Friday, December 7:
First Friday at the Hawai`i State Art Museum.  Free, family-friendly evening at the Hawai`i State Art Museum. Galleries will be open late, with live entertainment. Seating will be provided.  All ages welcome.  Parking available across South Hotel St. in the Ali`i Place building, or street parking in the area. Several TheBus lines stop directly in front of or close to the museum.  Hawai`i State Art Museum, 250 South Hotel St., 2^nd Floor, Honolulu. 6 to 9 p.m.  For information call (808) 589-9959 or visit www.sfca.hawaii.gov.

Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays throughout December: 
Festival of Lights.  See the Festival of Lights every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evening with Santa and Mrs. Claus.  The Festival of Lights interior display of Auntie Josie’s creations and the dazzling creations crafted by Kaua`i artisans.  Historic County Building, 496 Rice Street, Lihue.  6 to 8 p.m.  Free event.  For information call (808) 639-8564 or visit www.kauaifestivaloflights.com.

Friday, December 7:
Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade.  Gaily lit and decorated F-104 Starfighter joins the other floats and bands, to honor and pay respect to the Pearl Harbor survivors, our veterans, active duty military and their families. The Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum will be giving out free “Traveling P-40” magnets to spectators.  The parade takes place on the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack.  Parade will be on Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki, to Kapiolani Park.  6 to 8 p.m.

Friday Afternoons:
Slack Key Guitar Concerts.  Traditional Hawaiian slack key guitar and `ukulele concerts. December 7 – Spirit of Slack Key; December 14 – Legends of Slack Key; December 21 – Your Island of Peace; December 28 – Honoring Raymond Kane.  Free gift drawing.  Award winning traditional Hawaiian slack key guitar and ukulele concerts featuring songs and stories telling its history.  Tickets $25 general admission, $20 Ages 13-19 & over 50, keiki under 5 free.  A portion of the proceeds support the Hale Halawai Ohana `O Hanalei.  Hanalei Family Community Center, 5-5299 Kuhio Hwy, Hanalei.  4 to 6 p.m.  For information and reservations call (808) 826-1469 or visit www.mcmasterslackkey.com.

Thursday, December 6: 
A Manoa Christmas.  The University of Hawai`i at Mānoa’s Music Department and Department of Theatre and Dance are collaborating on a classical holiday celebration of live music, dance, and theatre. Join the musicians, actors, and dancers of UH Mānoa for this festive celebration of the season with performances from the UH Symphonic Orchestra, Choirs, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, and students from UH Theatre & Dance. There will also be a special appearance from Raiatea Helm. Tickets are $10-$20 and are available online at www.etickethawaii.com, by phone at (808) 944-2697, and at the Kennedy Theatre Box Office.  Kennedy Theatre, Mainstage, 1770 East-West Rd., Honolulu.  7:30 p.m.  For more information call (808) 944-2697 or visit www.manoa.hawaii.edu.

Thursday, December 6:
Blackened Canteen Ceremony & Youth Symposium. Dr. Hiroya Sugano, Director General 3 of the Zero Fighter Admirers’ Club, comes from Japan to conduct this annual commemoration of peace and reconciliation ceremony with a silent prayer and pouring bourbon whisky from a WWII blackened canteen into the water from the USS Arizona Memorial as an offering to the spirits of the fallen. For reservations call (808) 282-6570; first come first served.  Following the Ceremony will be a youth symposium, held in the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum Theater.  The Symposium will highlight the story and lessons of the ceremony, commemorating the friendship, honor and reconciliation borne out of the horror of WWII. Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, 319 Lexington Blvd., Honolulu. Ceremony, 7 a.m.; Symposium 10 to 11 a.m. The Symposium is free, but advance registration is requested. Seating is limited. For information call (808) 445-9137 or visit www.pearlharboraviationmuseum.org.

Thursday, December 6: 
SEA-son of Giving Shopping and Charity Event.  An annual holiday shopping charity event to support local nonprofits including MOC Marine Institute, Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project, Maui Nui Marine Resource Council and more. Take a picture with Santa, and enjoy over 20 local vendors throughout the Aquarium.  Evening highlights also include live performances by the Maui Community Band, the Renaissance singing group Maui Madrigales, and the The Chop Suey Jazz Orchestra as well as Maui Ocean Center’s unique holiday tradition – a visit from Scuba Claus in the Open Ocean exhibit. Admission is $9.95 when booked online or with a donation of one unwrapped, new toy or 5-pound bag of rice per person to benefit the Maui Food Bank and Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of Maui. General Admission is $15.00.  Evening highlights include Aquarium exhibits, live music, Maui Art & Craft Fair, dive presentations with SCUBA Claus, 30% off select holiday items at Maui Ocean Treasures gift shop, holiday menu at Reef Café, free drawings & prizes.  Maui Ocean Center, 192 Ma`alaea Rd., Ma`alaea. 6 to 9 p.m. For tickets and information call (808) 270-7059 or visit www.mauioceancenter.com.

Wednesday Evenings:
Slack Key Guitar Concerts.  Traditional Hawaiian slack key guitar and `ukulele concerts.  December 5 – Heart of Slack Key; December 12 – Poina `Ole – Never to be Forgotten; December 19 – Gift of the Ancestors; December 26 – For the Birds. Award winning traditional Hawaiian slack key guitar and ukulele concerts featuring songs and stories telling its history.  Tickets $25 general admission, $20 Ages 13-19 & over 50, keiki under 5 free.   A portion of the proceeds support All Saints’ Pipe Organ Restoration Project.  Free gift drawing.  All Saints’ Church, 4-1065 Kuhio Hwy., Kapa`a.  6 to 8 p.m.  For information and reservations call (808) 826-1469 or visit www.mcmasterslackkey.com.

Every Wednesday and Thursday: 
Maui Humane Society’s Beach Buddies Visitor Program. Do you miss having a dog to spend your day with? Visitors and residents can sign up to take a homeless dog out for the day from the Maui Humane Society animal shelter. The shelter is easy to find as it is conveniently located in Pu`unene (central Maui) on Mokulele Hwy., between Kihei/Wailea and Kahului. Program participants will pick “their dog” up at 10 a.m. and bring them back no later than 3 p.m. MHS provides all of the supplies, you just provide the fun! Advance registration is mandatory as space is often filled weeks in advance. Register online at www.mauihumanesociety.org.

Every Wednesday: 
Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Concert.  Enjoy renowned slack key masters who are true ambassadors of their music, their culture and their land for an evening of traditional Hawaiian songs and authentic “talk-story”.  December 5 – Led Ka`apana; December 12 – Jeff Peterson; December 19 – Nathan Aweau; December 26 – Herb Ohta, Jr. & Jon Yamasato. Dinner/Show packages are available. Located at the Sea House Restaurant at the Napili Kai Beach Resort (except for November 28<sup>th</sup> show with Raiatea Helm), 5900 Lower Honoapi`ilani Hwy., Napili. Doors open 6:45 p.m., show begins 7:30 p.m., event ends at 9:30. For tickets and information call (888) 669-3858 or visit www.slackkeyshow.com