HVNP October Activity Lineup

The Ranger Program at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. PC: HVNP

October will be a busy month at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

According to a press release, the park will continue its tradition of sharing Hawaiian culture, After Dark in the Park talks, stewardship programs and opportunities to explore the Kahuku Unit all throughout next month.

Visitors can check the park’s online calendar of events or look for program flyers posted after 9:30 a.m. on the bulletin board at Kīlauea Visitor Center. Park programs are free, but entrance fees apply. Some programs are co-sponsored by Friends of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park and Hawai‘i Pacific Parks Association.

Upcoming events include:

Explore the Summit program at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. PC: HVNP

E mākaʻikaʻi iā Kaʻauea: Explore the Summit—Join a park ranger for a brand new, ranger-guided walk. Discover the geologic features of Kīlauea and their deep connections to Hawaiian history and culture. This 45-minute program is suitable for all ages.

When: Offered daily beginning Oct. 1 at 11 a.m.
Where: Meet in front of Kīlauea Visitor Center

Shape America’s Future: Find Your Fit in the Federal Government—Every year, the federal government is looking to fill positions in Hawaiʻi. Join Park Ranger Ben Hayes as he shows you how to find career opportunities in the federal government. Ranger Hayes will show you how to navigate the USAJobs website, share resume writing tips and how to find your fit in the National Park Service and other federal agencies. This program is part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ongoing After Dark in the Park series and can be attended for free (park entrance fees apply).

When: Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 7 p.m.
Where: Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium

Every Kid Outdoors Day—Calling all fourth graders. There will be kid-friendly activities offered throughout the park, including the chance to complete the new Junior Ranger program at the Kahuku unit in Kaʻū. To celebrate the recently-passed Every Kid Outdoors Act, fourth-grade students can earn a free entrance pass to all national parks. To earn your pass, students need to complete the paper voucher, available for free on https://everykidoutdoors.gov/index.htm, print the voucher out and present the completed voucher at the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park entrance station. Everyone in your car gets in with you for free. The Every Kid Outdoors Annual Pass provides free access to fourth-grade students and those accompanying them to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas across the United States until the end of August 2020.

When: Saturday, Oct. 12
Where: Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

The Hawaiian Honey Bee. PC: HVNP

Why Hawaiian Honey May Be the Best on Earth—Join local beekeepers and representatives from the Big Island Beekeepers Association to learn more about island varieties of honey and to taste some varieties first hand. Hawai‘i is one of the few places on earth that expose honeybees to a vast variety of tropical fruit trees and flowers, some found nowhere else on earth. Hawaiian honeys include Lehua, Kiawe, Coffee, Mac Nut and many more. There is a Hawaiian honey to please every palate. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ongoing After Dark in the Park series.

Free (park entrance fees apply)
When: Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m.
Where: Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium

Lei Kukui Demonstration—Join Park Rangers to learn about one of the most used plants in Hawaiian culture. Nearly every part of the kukui has a use. Hīpuʻu is a style of lei making where you tie the stems of the leaves together to produce a beautiful lei. Join rangers and staff from Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association and learn how to make your own lei kukui. Part of Hawai‘i Volcanoes’ ‘Ike Hana No‘eau “Experience the Skillful Work” workshops.

Free (park entrance fees apply)
When: Wednesday, Oct. 23 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Where: Meet in front of Kīlauea Visitor Center

Kahuku Coffee Talk: Creatures That Have Evolved in the Dark—Join local experts to learn about lava tubes and some of the interesting animals that call them home. Attendance is free.

When: Friday, October 25 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Where: Meet at the Visitor Contact Station at the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Enter the Kahuku Unit of the park on the mauka (inland) side of Highway 11 near mile marker 70.5. Kahuku is located in Ka‘ū, and is about a 1-hour drive south of the park’s main entrance.

Dick Hershberger portrays Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar as part of the Walk Into the Past Program at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. PC:HVNP

A Walk into the Past with Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar—Walk back to 1912, and meet the founder of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Dr. Thomas A. Jaggar, at the edge of Kīlauea Volcano. Dressed in period costume, Ka‘ū actor-director Dick Hershberger brings the renowned geologist to life. Dr. Jaggar will take you on a tour of his tiny lab located below the Volcano House to see original seismograph equipment and other early instruments. You’ll learn what motivated Dr. Jaggar to dedicate his life to the study of Hawaiian volcanoes, and how his work helps save lives today. Space is limited; pick up your free ticket at the Kīlauea Visitor Center’s front desk the day of the program. The program includes climbing stairs and entering a confined space. Supported by the Kīlauea Drama Entertainment Network (KDEN).

Free (park entrance fees apply)
When: Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Each performance is about an hour.
Where: Meet at Kīlauea Visitor Center

Explore Kahuku—The Kahuku Unit is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free. Take a self-guided hike or join a ranger-guided hike on the weekends at 9:30 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Check the park website for hike details. Enter the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on the mauka (inland) side of Highway 11 near mile marker 70.5. Kahuku is located in Ka‘ū, and is about a one-hour drive south of the park’s main entrance. Sturdy footwear, water, raingear, sun protection and a snack are recommended for all hikes.