Maui Arts and Cultural Center – a Great Entertainment Experience

Some friends of mine decided to take advantage of reduced airfares to Hawaii and spend some time in the islands this month. After looking at different Maui vacation homes, they chose the “Valley Isle” as their primary destination, lured by all of the beauty, culture and vibrancy Maui has to offer. The island has many different picturesque areas to serve as a home base and ultimately my friends decided on one of the Wailea rentals to call “home” for their 10 day getaway.

Wailea’s sunny south shore is a good pick, as it offers a bit of everything from golf to shopping to long sunset walks on the beach. A prime whale watching vantage this time of year, it is also not far from many other Maui attractions. Though Maui is a somewhat large island, most points of interest are in relative close proximity, with the drive time to the furthest spots being only a few hours away.

One relatively short drive worth taking from Wailea is to The Maui Art & Cultural Center (also known as “the MACC”). This non-profit center is host to a multitude of inspiring art and cultural events. Located in Kahului (which is also the city where the island’s main airport is situated), the MACC is about a 45 minute drive from Wailea. I’ve suggested to my friends who are visiting Maui in January to check out the calendar of events taking place there during their stay. The cultural center hosts approximately 1,800 events each year that highlight slack key guitar, hula, ballet, symphony, drama, storytelling and much more.

I checked the MACC calendar to see what was happening while my friends were on island and I saw that ukulele virtuoso, Jake Shimabukuro will be playing there on Saturday, January 24. One of the world’s top ukulele players, his mission is to create original and unique sounds that defy all limits of this four stringed instrument. He offers a modern twist to a classic Hawaiian instrument with a unique flair all his own. He is known for an incredibly fast finger style that has interpreted classic songs from Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Cyndi Lauper and Sarah McLachlan. This Hawaii native has toured the world and collaborated with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones and Yo-Yo Ma, among others.  Checking out his website’s tour dates, I see that he’ll be performing throughout the Hawaiian islands from January 17 – February 22. I would definitely suggest checking out one of his shows if you are in Hawaii during this time.

While my friends are on Maui, the MACC will also be offering an ongoing showcase of Hawaii artists at the Schaefer Portrait Challenge 2009 exhibit. They are also hosting the Maui Film Festival’s “Candlelight Cafe and Cinema” series, which shows a different film every Wednesday night during the month of January.

Wailea has a fairly good nightlife, as does nearby Kihei, so my friends won’t be at a loss for evening entertainment right there in their own neighborhood. But I hope they take the short trip to Maui’s Art and Cultural Center to experience a beautiful venue hosting some of the best music and art that Hawaii has to offer. There’s nothing like a world-class concert in paradise.