Coconut Tree Races and Stone Lifting: Waimea Valley’s Makahiki Festival Is Wednesday

Got Wednesday off for Veterans Day? Here’s a different way to spend it. On Wed., Nov. 11, Waimea Valley on the North Shore hosts its Makahiki Festival, a day the valley describes as “ceremony, celebration, friendly competition, and culture.” The centerpiece is the Te Moana Nui Games, where athletes race up coconut trees, run with heavy loads of fruit and lift stones, with live music, hula and local vendors around them.

What is Makahiki?

Makahiki is a traditional Hawaiian season that HONOLULU Magazine describes as “a season of peace and renewal” in its weekend guide. Waimea Valley’s festival marks it with a Makahiki demonstration on the afternoon schedule alongside the Polynesian games.

The Te Moana Nui Games

The games are organized by Tahiti Mana, which teaches Tahitian dance and has a performing troupe, in collaboration with Waimea Valley, according to the Te Moana Nui Games page. Organizers describe it as a competition “celebrating, promoting and perpetuating ancestral sports of Oceania.” Athlete registration was free and closed Oct. 30, so this year you’re coming to watch.

Three events make up the competition. The organizer’s page gives each its Tahitian name:

• Coconut tree race (Tauma Haʻari). Climbers race up a coconut palm.
• Fruit-carrying race (Timau Raʻau). Runners carry fruit lashed to poles over their shoulders, starting at Hale Hoʻike and finishing at the Upper Meadow.
• Stone lifting (Amoraʻa ʻŌfaʻi). Competitors heave big stones in a test of raw strength.

Schedule

Times are from Waimea Valley’s event page. Both organizers say the schedule is subject to change.

• 9 a.m.: Opening ceremony at the heiau by the entrance parking lot (the valley’s flyer also lists the food drive at 9 a.m.)
• 10 a.m.: Coconut tree race
• 11:30 a.m.: Fruit-carrying race
• 12:30 p.m.: Lunch break
• 1:30 p.m.: Stone lifting
• 2:30 p.m.: Hawaiian Makahiki demonstration
• 3:30 p.m.: Tahiti Mana performance and award ceremony in the amphitheater
• 4:30 p.m.: Festival ends

The two pages list different spots for the coconut tree race. Waimea Valley says the Main Lawn, and Tahiti Mana says the Palm Meadow, so check signs or ask at the gate.

Tickets, and three ways to get in free

• General admission: $10
• Kamaʻāina: $5 for ages 4 and older
• Military: For Veterans Day, active and retired military get free admission to the valley and the festival, per Waimea Valley.
• Food drive: Waimea Valley has partnered with the Hawaiʻi Foodbank. Guests who donate at least $5 get free admission to the festival, according to the valley’s event page, which links to the donation page.

Make a day of it

• It’s also Keiki Wednesday. Waimea Valley’s events calendar lists free admission every Wednesday for kamaʻāina and U.S. military keiki 12 and under. The festival page doesn’t say whether that applies on festival day, so ask at the ticket booth.
• Pack for the valley. Waimea Valley is a botanical garden with paths through the valley, so wear shoes you can walk in and bring sunscreen, water and a light rain jacket.
• Come back Sunday. Waimea Valley’s calendar shows free kamaʻāina admission on Sun., Nov. 15, for King Kalākaua’s birthday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a valid state ID.
• Other Veterans Day plans: See our Veterans Day 2026 guide for the Wahiawā parade, ceremonies and free meals.

Know before you go

• When: Wed., Nov. 11, 2026, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Where: Waimea Valley, 59-864 Kamehameha Highway, Haleʻiwa
• Cost: $10 general, $5 kamaʻāina ages 4+, free for active and retired military, or free with a $5+ Hawaiʻi Foodbank donation
• Info: waimeavalley.net; event questions for the games go to Tahiti Mana at 808-218-1043, per its site

Sources

• Waimea Valley, Makahiki Festival event page (schedule, prices, food drive; checked Nov. 9, 2026): https://www.waimeavalley.net/events/makahiki
• Waimea Valley, events calendar (Keiki Wednesday, King Kalākaua birthday kamaʻāina day): https://www.waimeavalley.net/events
• Tahiti Mana, Te Moana Nui Traditional Games (organizer, event names, registration): https://tahitimana.net/te-moana-nui-games
• HONOLULU Magazine, “Your Guide to the Perfect Weekend in Honolulu: Nov. 5–11, 2026”: https://www.honolulumagazine.com/weekend-guide-nov-5-11-2026/