18 Feb Maui Onion Festival to Return in 2016 at Whalers Village
Traditionally held on the first Saturday in May, the Maui Onion Festival is on hold this year, due to renovations taking place at Whalers Village Fine Shops & Restaurants.
Shops will remain open during the refresh project, and the center will continue to bubble with shopping, dining and activities. “We’re excited to have a lot of new things happening around Whalers Village,” says Lisa Donlon, marketing manager of Whalers Village. “We welcome everyone to come by and see our progress, and we can’t wait to host the 26th Annual Maui Onion Festival again in 2016!”
The hugely popular West Side event draws hundreds of residents and visitors to the beautiful Kā‘anapali shopping venue every year to learn about Maui’s most famous agricultural crop. The all-day schedule features chef demonstrations, contests, food booths, music and entertainment throughout the center.One of the popular highlights is Hula Grill’s Maui Onion Pairing Dinner, which will also be postponed and will return in 2016.
Over the years, the festival has become an exciting showcase of island chefs’ versatility. The Maui Onion Challenge, Mixologist Contest, and Maui Onion Recipe Contest are all hosted at Center Stage for admiring audiences. And let’s not forget the Keiki and Adult Raw Onion Eating contests—always incredible to witness.
Over the years, the festival has become an exciting showcase of island chefs’ versatility. The Maui Onion Challenge, Mixologist Contest, and Maui Onion Recipe Contest are all hosted at Center Stage for admiring audiences. And let’s not forget the Keiki and Adult Raw Onion Eating contests—always incredible to witness.
Fortunately, there is still plenty of fun to be had at Whalers Village throughout the year. Daily activities at Center Stage include hula lessons, coconut husking demonstrations, cultural hula history lessons and lei making, as well as evening performances of Polynesian and Tahitian dance. And just offshore, the visiting humpback whales put on their own show during their annual migration, now through April.