Top 10 things to do on Big Island for Feb. 14-20: Valentine’s Day soirées, stewardship and cultural events plus more
Cupid makes his rounds this weekend, and there are plenty of Valentine’s Day events around the Big Island to help the cherub of love hit his target so you score a bull’s-eye with your special someone or even a new connection if you’re single.
Fall in love all over again with the mesmerizing music of ‘ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro while you woo your date during his special Valentine’s Day concert live at the historic Palace Theater in downtown Hilo.
Be serenaded by Quartz as the trio of Melissa Moore, Marcie Desalla and Yisa Var make their group debut Feb. 14 at Hilo Town Market.
Eunice’s Lounge and Bar, a.k.a. Neecey’s, in Hilo is also hosting a Valentine’s Day party perfect for anybody 21 and older, no matter your dating status. It’s based on the colors of a stoplight. So green attire means go for it to all the singles mingling; yellow still says caution, proceed at your own risk, for those in a more complicated situation; and red signals stop since you spotted someone already taken.
The romance bleeds into Feb. 15 with a more sensual celebration of self-expression by Aerial Arts Hawai’i at the Palace. It will be a showcase of aerial acrobatics, dance and burlesque performed with love for audience members 18 and older.
It’s not all about feeling the love on the island this weekend and beyond though; there are other events where Cupid’s arrow won’t fly (although, you never know).
Volunteer during Mālama Awakeʻe Day to help care for, preserve and enhance the local environment while celebrating the undeveloped beachfront of the Makalawena area in Kona.
Don’t miss Pūlama Mauli Ola 2025 this weekend in Hilo either. The event — which includes educational, cultural and language programs; arts and crafts vendors; food; keiki games; and live entertainment — is more than your average Hawaiian cultural celebration. It’s a showcase of thriving Hawaiian life.
Here are our top 10 things to do on the Big Island for Feb. 14-20.
No. 1 — Quartz live (Hilo, Feb. 14)
When: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Location: Hilo Town Market, 69 Waiānuenue Ave.
Let the voices of Melissa Moore, Marcie Desalla and Yisa Var serenade you and your date with love songs of all sorts as part of the group’s big debut.
No matter how you celebrate Valentine’s Day, the market will also have something for everyone! Come for the show, but don’t miss the food, drinks, shopping and dancing.
More info: Call 808-491-2233 or visit the Hilo Town Market website.
No. 2 — Jake Shimabukuro live at the Palace (Hilo, Feb. 14)
When: 7 p.m.; doors, box office and concessions open at 6 p.m.
Location: Palace Theater, 38 Haili St.
The beloved ‘ukulele virtuoso returns to the Palace stage for an intimate Valentine’s Day concert, joined by bassist Jackson Waldhoff.
Audience members will be mesmerized by his innovative and dynamic style as he once again takes the ‘ukulele to dizzying new heights while moving effortlessly between genres, sometimes in the same song. It’s the perfect date night to woo your sweetheart.
Tickets are $40 general admission or $65 priority orchestra seating in advance. Prices are $5 more the day of the show. Ticket sales benefit the ongoing restoration and maintenance of the historic Palace Theater, which is celebrating its 100th birthday this year.
More info or to purchase tickets: Visit the Palace Theater website.
No. 3 — Casey808’s Valentine’s Day Stoplight Party (Hilo, Feb. 14)
When: 9 p.m.
Location: Eunice’s Lounge and Bar, a.k.a. Neecey’s; 200 Kanoelehua Ave.
Looking for love on Valentine’s Day? Is it complicated? Already have a special someone but want to have a good time out without being hit on?
No problem. This party is perfect for everybody. Everybody wearing green (single) is free game. You can also hit up those in yellow (it’s complicated) if you’re feeling a little risky. Leave those dressed in red (already taken) to themselves so they can enjoy their night together.
Must be 21 or older. Cover is $5 or $2 if you’re dressed in any of the three colors for the party.
More info: Call 808-796-3003 or 808-854-0562.
No. 4 — Mālama Awake‘e Day (Kailua-Kona, Feb. 15)
When: 8 a.m. to noon
Location: Meet at the trailhead to Makalawena, south of the Kua Bay entrance off Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway
Join an inspiring movement of care and conservation as part of this community initiative dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of the local environment. It’s also a celebration of the undeveloped beachfront and commitment to stewardship.
From coastal cleanups, restoration of sensitive cultural sites and educational workshops, participants will have the opportunity to engage with nature, learn important conservation skills and connect with fellow community members who share a love for the Earth.
More info or to register: Click here or email to kihamanafoundation@gmail.com.
No. 5 — Pūlama Mauli Ola 2025 (Hilo, Feb. 15)
When: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Location: Edith Kanaka‘ole Multi-Purpose Stadium, 350 Kalanikoa St.
This is more than a simple celebration of Hawaiian language and culture. It’s a showcase of thriving and vibrant Hawaiian life and well-being, mauli ola Hawai‘i, that also highlights the united and growing movement toward once again normalizing the language of Hawaiian ancestors.
