Around the Punaverse, November 2026

By Petra Wiesenbauer

Holiday Market Season is Upon Us

I hope you all had a great time with Halloween activities and are getting ready for the pathway to November events and our holiday season. Many markets and art shows are coming up mauka to makai, with treasures and beautiful displays of our local talent. Highlights include Art Walks along the Red Road, Volcano, and Paradise Park, as well as the Hawaii Nei Art Exhibition. Veterans Day on November 11 – celebrating our Veterans for their service – is a federal holiday, and schools, offices, and some businesses will be closed. Arbor Day, with free tree giveaways around the island and plant/tree sales, connects us with nature, the beauty of our aina, and the importance of being good stewards. Thanksgiving on November 26– the time to come together and enjoy each other in peace and gratitude. Many of us will enjoy a long weekend, but many will also have to work and be on duty. Remember that it is not just about Black Friday and all the retail opportunities. There is much to be grateful for as we are looking back at a turbulent year marked by challenges and celebrations and community coming together to support each other in recovery from storms, disasters, fires, and floods.

Throughout the month, our community of local artists, practitioners, food lovers, and musicians are sharing their talents and offerings with you to find joy, connection, and creative resources.

Last but not least, don’t forget to vote in the general election on Nov. 3. Drop your ballot into the ballot boxes at the Pahoa & Keaau Police Stations. For more locations, go to: https://www.elections.hawaiicounty.gov/voting/voter-ballot-drop-box-locations. The Hilo Polling Place with walk-in registration and in-person voting is at the Hawaii County building, open:
October 20 – November 3, 2026
Hours: Monday – Saturday 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Tuesday, November 3, 2026: 7:00 am- 7:00 pm

Malama Pono – please, be safe, stay dry, look out for your neighbors and may you all be well and enjoy the festivities, activities and events of this month!

PAHOA HOLIDAY PARADE – December 5

Please mark your calendars! To make this a successful event, volunteers are needed to help with administration, permit coordination, moving of barricades and cones, judges, catering and leisure for judges, suggestions for Grand Marshal, and help with handling contributions. Please contact Kevin Kushel at [email protected] or call (305) 496-8300.

Presented by Mainstreet Pāhoa Association, please join us on Saturday, December 5, 2026, for the 33rd Annual Pāhoa Holiday Parade. The parade will start at 9:30 am. This year’s theme is “It’s a White Christmas,” so bring the holiday cheer with creative floats, festive costumes, decorated vehicles, and spirited walking groups!

Set-up will be at 7 am. Parade route and lineup details are still being finalized, pending permit approval. Participants will receive updates as arrangements are confirmed.

Participants should plan to park on Aapa Street (Dump Road) unless updated arrangements are announced. Please follow all directions from parade staff and prioritize the safety of participants and spectators.

Who can join the parade: Local businesses, schools, nonprofit organizations, community groups, families, and individuals are invited to participate. Whether you’re planning a festive float, a marching group, or a creatively decorated vehicle, we welcome your holiday spirit!

How do I get started? Advance registration is encouraged, but late and same-day entries are welcome, subject to safe accommodation. All entries must register and check in before joining the parade.

Entry Fees: $25 per entry, free for student, keiki, and nonprofit entries. Submit your completed registration application and any applicable entry fee by mail to Mainstreet Pāhoa Association, P.O. Box 1943, Pāhoa, HI 96778, or drop it off at the Pāhoa Lava Zone Museum at 15-2833 Pāhoa Village Road. Registration will also be available at parade check-in on the day of the event, at a location to be announced.

For questions and to download application forms, please go to the website: https://www.activatepuna.com/projects/holiday-parade-2026. For registration assistance or additional information, contact Kevin Kushel at [email protected] or call (305) 496-8300.

STUDIO ART WALKS AND EXHIBITIONS

Hawaii Nei Art Exhibition – Opening November 6

Join us at the Opening Reception of the 18th Annual Hawai‘i Nei Art Exhibition on Friday, November 6, from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Wailoa Center in Hilo. Enjoy live music by the Kanilehua Serenaders, keiki art activities, and light refreshments as we celebrate the incredible creativity of Hawaiʻi Island’s artists – many of them from Puna. The award ceremony will begin at 4:30 pm as we recognize this year’s talented artists and their inspiring work.

