Top 20 things to do on Big Island for Feb. 29-March 6: ‘One Uddah Mid’Summah,’ Ekolu CD release party, David Nelson Band returns and much more

Want to catch a Shakespeare classic with a local twist? Kahilu Theatre in Waimea has an upcoming production right up your alley.

“One Uddah Mid’Summah,” an adaptation by Jackie Pualani Johnson of the Bard’s comedy “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” hits the Kahilu stage this weekend and promises to help audience members revisit their connection to the ʻāina and their ancestors.

Also on tap during the next week around the Big Island are a release party in Hilo for Ekolu’s newest album “Longevity” and the David Nelson Band returns to the Big Island for several shows as part of its Hawaiʻi 2024 Hana Hou Tour.

Those are just a few of the events and activities to check out at the beginning of March. Here are our top 20 things to do on the Big Island from Feb. 29-March 6.

No. 1 — Waikōloa Community Market (Waikōloa, March 2)

Join the excitement from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the opening day of this new monthly market at Waikōloa Stables, located at 68-1936 Waikōloa Rd.

Waikōloa Community Market features more than 35 vendors offering a variety of products including fresh produce, plants, eggs, fish, baked items, artisan-prepared foods, creative artwork, jewelry, crafts, music and more. Come spend time in sunny Waikōloa Village and enjoy the market, support the local economy and engage in this creative community.

For more information, contact market manager Ann Wurden at [email protected]. You can also follow the market on Instagram @waikoloacommunitymarket.

No. 2 — “Longevity” CD Release Party (Hilo, March 3)

Don’t miss this unforgettable evening in celebration of the long-awaited release of Ekolu’s latest CD! Get ready to groove to the band’s incredible music and experience the magic of their live performance.

The Crown Room at the Grand Naniloa Hotel, located at 93 Banyan Drive, will be transformed into a vibrant party venue filled with music enthusiasts and fans alike. Dance the night away from 5:30 to 10 p.m., surrounded by the beautiful Hawaiian ambiance and the energy of Ekolu’s music.

Don’t miss this opportunity to be a part of the album release celebration of one of Hawai‘i’s most beloved bands. Grab your friends, bring your dancing shoes and get ready to have a blast! Click here to purchase tickets, which start at $40.

A release party is also planned from 4 to 10 p.m. on March 2 at KBXtreme Premier Entertainment Center, located at 75-5591 Palani Rd., in Kailua-Kona. Click here to purchase tickets for that show.

No. 3 — “One Uddah Mid’Summah” (Waimea, March 2)

Kahilu Theatre, located at 67-1186 Lindsey Rd., is delighted to present this adaptation of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Jackie Pualani Johnson’s local spin on the Bard’s classic comedy has a prominent theme of love and aims to help audience members revisit their connection to the ʻāina and their ancestors.

The production is directed by Sean-Joseph Takeo Kahāokalani Choo and co-produced by Kamamo House and the Hawaiʻi Shakespeare Festival.

Showtime is 7 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, which start at $25, click here.

No. 4 — Artisans Hui pop-up event (Waimea, March 2)

Step into a world where craftsmanship meets creativity from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Saturday in March during this event showcasing the talents of local leatherworkers, artists and Kamuela Hardwoods.

Come out to Kamuela Hardwoods, located inside Parker Ranch’s old slaughterhouse at 67-1140 Lindsey Rd., for an unforgettable experience celebrating the skill and passion of the community’s talented artisans.

For more information, call 808-430-1120.

No. 5 — Keiki Market (Hilo, March 3)

Gam3Escape, located at 57 Shipman St., is excited to host a special event for the community’s keiki entrepreneurs. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the store will have various keiki vendors showcasing a wide range of products and activities as they learn business and life skills.

There also will be random drawings throughout the day. Come by and support the future. Entrance is free.

Vendor and product lists are available in-store. For more information, call Gam3Escape at 808-498-4095.

No. 6 — Anna Geniushene performance (Hilo, March 5)

The Hawaiʻi Concert Society presents this 2022 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition silver medalist live at 7:30 p.m. on stage at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Performing Arts Center, located at 200 W. Kawili St.

Described by Musical America as a “powerhouse sound, forceful musical personality and sheer virtuosity,” Geniushene will be performing compositions by Clementi, Schumann, Chopin, Tchaikovsky and more.

Tickets are $25 for general admission, $20 for adults 60 or older and $10 for students. You can purchase tickets in advance at The Most Irresistible Shop, Basically Books and the UH-Hilo box office. Remaining tickets will be sold at the door.

