Category Archives: Culture

Culture, maui, Travel

The Maui Film Festival

What else is there to do on Maui when the weather is not postcard perfect? This holiday season the Maui Film Festival offers plenty of choices. Located at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center (or the MACC as locals calls it) in Kahului, the film fest brings together a few encore screenings of films previously shown at the MACC as well as a new line up of independents–many of which have been shown at other fests, but are new to Maui.

Before the evening shows, the Candelight Cafe is open in the courtyard, where food, drinks and music are available. For dinner last night before the 7:30 screening of “Juno“, I munched on a chicken caesar salad ($7) and washed it down with a glass of organic red wine ($6) while listening to a jazz trio (free) who brought it.

With an occupied tummy, I laughed heartily along with the near sell out crowd at the prickly dialog delivered by rising teen star Ellen Page along with a talented cast that included Jennifer Garner, Michael Cera, and Jason Bateman. The other films that I have seen so far this festival are “The Walker” starring Woody Harrelson and “I’m Not There” about singer/songwriter Bob Dylan. With another week and so many interesting films to go, I’m going to need to buy a second pass.

The festival started on December 12, 2007 and runs through December 30, 2007. Each day of the festival there are three screening times: 2:00 PM, 5:00 Pm, and 7:30 PM. A different film is shown each time. Screening listings, times and ticket information are available online.

Culture, Environment, Weather

Maui Beach Weddings

Maui is officially known as the “valley isle” or the “magic isle”, but locals have another moniker: the wedding isle. As many as 500,000 couples per year in the U.S. opt to combine their wedding and honeymoon, saving both time and money. For many, Maui is their wedding destination of choice. In recent years, nearly as many non-residents married in Maui as residents.

Beaches in West and South Maui are the most popular island wedding locations. Since all beaches in Hawaii are public it’s first come, first married. Local wedding planners shuttle couples to the most desired spots, where there is often a 30- to 60-minute wait. Saying “I Do” in time for snapping sunset pictures can be a race.

However, couples should be aware that major storms passing through the islands rain out the beach. During a storm week, power outages caused by strong winds can impose blackout conditions, and many couples have no choice but to cancel their wedding. For some, it was possible to reschedule at the end of their “honeymoon”. Others return home unmarried.

Hiring a local wedding coordinator can help engaged couples work around unexpected weather, explains Lisa Villarimo of Enchanted Weddings of Maui, who has helped hundreds of couples make alternate arrangements on the fly.