For 18 years, Hawaiʻi Nei has brought together artists of all ages to celebrate Hawaiʻi Island’s native flora, fauna, and ecosystems through original, multimedia artwork. From mauka to makai, each piece offers a unique perspective on the species and landscapes that shape our sense of place. Hosted by the Three Mountain Alliance, Hawaiʻi Island Art Alliance, and Wailoa Center, this annual juried exhibition uses art to bridge people and the natural environment. By encouraging curiosity, appreciation, and connection to Hawaiʻi’s original kamaʻāina, Hawaiʻi Nei inspires our community to care for the natural and cultural resources that sustain us.

Red Road Art Tour – November 21

Please join the exciting first-ever Red Road Art Tour in Pāhoa, Hawaiʻi! 30 artists will be featured at 16 locations along the beautiful Red Road. The tour is self-guided, and signs will be available along the road. Officially known as the Kalapana-Kapoho Beach Road, this spectacular stretch of coastline is affectionately called the Red Road because it was originally paved with red cinder. Tucked among lush tropical landscapes and dramatic lava coastline is a vibrant community of artists who call this special place home. For one day, artists will open their studios and gather at shared locations along the Red Road, inviting you to meet the artists, explore their creative spaces, and discover original art to take home. Come wander the Red Road and see what we’ve been creating! For more information, visit https://www.redroadarttour.com/ or scan the QR code on the flyer.

Volcano Village Artists Hui – November 27, 28 and 29

This year will be the 40^th anniversary of the Volcano Studio Tour and Sale. Studios in Volcano Village will be open November 27, 28, and 29 (Thanksgiving weekend) from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Volcano also has several great restaurants where you can take a break and enjoy a fabulous meal. It is also a wonderful opportunity to run into people you haven’t seen in a long time. You can find more details on the Artists Hui’s Instagram @volcanoarthui or their Facebook page. 

Paradise Studio Tour – December 5 & 6

Please mark your calendars: This wonderful Puna event is celebrating its 20^th anniversary this year. There will be 26 Big Island artists this time! The Abled Hawai’i Artists Annual Sale will be sponsored at Studio A. The Student Art Exhibition will take place at Studio F, the HPP Community Center. To see information about demonstrations, please see the website. 10% of weekend sales are donated to local high school art programs for supplies. Visit our website for details about artists, demonstrations, and a printable map for the weekend:https://www.paradisestudiotour.com/

The event takes place at multiple locations, as shown on the map, but the Hawaiian Paradise Park Community Center at t 15-1570 Maku’u Dr, Keaau is a great place to start. At this location, in addition to local artists and the student show, you will find Sumthingdifrent food truck and public restrooms.

MARKETS

Leilani Garage Sale – November 7, Leilani Estates

This Sale takes place at the Leilani community Park Pavilion on 13-3441 Moku Street from 8 am – 11:00 am. Buyers enter for free; Leilani resident vendors are free, outside vendors are $5.00. Vendors can set up at 7 am.

Hilo Coffee Mill Community Yard Sale– November 7, Kurtistown

The community yard sale will take place from 9 am – 3 pm. You will find crafts, jewelry, produce, food, toys, plants, kitchen items, furniture, and 100% Hawaiian Coffee. Vendor spaces are still available. For more information, you can call (808) 968-1333 or email [email protected].

BeeZar – 2^nd Annual Anti-Corporate Market – November 27, Mountain View

You are invited to ditch the chains, join the misfits, enjoy food, music and gifts, mead, and delicious food. The market will take place at 18-3990 S. Lauko Rd. from 4 pm – 8 pm. For more details, please check the QR code on the flyer.

