Fall island fests a rainbow of color | News, Sports, Jobs

Belles in bonnets enjoy the shady attire at the Garden Party presented by Maui Academy of Performing Arts. -- PETER LIU/ MAPA photo

The hats adorning the heads of ladies and gents at the Garden Party on the lawn of the Yokouchi Family Estate in Wailuku will be more colorful than the woods of Vermont in fall.

Presented by the Maui Academy of Performing Arts, the 30th annual event will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 30. Drawing hundreds of guests each year, this popular event raises funds for MAPA’s educational performing arts programs.

Gather for a magical afternoon with friends and family on the grounds of the beautiful estate, enjoy cuisine provided by top Maui restaurants and sip specially selected wines.

Seven well-known Maui artists will be creating original works for guests to bid on at the live auction. A silent auction filled with unique items will open at 12:30 p.m. for early bidders.

Everyone is encouraged to compete for prizes in the hat contest. Adding to the fun will be live performances by top Maui actors.

Toasting to last year’s Taste of Upcountry for Montessori School are Sumner Erdman (from left), Glenn Tremble and Peter Martin. -- BEN KOTTKE photo

Tickets are $75 ($85 at the door) and include all food and beverages. You may call 244-8760 or go online at www. mauiacademy.org for tickets. This event is for adults 21 and older only.

In appreciation of the bounty grown on Haleakala and in celebration of its 40th anniversary, Montessori School of Maui is pleased to present its third annual Taste of Upcountry from 6 to 10 p.m. Sept. 29.

This festive outdoor event, held under a tent on the central lawn of the school’s Makawao campus, is the primary fundraising activity for the 2018-19 school year. This year’s Taste of Upcountry will be co-emceed by the Grand Wailea Hawaiian Cultural Ambassador Kainoa Horcajo and The Merwin Conservancy Director of Programs Sara Tekula.

Taste of Upcountry is designed to showcase the talent, the toil and the camaraderie of Maui’s renowned chefs and Upcountry farmers and purveyors. The evening will feature 10 culinary stations presenting sweet and savory tasting plates by chefs Gary Johnson of Sea Salt Maui and Ulupalakua Ranch Store, Craig Dryhurst of Four Seasons Resort Maui, Anthony LaBua-Keiser of Maui Preserved, Sean Christensen of Maui Country Club and Uma Dugied of Star Anise Catering, to name a few.

Listen to musical performances by Steve Sargenti, Klaudia Raab and David Fraser and bid on silent and live auctions. Event proceeds directly support student programs, tuition assistance, teachers’ professional development and campus maintenance. The event is for those 21 and over and open to the public. General admission starts at $90; VIP tables at $2,500. Visit www.momi.org or call the office daytime at 573-0374.

The Festivals of Aloha Parade will be Oct. 6 in Kaunakakai on Molokai, featuring Pa‘u riders who will appear on horseback among the colorful floats and marchers. -- WAYNE SHINBARA photo

Running 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday is the highly anticipated 36th annual St. John’s Kula Festival located across from Keokea Park Upcountry. Cost is $1 for adult admission while kids younger than 10 get in free. This zero-waste event features live music, a silent auction, a kids’ zone, baked goods, arts and crafts and local food galore. Proceeds benefit Maui nonprofits.

Through October, join the Festivals of Aloha in celebrating Hawaiian culture. On Maui, go to Aloha Friday this week with Kumu Hula Uluwehi Guerrero and Halau Kauluokala in Kahului at Queen Ka’ahumanu Center.

Enjoy an evening on Lanai Sept. 29 and return with a courtesy Festivals of Aloha ferry. Molokai heats up Oct. 5 and 6 with a festival and parade. Hana on Maui’s east end will jump Oct. 6 to 13.

For a complete schedule of events, visit www.festivalsofaloha.com.

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