Big Island Events Guide for March 13-19 Includes Concerts, Festivals, Weather Warning

Before heading out to any event this week, check with organizers: a brewing Kona low could cause schedule changes or cancellations across the island. With that caveat firmly in mind, the week still holds genuine highlights, from ancient hula performed at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park to a legendary local act taking the stage at Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo. Here are 10 things to do on the Big Island for March 13-19.

1. Hula Kahiko at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

Ranked fourth on Big Island Now's weekly list, this traditional performance begins at 10:30 a.m. on March 14 at the kahua hula (hula platform) near Volcano Art Center Gallery. Hula kahiko is the oldest form of Hawaiian dance, rooted in chant and ceremonial practice, and seeing it performed at an active volcanic landscape makes this a genuinely rare morning. The park setting means no ticket counter, but arriving early is wise, especially with parking constraints already in play nearby due to ongoing renovations at Kīlauea Visitor Center.

2. Haʻi Moʻolelo (Storytelling) at Kahuku Unit

Right on the heels of the morning's hula kahiko, the Kahuku Visitor Contact Station in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park hosts Haʻi Moʻolelo, a Hawaiian storytelling session running from 11 a.m. to noon on March 14. Haʻi moʻolelo, the art of oral narrative, is one of the foundational ways Indigenous Hawaiian knowledge has been transmitted across generations. Because both this event and the hula kahiko fall on the same morning within the park system, visitors willing to plan their timing carefully can experience an immersive cultural sequence on a single trip.

3. Ekolu at Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo

The outdoor concert at Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo, 93 Banyan Drive, brings together what organizers describe as "an evening of great music and high-energy performances, local food and craft vendors in a beautiful tropical setting with a vibrant outdoor music experience filled with island rhythms and aloha vibes." The act at the center of it all is Ekolu, a group the listing calls "legendary," well known across the islands for their blend of reggae and island sounds. Local food vendors and craft booths round out the scene, making this a full evening rather than just a concert. Note that an exact date and start time were not confirmed in available information; check the Ekolu website directly for ticketing details before making plans.

4. Puana ke Alaula Hoʻolauleʻa at Makuʻu Farmers Market

Ranked eighth on the Big Island Now list, this ho'olaule'a (community celebration) runs from noon to 5 p.m. on March 15 at Makuʻu Farmers Market, 15-2131 Keaʻau-Pāhoa Road, Unit A7, in the ʻĀinaloa area. The program features traditional hula by Hālau Unalau under the direction of Pele Kaio, offering a grounded, community-centered counterpart to the more visitor-oriented park events earlier in the week. Because the Kīlauea Visitor Center is currently under renovation, parking at that location is limited; the instruction is clear: "Bring sun/rain gear and sitting mats and arrive early because of limited parking at Kīlauea Visitor Center, which is under renovation. If parking is full, be prepared to walk from the overflow lot at Kūkamāhuākea (Steam Vents)." For questions, call 808-967-7565 or email info@volcanoartcenter.org.

5. East Hawai'i Cultural Center Youth Art Series at Kalākaua Park

The East Hawai'i Cultural Center brings its Youth Art Series to Kalākaua Park, 136 Kalākaua St. in Hilo, with a program that "treats keiki and their families to an exciting array of performances, craft and information booths and art activities, bringing together local organizations dedicated to providing arts opportunities to keiki and teens from around Hawai'i Island." Headlining the performer lineup is HAAStile, a teen rock band from Hawai'i Academy of Arts and Sciences, which gives the event a homegrown energy that distinguishes it from the week's cultural programming. Specific date and time within the March 13-19 window were not confirmed in available listings; contact the East Hawai'i Cultural Center at 808-961-5711 or stop by 141 Kalākaua Street during regular business hours for the full schedule.

6. Cultural programming at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park (full day, March 14)

Taken together, the Hula Kahiko at 10:30 a.m. and Haʻi Moʻolelo from 11 a.m. to noon on March 14 represent a concentrated block of Indigenous cultural programming within the park. Whether the two events are formally coordinated or run as separate offerings has not been confirmed, but the proximity in time, both within the same morning, suggests visitors should plan to arrive at the park well before 10:30 a.m. Standard national park entry fees apply, and the Kahuku Unit is the designated site for the storytelling session, so confirm your route before departure.

7. Vendor and marketplace experience at Makuʻu Farmers Market

The Makuʻu Farmers Market itself is worth the drive to the Puna district on March 15 even beyond the ho'olaule'a programming. One of the island's largest and most beloved open-air markets, Makuʻu regularly draws vendors selling local produce, handmade goods, and prepared food. The five-hour window of the Puana ke Alaula Hoʻolauleʻa from noon to 5 p.m. allows plenty of time to explore both the cultural performances and the broader market experience at 15-2131 Keaʻau-Pāhoa Road, Unit A7.

8. Outdoor concert experience on Hilo's Banyan Drive

The setting of the Ekolu concert at Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo adds a layer that no indoor venue can replicate. Banyan Drive, the curved road lined with enormous banyan trees planted by visiting celebrities and dignitaries throughout the 20th century, runs along the edge of Hilo Bay. An outdoor evening concert there, with local food vendors on the grounds, places music inside one of East Hawai'i's most distinctive landscapes. Given the Kona low weather watch in effect for the week, confirm the event status closer to the date through the Ekolu website.

9. Arts access for island youth

The East Hawai'i Cultural Center's mission behind the Youth Art Series is explicitly equity-driven: the program exists to connect "local organizations dedicated to providing arts opportunities to keiki and teens from around Hawai'i Island." In a county where arts infrastructure is unevenly distributed across districts, a free public event at Kalākaua Park in central Hilo serves families who might not otherwise encounter live performance or hands-on art programming. Whether the event carries any admission cost was not stated; call 808-961-5711 to confirm before bringing a group.

10. Weather watch: Kona low storm caveat

Any plan made for the week of March 13-19 should carry an asterisk. A brewing Kona low, a type of counterclockwise low-pressure system that can stall over the Hawaiian Islands and produce heavy rain, strong winds, and rough surf, has the potential to affect outdoor events across the Big Island. No specific timing or severity details were available at publication for this Kona low. Check the National Weather Service and follow individual event organizers for the latest cancellation or rescheduling notices before heading out to any of the venues listed above.