No. 7 — ʻAkaka Falls Lions Club Relay for Life Garage Sale (Hilo, March 2)

Come out to 1244 Komohana St. from 7 a.m. to noon to not only find great bargains but also help raise funds for the American Cancer Society.

Multiple items will be up for grabs including books, antique dishes, clothes, baby car seat or bathtub, bed railing, blankets, travel bags, kitchen appliances, golf clubs and covers and much more.

For more information, email to [email protected].

No. 8 — “The Zone of Interest” (Hilo, March 1-3)

Directed by Jonathan Glazer and starring Sandra Hüller, Christian Friedel and Freya Kreutzkam, this movie follows the commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss, and his wife Hedwig, who are striving to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden next to the camp.

Showtimes are 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday and there is a 2:30 p.m. matinee Sunday. Doors, box office and concessions open 30 minutes before.

Tickets are $10 general admission or $9 for seniors, students and veterans. You can purchase them in advance online. You can watch the movie’s trailer on YouTube.

No. 9 — “This Innocent Country” exhibit (Hilo, through March 29)

This exhibit by Jeremy Dean, which runs through March 29 at the East Hawaiʻi Cultural Center, located at 141 Kalākaua St., takes an unsparing look at white privilege, the mythology of American identity and the need to move past simplistic symbols to understand the complexities of the fractured American landscape.

Dean draws on two decades of research, community engagement and artmaking, principally in the small town of St. Augustine, Fla., to present three series that explore the foundational flaws of America’s privileged majority.

The exhibit can be viewed during regular gallery hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, click here or call 808-961-5711.

No. 10 — Don Wood’s 70th Birthday Bash! (Kailua-Kona, March 1)

All ages are invited to Willie’s Hot Chicken, located at 74-5599 Pawai Place, to celebrate the beginning of Wood’s eighth decade on the planet with a killer punk rock birthday party.

The fun starts at 5 p.m. and will feature live music from El Sancho, 9 IRON and The 1201.

For more information, call the restaurant and bar at 808-796-3088.

No. 11 — The Queer and Abled Hawai’i Artists Collaborative (Hawaiian Paradise Park, March 1-2)

Equality Hi has partnered with Abled Hawai’i Artists and Full Life Hawaiʻi to organize this two-day inclusive event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days at Shari’s Studio, located at 15-1732 Naupaka Ave., to provide unique art making collaborative opportunities for master and aspiring artists who identify as queer and/or disabled.

Completed artwork will be featured in an exhibit in an accessible gallery in Hilo during Pride Weekend in June. Any unsold artwork will be featured in a silent auction fundraiser during the Abled Hawaiʻi Artists 17th Annual Art Festival in October to benefit Abled Hawai’i Artists, Abled Hawai’i Artists Collaborative and Equality HI.

For more information, contact Mar Ortaleza via email at [email protected].

No. 12 — Caregiving: A World of Dignity and Compassion Through Poetry, Storytelling and Imagination (Hilo, March 2)

Author Frances Kakugawa returns to Hawaiʻi Island Adult Care, located at 561 Kūpuna Place, from 10 a.m. to noon to share insights and reflections through poetry and writing inspired by her caregiving experience with a mother with Alzheimer’s.

Kakugawa reminds us that loved ones and caregivers deserve compassion, respect and a life with dignity.

The lecture, in collaboration with AARP Hawaiʻi, is free and open to the public. Pupus and beverages will be provided. Donations are welcome. To reserve a spot, call Maya at 808-480-3733 or email [email protected].

No. 13 — David Nelson Band Hawaiʻi 2024 Hana Hou Tour (Various venues, March 6, 8, 9-10)

Aloha, David Nelson Band ‘ohana! The band is returning to Hawaiʻi again this year for four magical shows on the Big Island, welcoming Jay Lane on drums. Special opening sets of slack key and pedal steel with Stephen Inglis and Barry will also be featured on March 9 and 10. They’ll play a mixture of traditional Hawaiian music and some familiar favorites.

The shows are scheduled for 5:30 p.m., with doors opening at 4 p.m., March 6 at ARC of Hilo, located at 1099 Waiānuenue Ave., in Hilo; 5:30 p.m., with doors opening at 4 p.m., March 8 at Hale Halawai, located at 75-5760 Ali’i Drive, in Kailua-Kona; 5 p.m., with doors opening at 4 p.m., March 9 at The Eleven, located at 88-1635 Ulua Drive, in Captain Cook; and 4:20 p.m. March 10 again at The Eleven in Captain Cook.

