April:
First Saturday of every month – April 5
The Genki Ala Wai Project hopes to restore the Ala Wai Canal, which borders Waikiki, by making 300,000 algae-eating, clay-based genki balls to toss into the canal’s increasingly less murky waters. Get your hands dirty in a good way by helping create the balls from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on the first Saturday of every month at Kapahulu Library.
April 19
The historic cultural enclave of Waimea Valley, also home to extensive botanical gardens, hosts special Earth Day activities on April 19. Volunteers can sign up in advance to remove invasive plants near a valley stream from 9 to 11:30 a.m., or participate in a special forest restoration project from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., which includes a 45-minute hike up a ridge that is normally inaccessible to visitors. No registration is necessary to visit the Sustainability Village in the valley’s Upper Meadow, featuring hula performances, speeches and vendors from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
April 12 & 13
If you love seeing little cars going at top speeds, you’ll want to race over to Hawaii Remote Control Expo 2025 at Ka Makana Alii shopping center in Kapolei April 12 and 13. The event features more than 250 entries in remote-controlled drag races, on-and-off-road contests, drifting races and other competitions, as well as vendors and kids’ activities, plus a car and bike show on April 13.
Maui
The free East Maui Taro Festival draws thousands to Hana Ballpark for food, arts and crafts, hula, cultural demonstrations and a celebration of all things kalo, the Hawaiian word for taro. This year’s event takes place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 26, but related festivities continue the next day in Hana with a Kahanu Garden tour and a taro pancake breakfast in Helene Hall, plus a community workday in the taro patches at Kapahu Living Farm in Kipahulu.
Here’s what else to watch or nosh on the Valley Isle this month:
First Saturday of every month – April 5
The first Saturday of each month brings special kids’ crafts and activities to Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge in Kihei, where visitors can view more than 30 kinds of birds from its trails, boardwalk and viewing area. The staff also offer “walk and talk” hikes at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on first Saturdays.
Fourth Sunday of every month – April 27
Remove marine debris and other trash that endangers sharks and other underwater life during the monthly Kaehu Beach cleanups, led by Sharkastics since 2012. Volunteers meet on the fourth Sunday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon at the beach end of Kukona Place in Waiehu, near Kahului, but registration in advance is required.
April 25–17
Even if you’re not running the 55th annual Maui Marathon on April 27 — or the half-marathon, 10K or 5K races on the same day — you may want to pop into the Maui Marathon Health & Fitness Expo at the Westin Maui Resort and Spa in Kaanapali April 25-26. You can also join in a virtual run elsewhere, and still get a T-shirt and medal.
Hawaii Island
While the Ironman World Championship in October draws international attention, the Lavaman Triathlon seems a lot more fun as well as shorter—just a 1.5K swim in Anaehoomalu Bay, a 40K bike and a 10K run around the Waikoloa Beach Resort, ending at Lava Lava Beach Club with free Lavaman beer from Kona Brewing Hawaii, among other perks. You can also compete in just run-bike or bike-swim events.
Here are more highlights for April on Hawaii Island:
April 19–27
National Park Week begins April 19 with a fee-free admission day. That’s a good time to visit two oceanfront sites near Kailua-Kona. To the north lies Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, home to cultural sites, a large fishpond and a beach with frequently basking turtles. To the south lies Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park, also known as Place of Refuge for its role as a spiritual sanctuary, with imposing tiki statues and remains of a royal compound.
April 20–26
Tickets have long been sold out for the three evenings of hula competition during the weeklong Merrie Monarch Festival, April 20-26, but you won’t want to miss the many free daytime performances by musicians and dancers, cultural workshops, popup boutiques and an enormous official craft fair throughout the week. The Royal Parade through downtown Hilo on April 26 concludes the festival and celebrates the newly crowned Miss Aloha Hula, too.
April 10–12
If you’re sweet on chocolate, book your tickets now for the Big Island Chocolate Festival at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott April 10-12. The annual event includes a cacao farm tour in Kona, farm seminars, chef demonstrations and a gala evening with unlimited tastings of sweet and savory chocolate concoctions from 18 of the island’s top chefs, beer and wine, and live music and fire dancers. Wear masks or costumes inspired by the gala’s theme, Cirque de Chocolate, and you may win tickets to next year’s event.
Kauai
Volunteers have helped restore the ahupuaa—Hawaiians’ traditional mountain-to-sea land division—of Waipa on the North Shore since 1982. Today visitors to Waipa can enjoy fascinating farm and food tours three days a week, a Tuesday afternoon farmers market, and the chance to join Waipa Foundation’s restoration efforts on the fourth Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. to noon.
Here are other fun events on Kauai this month:
April 6
Soak in some of Kauai’s most scenic golf holes while supporting youth in the local Boys & Girls clubs. The eighth annual Kauai Classic Golf Tournament benefiting the Kauai branch of the Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii takes place April 6 at Princeville Makai Golf Course.
April 12
Established and up-and-coming ukulele artists perform at the free Kauai Ukulele Festival at Kukui Grove Shopping Center on April 12 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Be sure to bring your uke — performing musician Kimo Hussey will also lead a kani kapila (jam) for festival goers.
April 19
Kids can enjoy egg hunts, games, music and meeting farm animals up close during Easter on the Farm, April 19 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Kauai Animal Education Center. Six different age groups for the various egg hunts offered hourly ensure all kids have an even playing field for finding eggs.
