Fall is a truly lovely time on Maui. The hotter weather of summer is behind us as is the busy summer vacation travel period, so the island is less crowded in fall. It’s a great time to visit! Here are some popular things to do on Maui in fall — annual events that you can incorporate into your visit to The Gardens at West Maui.
MAUI EVENTS IN SEPTEMBER
The month-long Festivals of Aloha take place every fall across the state of Hawaii with multiple events that are designed to honor and share Native Hawaiian culture and traditions. Starting in September (and often spilling over into October), you will find a variety of wonderful cultural events taking place in various regions of Maui, as well as on the islands of Lanai and Molokai (which are part of Maui County). Concerts! Festivals! Parades! All lots of fun!
This annual event occurs in the lovely open-air courtyard of the Maui Arts & Cultural Center in Kahului. Bring a lawn chair, beach mat, or blanket, and relax on the lawn for an afternoon of happy ukulele jamming!
MAUI EVENTS IN OCTOBER
Each year in the fall (September or October) the annual Maui County Fair kicks off on a Thursday afternoon with a parade and continues through Sunday with carnival rides, food, exhibits, entertainment, and fun competitions like the annual Maui Fire Department chili cook off. Taking place at the War Memorial Complex in Wailuku, the County Fair is a great community event for both visitors and locals to enjoy!
The Annual Maui Marathon, a Boston Marathon qualifier event, follows a 26.2-mile course across the island from Kahului to Kaanapali and is considered one of the 10 most scenic marathons in the U.S. If you are on Maui that day and aren’t running in the marathon, you can still join in the fun by cheering on the participants along the route.
This statewide event takes place over three weeks on multiple islands, showcasing Hawaii’s locally grown foods and featuring a roster of internationally known master chefs and culinary personalities. Don’t miss the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival events taking place on Maui each year in the Kaanapali Beach Resort area!
The world’s premier off-road triathlon combines a 1.5 kilometer (1 mile) rough water swim, a 32-kilometer (20 mile) mountain bike race climbing 3,500 feet up the West Maui Mountains and a 10.5-kilometer (6.5 mile) trail run. Whew! This event draws around 800 athletes from 28 countries including professionals and amateurs.
Dubbed the Mardi Gras of the Pacific, the annual Halloween celebration in Lahaina draws around 25,000 people each year! The celebration starts in late afternoon with a kid-friendly activity—the Keiki (“children”) Halloween Costume Parade—which is completely adorable. The festivities continue until midnight with live music, an adult costume contest (with incredibly elaborate costumes!) and lots more fun. (The later the hour, the more adult-oriented the crowd and the costumes become, so be forewarned if you are traveling with children.)
MAUI EVENTS IN NOVEMBER
If you are looking for unique locally made products, this is the event for you! This new annual festival has quickly become Maui’s largest venue for local vendors and craftsmen to show their products: food, produce and plants, arts and crafts, jewelry, fashion, gifts, collectibles. This is a great place to find unusual, one-of-a-kind local products for yourself or for gifts to take home to friends and family. And just in time for Christmas!
Foodie alert! November means it’s time once again for Restaurant Week Wailea. Twice a year, in spring and fall, Wailea’s fabulous, world-renowned restaurants celebrate Restaurant Week Wailea with three course, pre-fixe menus for just $29, $39, $49 or $59 per person. This is a wonderful opportunity to experience these acclaimed restaurants at a great value and support a worthwhile cause while you’re munching — a portion of the proceeds is donated to the Maui Food Bank.