Free Maui Hula Shows

The location of a free Maui hula show as part of the Hale Kahiko (Ancient House) Hawaiian village exhibit provides an unexpectedly good time in the middle of the parking lot at Lahaina Center.

If this show was a block away on busy Front Street, everyone would know about it. But the location in the middle of the parking lot pretty much dooms this occasional free Maui hula show and interesting Hawaiian cultural exhibit to obscurity.

Hale Kahiko at Lahaina Center

But that obscurity is part of the charm.

As you go through the village, you can imagine that you are off on a remote part of the island a hundred years ago rather than among your fellow tourists.

The only way the spell is broken is when one of those giant Roberts Hawaii buses roars by in the parking lot and brings you back to reality.

Hale Kahiko (ancient house) is a replica of a Hawaiian village. The exhibit has three hale (houses).

Each hale in the village was built for a specific function - eating, sleeping or craft making.

There are also other exhibits such as an imu, which is natural sand underground oven used to roast kalua pig like you see at a Maui luau.

I found it peaceful to visit this small scale Hawaiian village both before and after the free Maui hula show.

Free Maui Hula Show at Lahaina Center

The show is a Keiki (kid's) hula show - there are also some adult performers that seem to be their teachers. This show is pretty low key.

The two times I attended the show, the accompanist/host rode up on his tiny electric scooter, plugged in his electric guitar, and accompanied the prerecorded music and songs.

There were just a few people in the audience relaxing in some chairs under the trees.

The stage is an extension of the Hale Kahiko exhibit and has a natural stone border and sand base.

Lahaina Center Location & Parking

If you're not looking for this place, you won't find it. The simplest way to locate the Hale Kahiko exhibit at Lahaina Center (in north Lahaina just off Front Street) is to go to the entrance of Hilo Hatties, then turn around and locate the trees about 30 yards out in the middle of the parking lot.

Parking is simple since the show is in the middle of the paid parking lot of the Lahaina Center outdoor shopping mall. You get two hours free parking with a purchase from one of the stores at Lahaina Center. We have also just parked across the street using free curb parking.

Lahaina Center Free Hula Show Schedule

Normal schedule for the Lahaina Center free hula show is 2:30pm on Wednesday and 3:30pm on Friday.

Free Maui Hula Show Video

My free Maui hula show video at Lahaina Center also includes some video of the Hale Kahiko, since the hula show stage is right next to this free Maui cultural exhibit. The dancers also use three common accompaniments to hula: dried gourd - ipo, split bamboo - puili, and feathered gourd - uli uli.

Click on the PLAY button in the image below to view the video.

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