Interactive educational, cultural and language enrichment programs, Hawaiian arts and craft vendors, ‘ono Hawaiian and local foods, keiki games and activities as well as entertainment by haumāna of Pūnana Leo of Hilo, Waimea and Kona; Ke Kula ʻO Nāwahīokalaniʻōpu; Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani; Hālau i ka Leo o Nā Mamo; The Kuahiwis; Ka ʻUmeke Kāʻeo; and Kalapana ʻAwa Band are all part of the event.
Don’t miss this special cultural affair is made possible through the collaboration of students, families, teachers and staff from Pūnana Leo, Ke Kula ʻO Nāwahīokalaniʻōpu and Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani. Admission is free.
More info: Visit the Pūlama Mauli Ola website.
No. 6 — Cooking to Resiliency (Pāhoa, Feb. 15)
When: 10 a.m. to noon
Location: Pāhoa Neighborhood Facility, Meeting Room No. 3, 15-3022 Kauhale Street
Equality HI invites the public to a free cooking class and community meal. Class members will learn valuable skills to eat locally and well during the program and those who attend the meal afterward will get to reap the benefits of what those participants learned.
This week’s class will showcase Filipino cuisine with pinakbet, a traditional Filipino vegetable stew made with a variety of vegetables and a fermented seafood sauce. It’s a staple dish in Filipino households and often served with rice and meat or seafood. Pinakbet is also a cultural symbol of the Ilocano people and their way of life, traditionally thought to bring strength to farm workers.
Registration is required for the cooking class, community meal after and anyone who would like to volunteer.
More info: Call 808-895-5353, email info@equalityhi.org or visit the Equality HI website.
No. 7 — Celebrate Black History Month at University of Hawai‘i at Hilo (Hilo, Feb. 15, 19-20)
When: Various times
Location: Various locations on the UH-Hilo campus, 200 W. Kāwili St.
The University of Hawai‘i at Hilo continues its celebration of Black History Month and again invites the public to honor and highlight the achievements, contributions and history of Black individuals and communities during several upcoming events. There is no admission charge.
Children’s Day for keiki 12 years old and younger is set for 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 15 in Campus Center Room 301. “Beat Street,” a 1984 film about New York’s hip-hop culture, will be shown at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 19 in UCB Room 100.
A gongfuball presentation and demo is slated for a time and location to be determined Feb. 20. Gongfuball mixes tag football, ultimate frisbee and soccer into one sport, with the element of flag boxing as a way of eliminating players and determining offensive defensive sides.
From 6 to 7:30 p.m. the same day in UCB Room 100, attend the “From The Plantation to Implantation Afrofuturism in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” presentation, which is designed to engage the audience on topics ranging from critical race theory, frontiers in economics pertaining to the U.S bioeconomy and bioethics to the impending impact of artificial intelligence on the careers and culture of the Black community in the United States.
More info: Click here.
No. 8 — LOVE: An Aerial Burlesque Show (Hilo, Feb. 15)
When: 7 p.m.; doors, box office and concessions open at 6 p.m.
Location: Palace Theater, 38 Haili St.
Aerial Arts Hawai‘i returns to the Palace stage for a one-night post-Valentine’s Day performance with love. The hourlong variety and burlesque show will feature aerial acrobatics, dance and burlesque.
This show is suitable only for those age 18 and older because of its celebration of sensual self-expression.
Tickets are $27 general admission or $42 for priority orchestra seating in advance. All prices are $5 more tha day of the show.
More info or to purchase tickets: Visit the Palace Theater website.
No. 9 — Hawai‘i Triennial 2025 exhibit (Hilo, Feb. 15-May 3)
When: 6 p.m. Feb. 21 opening event; on display regular center hours
Location: East Hawai‘i Cultural Center, 141 Kalākaua St.
Hawai‘i Triennial 2025 — the state’s largest, thematic exhibition of contemporary art featuring 49 total artists at 13 sites — moves beyond Oʻahu for the first time this year to encompass Maui and the Big Island.
Five artists, including Hakalau’s Russell Sunabe, will be featured in the portion of the exhibit coming to Hilo. Each brings a unique voice to the show. The theme of this the 2025 exhibit is “Aloha Nō,” which is intended to “challenge commonly held notions of aloha and reframe it as a way of life, an action that embodies profound love and truth-telling and a beloved practice that has been kept and cared for by the people of Hawai‘i for generations.”
Sunabe will also give an artist talk at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 22.
More info: Click here, visit the East Hawai‘i Cultural Center website, call 808-961-5711 or visit the cultural center during regular hours.
No. 10 — Silent Movie Night: “Steamboat Bill Jr.” (Hilo, Feb. 20)
When: 7 p.m.; doors, box office and concessions open at 6:30 p.m.
Location: Palace Theater, 38 Haili St.
Silent Movie Night returns with a special presentation of Buster Keaton’s 1928 “Steamboat Bill Jr.” Watch as the son of a cantankerous riverboat captain joins his father’s crew, accompanied by a live score performed by Walter Greenwood on the mighty Palace pipe organ.
A special comedy short film from the same era will be shown before the feature presentation.
Silent Movie Night is a joint fundraiser between the Friends of the Palace Theater and Hilo Theatre Organ Society. Funds rasied are used for ongoing maintenance of the Palace pipe organ. Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door.
More info or to purchase tickets: Visit the Palace Theater website.
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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/
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