Grand reopening & blessing of Hale Hawaii 10am-12pm Dec 2 at Iao Valley

Community members are invited to celebrate the restoration of an 'Iao Valley cultural facility with the blessing and grand reopening of Hale Hawaii at Kepaniwai Heritage Gardens (below the state park) on Tuesday, Dec 2, at 10 am, the County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) announced.

The new Hawaiian hale is 25-feet wide by 40-feet long and constructed on the existing rock and concrete platform to feature the Hale Halawai open-ended style. The DPR project required that construction of the indigenous Hawaiian architectural structure had to be supervised by a certified Hawaiian hale builder.

"Restoring this hale represents more than rebuilding a structure — it honors the people, traditions, and stories of Hawaiian history,” DPR Director Patrick McCall said. “We are deeply grateful to the builders, cultural practitioners and community members who guided this project with such care. We welcome everyone back to this space to learn, connect, and celebrate the rich heritage that continues to shape Maui."

A fire destroyed the original Hale Hawai'i in 2003. When the reconstructed building needed repair in 2019, it was closed that year for upgrades.

Constructed in the 1960s and early 1970s, Kepaniwai Heritage Gardens is a 7.2-acre County-owned park at 870 Iao Valley Road. The well-known area features ethnic displays, including buildings, gates and gardens, that honor cultural groups significant to Hawai'i and Maui history.

Kepaniwai Heritage Gardens holds Hawaiian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and early American areas, along with picnic pavilions and restrooms.

For general County DPR information, visit www.mauicounty.gov/parks.

Date: Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025

Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Cost: Free

Categories: Announcement, FREE, Cultural / Ethnic

Kepaniwai Park at Iao Valley located at 870 Iao Valley Rd, Wailuku, HI 96793   in Central Maui

Phone: 808-270-7232     Website: https://mauicounty.gov

Location Specifics: Kepaniwai Heritage Gardens