Top 10 things to do on Big Island for Jan. 2-8: Several achievable resolutions, from ‘The Princess Bride’ to Volcano Awareness Month events

Behind us are the holidays and ahead is a whole new year, full of exciting experiences and opportunities to reinvent ourselves.

Let’s make a resolution to try something new during 2025.

Maybe it’s a movie from the 1980s everybody told us for years we needed to see, with heroes, giants, villains, wizards and true love — with a quirky humor to make it more fun — that will be showing at the Palace Theater to help kick off its centennial year.

It could be challenging ourselves to accomplish running or walking solo or as part of a team in an ultra 31-mile race from Hilo to Volcano that gains about 4,000 feet in elevation.

Getting healthier and improving our well-being is always a popular resolution for people around the globe each year, so we could attend an upcoming health fair that will feature businesses offering information, resources, health screenings and demonstrations to help us be better.

Then there’s not only seeing an eruption as its happening as lava fountains and flows continue in the summit caldera of Kilauea, but we can also learn more about the volcanoes we all live, work and play on, too, with this year’s Volcano Awareness Month events and activities.

We could also stand to better support Big Island keiki in rodeo sports by cheering them on while they showcase their skills — and help perpetuate the island’s rich paniolo culture at the same time — during rodeos throughout the year.

All of these are achievable resolutions just within the next couple of weeks, so don’t miss your chance.

Here is our top 10 things to on the Big Island for Jan. 2-8.

No. 1 — “The Princess Bride” (Hilo, Jan. 2)

When: 7 p.m.; doors, box office and concessions open at 6:30 p.m.

Location: Palace Theater, 38 Haili St.

The historic Palace Theater in downtown Hilo kicked off its centennial year on Wednesday and one of the first shows you can catch to help the old dame celebrate in 2025 is a classic adventure that has everything. Heroes. Giants. Villains. Wizards. Even true love. But it’s not just your basic, average, everyday, ordinary, run-of-the-mill, ho-hum fairy tale.

Rob Reiner directs this 1987 comedy starring Robin Wright, Carey Elwes, Wallace Shawn, Mandy Patinkin and Andre the Giant in which a bedridden boy’s grandfather reads the story of a farmboy-turned-pirate who encounters numerous obstacles, enemies and allies in his quest to be reunited with the love of his life.

Rated PG. Tickets are $10 general admission or $9 for seniors, students and veterans. They can be purchased at the Palace Theater website or at the box office.

No. 2 — Live Jazz with Diesel & Company (Waimea, Jan. 2)

When: 7 to 9 p.m.

Location: Uila Records, 65-1227 Opelo Road

Enjoy an evening of jazz standards performed by this group featuring Michaeloha Elam on trumpet, Aaron Loeser on bass, Kamalu Harmon on keys and Diesel Tucker on drums.

Bring a friend, come early and sip on your choice of beer, wine and cocktails. It’s a fun night of good vibes and great music. Cover charge is just $10.

We’re excited to bring a cozy listening-room style music experience to Waimea every Wednesday night, plus live jazz performances every Thursday, live DJs each Friday and karaoke every Saturday. For more information, visit the Uila Records website.

No. 3 — Hilo to Volcano 50K Run/Walk/Relay (Hilo/Volcano, Jan. 4)

When: Solo runners start at 6 a.m.; relay teams start at 6:15 a.m.

Location: Start at underground parking lot, Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, 71 Banyan Drive; end at Cooper Center, 19-4030 Wright Road

Join the Big Island Road Runners for this challenging ultra 31-mile race that gains about 4,000 feet in elevation, making it a true accomplishment. It doesn’t matter if you’re proving you can do it on your own or taking it on as part of a team, it’s an exciting event and tons of fun.

Prizes will be awarded to the top three female and male solo runners overall; top two female and male solo runners in each 10-year age group; top two female, male and mixed relay teams of three up to 40 years; top two female, male and mixed “Masters” relay teams of three older than 40 years; top two family relay teams; and top two student relay teams.

There are no aid stations along the course, so runners are encouraged to bring their own water and nourishment. A light lunch, snacks, drinks and medals will be given at the end of the race.

Packet pickup will be from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Jan. 3 at the Hilo Hawaiian and 5:30 to 6 a.m. race day. Pre-registration is required. To register for for more information, including additional rules, visit the event website.