Ticket prices vary at each location. Do not contact the venues for information. Direct inquiries via text to promoter CBGB at 808-557-0544. Tickets can be purchased online in advance or at the door on the day of the show with cash only.

Advance tickets can be purchased through PayPal (choose Friends and Family option only) or Venmo (when prompted for last 4 digits of phone enter 0544). When purchasing tickets, specify which shows you are purchasing in the comment field. If you are purchasing tickets for someone else, also specify the name of the intended ticket recipients in the comment field.

No. 14 — Winemaker Dinner Hilo Edition (Hilo, March 6)

If you’re looking for a night out with good food and wine, come out to White Guava Café, located at 54 E. Puainako St., for this special event.

Enjoy a four-course dinner prepared by Big Island chef Audrey Wilson beginning at 5:30 p.m. Each course will be paired with selections from Sleeping Dog Wines.

For reservations, call the café at 808-731-5045 or email [email protected].

No. 15 — Foggy Mountain Spaceship live (Kawaihae, March 2)

This Colorado-based band features Chris Elliott on banjo, Chris Sheldon on the Banjotron Acoustikit 2000 and Kyle Ussery on bass performing original compositions, bluegrass favorites, psychedelic instrumentals and more. Get a preview of what the band has to offer by checking out the video for “Interstellar Blues” on YouTube.

The show at Blue Dragon Tavern, located at 61-3616 Kawaihae Road, starts at 6:30 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Children 12 and younger are free. Buy your tickets now online.

The band will also play a free show from 5 to 8 p.m. March 1 at KaiLoki’s Restaurant and Bar, located at 92-8754 Hawaiʻi Blvd., in Ocean View. There will be another free show from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 29 at Willie’s Hot Chicken, located at 74-5599 Pawai Place, in Kailua-Kona.

No. 16 — Coffee Symposium and Annual Meeting (Kahaluʻu, March 1)

Join the Kona Coffee Farmers Association from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort, located at 78-6740 Ali‘i Drive, for a day full of informative presentations about topics including coffee leaf rust, soil health and networking with your fellow farmers and vendors.

Keynote speaker will be José Tulio González, renowned coffee producer with a family tradition in the field and president of the board of directors of the National Coffee Association of Guatemala (Anacafé). Also, check out the trade show. The annual general meeting and board elections will happen at about 3 p.m.

Free for association members; $75 for guests. Lunch is included. Click here to register.

No. 17 — Lei Making (Waikōloa, March 1)

Learn how to make your very own pua kalaunu, or crown flower, lei from start to finish from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Coronation Pavilion at Queens’ Marketplace, located at 69-201 Waikōloa Beach Drive, during this month’s lei making workshop with Ainahua Florals.

Wear your lei home or gift it to someone you love.

Limited to 15 guests on a first come, first served basis.

No. 18 — Dine In Benefit for Daniel R. Sayre Foundation (Kailua-Kona, March 5)

Harbor House, located in Suite 4 at 74-425 Kealakehe Parkway near Honokōhau Harbor, invites the community all to dine in and support Hawaiʻi County first responders and the lives they impact.

In their honor, the restaurant donates a portion of its sales to the Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation on the fourth Tuesday of each month after 3 p.m. Donations are used exclusively to purchase rescue equipment required by the Hawaiʻi Fire Department.

For more information, call 808-326-4166 or email [email protected].

No. 19 — “Orchestral Favorites” (Kailua-Kona, March 3)

Join the Chamber Orchestra of Kona from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at Grace Community Church, located at 74-4889 Palani Road, for this delightful program of some of the best-loved orchestral music.

The free concert will feature works including “On the Beautiful Blue Danube” waltz by Johann Strauss, music from Bizet’s “Carmen,” Handel’s “Water Music,” Brahms’ “Hungarian Dance #5” and more.

The orchestra’s previous performance was to a full house, so be sure to arrive early for a good seat. Donations are appreciated. For more information, email [email protected].

No. 20 — Patty’s Paint-N-Sip (Hawaiian Paradise Park, March 2)

Paint — and sip — while you create your own unique humpback painting from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at Rozett’s Nursery, located at 15-1521 28th Ave.

All materials will be provided, including an apron. There will also be pupus, dessert and wine to share, or you are welcome to bring your own beverages.

Cost is $65 to attend and must be paid in advance. Call or stop by Rozett’s Nursery to reserve your spot. Call 808-982-5482 for additional information.