Maker’s Market – November 15 & December 6

The Maker’s Market invites you to its monthly market event on November 15. There will also be a holiday market on December 6, 12-5 pm, at The Stables, in Hawaiian Shores (15-859 Kahakai Blvd, Hawaiian Shores). The market is covered and sheltered from the weather, so vendors do not need to provide a canopy. All products and wares are handcrafted, cooked or grown, caught or harvested, produced, and offered by local Makers, Growers, and Doers. There is also a Garden Table Project for Gardeners and Homegrowers. To reserve your 6’ table ($5 donation) and join us at our monthly market, go to https://makersmarkethui.com/GardenTables.html SNAP/EBT is accepted. More details on the market are available at https://MakersMarketHui.com.

Moho Community Market – every Friday

This market features fresh, local, and handmade products. Visit this vibrant community market filled with fresh produce, handmade goods, and local flavors. It is open every Friday from 2- 5 p.m. on the corner of 8^th and C Rd in Hawaiian Acres. Free entry and family-friendly. Check out the website: www.hawaiianacres.org

Rozette’s Nursery – every Saturday, 9 am – 1 pm, HPP

This market offers vendors with local products, crafts, food, and coffee at Rozette’s Nursery on Kaloli & 28^th in HPP. 

Maku’u Farmer’s Market: Sundays 7:30 am – 2:00 pm, https://tendingourroots.org/story/makuu-farmers-market/.

Kaimu Farmer’s Market:

Saturdays 8:00 am – Noon at Uncle Robert’s location

Hi Vibration – Orchidland Farmers Market

Wednesdays 3 – 6 pm,16-281 Pohaku Dr.

Volcano Farmers Market

Thursdays 3 – 6 pm & Sundays 6 am – 10 am, Cooper Center, 19-4030 Wright Road, Volcano Village

Plant It Hawaii – November 13 & 14

We’re opening our gates again! For the first time since 2019, we’re inviting everyone in to walk the rows with us. Take your time, ask us anything, and bring a few trees home. This amazing fruit and spice will be on Fri, Nov 13 + Sat, Nov 14 · 8 am–4 pm. The Plant It Hawaii nursery is located at 17-4300 South Road in Kurtistown. No appointments needed, no minimum purchase, just come plant shopping. All of the Plant It Hawaii staff are incredibly knowledgeable and helpful with all your tree and planting questions.

Arbor Day

Arbor Day Hawaiʻi is officially Friday, November 6th, 2026. In recognition of Arbor Day, tree celebration events take place all around the state. The Keaʻau Arbor Day Tree Giveaway- a community tree adoption/giveaway as part of Hawaiʻi’s annual Arbor Day celebrations takes place on Saturday, November 7, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Sure Foundation Church (16-1592 Pohaku Circle, Keaʻau, HI 96749).

To view a full schedule of events with dates and location list, please look at the official state event notices via the DLNR Arbor Day Hawaiʻi Portal. 

VETERANS DAY EVENTS 

Veteran’s Day Parade – November 7

The annual Veteran’s Day Parade takes place on November 7 at 10am, Hilo Downtown: from Wailoa State Park Statue to Pauahi Street, to Kilauea Ave to Waianuenue Ave to Kamehameha Ave. Please come to celebrate our veterans and thank them for their service! Find all parade details at www.hivetparade.org. 

Chili & Bingo – Honoring Veterans Day – November 7

This celebration will take place at the VFW Auxiliary 3830 in Nanawale Estates at 15-775 Maluhia Street, Pahoa. Doors open at 4:30 p.m.; dinner is at 5 pm. Dinner is $10 and includes 2 bingo cards; all veterans are free.

SMOKE IT UP – November 14

Good food for a good cause! Smoke it Up! is BACK! Come hungry, ‘ohana! We’re bringing together 16 chef stations serving up some seriously ʻono grinds at the 2nd Annual Smoke it Up! on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 2–5 PM at Hale Hālāwai O Puna in Downtown Pāhoa. ALL YOU CAN EAT! Menu sneak peek: Smoked Meat Lūʻau, Imu Beef Brisket Sliders, Smoked Pork Chowder, Waiwī Pipikaula Crisp, No Worries Sheep Curry, Venison Mac & Cheese, Smoked Marlin Hydroponic Salad, Thai-Style Sausage Sliders, and lotsssss more! Pair those smoky bites with craft cocktails or local mead, and jam to live music by Drew Daniels & Friends and Kona Town’s Finest. And it’s all for a great cause.