No. 5 — Waikōloa Village Health Fair (Waikōloa, Jan. 4)

When: 8 a.m. to noon

Location: Waikōloa Plaza, 68-1820 Waikōloa Road

This event showcases services that will contribute to the well-being of the Waikōloa community.

Health-related business and organizations will man booths offering resources, information and health screenings. There also will be engaging presentations from several of the participating vendors, including Hawai‘i Life Flight, Therapeutic Connection Physical Therapy and Wellness, Hawai‘i Special Olympics and Full Life Hawai‘i, Mauna Yoga and Maureen Garry Health, Nutrition and Personal Training as well as a Zumba demonstration.

The first community health fair is co-hosted by Waikōloa Markets and Waikōloa Plaza. For more information, email to waikoloacm@gmail.com.

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Volcano Awareness Month spotlight

No. 6 — Kilauea eruption viewing (Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, daily)

When: Anytime

Location: Best viewing locations are along Crater Rim Trail: Kīlauea Overlook, Wahinekapu (Steaming Bluff), Kūpinaʻi Pali (Waldron Ledge), behind Volcano House and Keanakākoʻi

The summit caldera eruption of Kīlauea that started early Dec. 23 continues, with lava flows fanning out over and covering the caldera floor from sustained fountains from vents in the sountwest area of the caldera. Activity is confined to confined to Halemaʻumaʻu Crater and the downdropped block within the caldera inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

Thousands of Big Island residents and visitors alike have been drawn to experience the eruption’s awe-inspiring power and mesmerizing images since its start and there’s no reason to wait if you’ve only watched the livestream or haven’t seen it at all.

The park will be busy, though, to rangers recently offered a few tips so you can plan ahead, including to expect delays and limited parking, especially from 4 to 8 p.m. The best time to come is after 9 p.m. and before 5 a.m. (the park is open 24 hours). Park visitors are also reminded to stay on trails, out of closed areas and away from cliff edges, keep keiki near them at all times and keep hydrated.

Look out for nēnē, rare Hawaiian geese, as they are often seen in parking lots and near roadways. Never feed the birds and keep a distance of at least foru car lengths away. Drive safely. Bring a rain jacket and dress warmly, and be sure to enjoy respectfully. Some of the best viewing is done quietly while listening to the lava roar.

For more visitor information, visit the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park website.

No. 7 — Hike the Path of Mauna Loa Volcano’s 1868 Lava Flow (Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Jan. 4)

When: 10 a.m. to about noon

Location: Meet at the Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist Katie Mulliken leads this 2-mile guided hike along the Pu‘uolokuana Trail. Mulliken will tell the story of the destructive earthquakes in 1868, as well as the landslides, tsunami and Southwest Rift Zone eruption that occurred that year.

During the hike, you learn about the eruptive history, structure and current status of Mauna Loa, Earth’s largest active volcano. Mulliken will also share information about how Hawaiian Volcano Observatory monitors Mauna Loa, which has erupted 34 times since 1843, most recently in 2022.

This easy hike includes 100-foot elevation gain and crosses rough, uneven lava surfaces. Wear sturdy closed-toe walking shoes and bring protective gear for sun and rain, drinking water and a snack.

Kahuku Unit is about an hour from the main entrance of the park, near the 70.5-mile marker on Highway 11 in Kaʻū.

No. 7 — How are Volcanoes in Hawaiʻi Monitored? (Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Jan. 7)

When: 10 a.m. to noon

Location: Look for the table at the Uēkahuna parking lot

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory maintains a network of more than 200 devices around Hawaiʻi Island that track activity above and below the surface of its volcanoes. Two of the most important monitoring datasets that help researchers understand where magma is accumulating or moving are seismicity (earthquakes) and geodesy (ground deformation).

Come talk with Hawaiian Volcano Observatory seismic network manager Jefferson Chang and geodesy network manager Andi Ellis as they showcase examples of monitoring devices and datasets. 

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No. 8 — Weldon Kekauoha live at The View (Keauhou, Jan. 4)

When: 5:30 p.m.