Proceeds will support the continued development of a community kitchen in Pāhoa, which recently helped prepare hundreds of meals a day for ʻohana affected by Hurricane Lala. The goal is to build food-processing infrastructure in Lower Puna so we can turn more of what we grow, raise, and harvest into value-added products right here in our community.

Tickets are $75, but use code SMOKE26 to save $15! That’s just $60 for an afternoon of ‘ono food, live music, and supporting a stronger local food system! Check out the full chef lineup and grab your tickets at smokeitup808.com. Smoke it Up! is a collaboration between Mālama O Puna, Council District 4, Pāhoa Lava Zone Museum, Hale Hālāwai O Puna, and Activate Hawaiʻi.

Women Activating Women in Puna #2

This free event takes place on November 14 at 10 am – 2 pm at the Arts & Science Center Pavilion (HAAS)j at 15-1397 Homestead Road, Pahoa. A brunch potluck gathering for women to learn, share wisdom, offer support, and network. The ultimate goal is to build a stronger, healthier Puna community by starting with the ladies! Please feel free to invite your female friends and family too! Topics to be discussed: female health, faith and culture, personal growth, family, love relationships, home, work, and continued education. You should bring: a good and supportive attitude, one potluck dish, a food container for leftovers, women’s and kids’ clothing, books, toys, etc., to exchange. Please register using the QR code on the flyer.

Big Island Meadery in Keaau – Special Events November 7 & 20

Big Island Meadery never disappoints with its delicious mead made from its own honey and its special events calendar: On November 7, from 5-7 pm, the Meadery invites you to a Paint & Pour Class. Brandy & Jason will teach you several techniques to create special pieces on an array of surfaces. All materials are included; $60 per person. On November 20, from 5–7 p.m., participants can immerse themselves in the tradition of lauhala weaving during a class by artisan Poliala. The cost is $60 per person and includes all the materials. More details are on the flyer, and you can book tickets through the QR code on the flyer or at www.bigislandmeadery.com. They are open Tuesday- Saturday from 10 am – 6 pm. Located at 16-313 Shipman Road, Keaau. For November, their schedule is on the flyer, with food vendors adding their special touch.

Volcano Art Center in the Park – Aloha Fridays & November 2, November 30 & December 21

Aloha Friday cultural demonstrations are held each week, November 6, 13, 20, 27 from 11 am – 1 pm on the porch of Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Activities include lei making, botanical printing, ukulele instruction, and lauhala weaving. Topics occur on a rotating schedule. All supplies are provided. These free cultural events are supported in part by Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority. Although these cultural events are free, donations are appreciated, and park entrance fees do apply. Call 808-967-7565 or email [email protected] for more detailed information. November event calendar:https://volcanoartcenter.org/ep-events/?epc_month=2026-11.

The Volcano Art Center (VAC) welcomes the community to Botanical Painting with Puakea Soares. Classes will take place on November 2 (Hapu’u Fern), November 30 (Koa Tree Branch), and December 21 (Ohia Lehua Flower). Each class goes from 11 am – 1 pm. Join local artist Puakea Soares in painting a 3.5” round ornament of rare native plants unique to Hawaiʻi Island, and specifically the Niaulani Forest. The location of this class has been changed to the Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. 

All supplies are provided, and the class is now free; however, suggested donations range from 10-15. Call 808-967-7565 to reserve your spot, or register online.

The Crafty Raccoon Art House – Grand Opening in new location: November 13

The Crafty Raccoon Art House is open and settling into its new location at the former Mystic Closet and/or Pahoa Village Museum. It is a great space with a beautiful backyard garden. The goal is to have the Grand Opening ready for 2^ndSaturday (November 13).

The staff is super friendly and welcoming. For all their weekly classes, you can make reservations through their website or in person (www.craftyraccoon.com). The shop features a coffee bar with reasonable prices and is open Mon-Fri 11 am-6 pm, Sat 10 am-6 pm, Sun 11 am-5 pm. Follow their FB page for regular updates.