Location: Kona Country Club, 78-7000 Ali‘i Drive

This renowned Hawaiian musician and owner at Ohelo Records and WAY House Entertainment invites everyone to enjoy The View, with the beautiful Pacific Ocean and a surreal Kona sunset in the background while he performs what has been called a “beautiful represenation of the unique cultural heritage of Hawaiʻi.”

Kekauoha, an award-winning musician, will be sharing lots of Hawaiian music during the evening.

Whether he’s belting out ballads or plucking riffs on his guitar, this songster puts a fresh spin on classic tunes and offers an original take on Hawaiian music with his own compositions. Don’t miss this chance to see a master at work in an amazing venue.

No. 9 — Weather Permitting live (Kawaihae, Jan. 5)

When: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.; doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Location: Blue Dragon Tavern, 61-3616 Kawaihae Road

This melodic family saga is united by blood ties and born from a shared passion for music. They’re not just a band. They’re a harmonious fusion bonded together by family and musical talent.

Young piano prodigy Mateo Belmarez serves as the heartbeat of the ensemble. Leading the rhythm section is his father and seasoned bass player Brad Belmarez alongside his brother and guitarist Brandon Belmarez. The band further includes father-son duo John Lundgren on saxophone and Russell Lundgren on drums, Bill Wingert on trombone as well as Sally Woodcock and Jamie Belmarez on vocals. Belmarez also plays flute.

Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door; children 12 and younger are free. You can purchase tickets at the Blue Dragon Tavern website.

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Coming Up

No. 10 — Hawaiʻi Keiki Rodeo (Hilo, Jan. 11-12)

When: 8 a.m.; gates open at 6 a.m.

Location: Alvin “Al” Cabral Arena, 800 Stainback Highway (Panaʻewa Equestrian Center)

It’s rodeo time again in Panaʻewa, and it’s keiki who will take center arena, roping and riding first in 2025 during the Hawaiʻi Keiki Rodeo Association’s fourth annual showcase of youth talent.

Events featured during the 2-day shindig will include barrels, pole bending, breakaway, goat tying, tie down roping, team roping and ribbon mugging for juniors and seniors, as well as barrels, pole bending, breakaway, dummy roping and goat undecorating for keiki. Rough stock events will include sheep riding and calf riding.

The nonprofit Hawaiʻi Keiki Rodeo Association was created to provide rodeo activities for youth 18 years old and younger of all skill levels on Hawai’i Island to enhance their knowledge and development, meet and engage with others of similar interests, build stronger connections to the island’s rich paniolo Heritage and perpetuate it all through the sport of rodeo.

For more information, visit the Hawaiʻi Keiki Rodeo Association website. You can also follow the association on Instagram.

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Want to check for yourself what’s going on around the island?

We admit. We can’t fit everything going on each week in our top 10. So here are websites for some popular Big Island venues that you can peruse to discover other events, activities, shows, festivals or workshops that pique your interest.

• Aloha Theatre, Kealakekua: https://apachawaii.org/
• Blue Dragon Tavern, Kawaihae: https://www.bluedragontavern.com/
• Donkey Mill Art Center, Hōlualoa: https://donkeymillartcenter.org/
• East Hawai‘i Cultural Center, Hilo: https://ehcc.org/
• Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park: https://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm
• Hilo Town Market, Hilo: https://hilotownmarket.co/events
• Hilo Town Tavern, Hilo (on Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100041333509786
• Honoka‘a People’s Theatre, Honoka‘a: https://www.honokaapeople.com/
• Kahilu Theatre, Waimea: https://kahilu.org/
• Keauhou Shopping Center, Kailua-Kona: https://keauhoushoppingcenter.com/experience/
• Kona Commons, Kailua-Kona: https://www.konacommons.com/events
• Lava Shack, Pāhoa (on Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/lavashackpahoa/?hl=en
• Lyman Museum, Hilo: https://lymanmuseum.org/
• MyBar Kona, Kailua-Kona: https://www.mybarkona.com/
• Palace Theater, Hilo: https://hilopalace.com/
• University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Performing Arts Center, Hilo: https://artscenter.uhh.hawaii.edu/
• Volcano Art Center, Volcano: https://volcanoartcenter.org/
• Wailoa Center, Hilo: https://www.wailoacenter.com/
• Willy’s Hot Chicken, Kailua-Kona: https://willieshotchicken.com/