October Events at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park

News Release Date: September 15, 2026
Contact: [email protected]

Stewardship at the Summit Rainforest Restoration. Volunteer to help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. Bring a hat, rain gear, day pack, snacks and water. Gloves and tools are provided. Under 18? Parental or guardian accompaniment with written consent is required. Visit the park website for details.
When: October 3, 17 and 24. Meet at 8:45 a.m.
Where: Meet project leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center parking lot on the dates above. (The meeting place is open during the visitor center renovation.)

Artist in Residence Dawn Waters Baker Returns! Painter Dawn Waters Baker returns to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park as the National Parks Arts Foundation October Artist in Residence. Learn how she creates her luminous landscape oil paintings through slow, layered glazes and time in the field. Her practice of wonder, walking, observing and journaling results in paintings that are felt as much as they are seen. Co-sponsored by the Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
When: Saturday, October 17 at 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Where: Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Turn into Kahuku near the 70.5-mile marker on Hwy 11 in Kaʻū.

Precious Garlands Performances. Two one-act plays in Kahuku share Hawaiian history. The Vespers at Hānaiakamālama is a moving visit with Queen Emma (wife of Kamehameha IV), a remarkable woman worked fervently to better the lives of the Hawaiian people. Then, Hoʻokiaʻi Liliʻuoklani is filled with the sounds and cries of mourning. It takes place at the funeral of Queen Liliʻuokalani - the last queen of Hawaiʻi. The queen is present and notes those who come to pay their respects at her casket. The funeral is filled with the music that brought joy to her life, even while she was under house arrest in ʻIolani Palace following the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
When: Saturday, October 17 at 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Where: Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Turn into Kahuku near the 70.5-mile marker on Hwy 11 in Kaʻū.

Theodore Roosevelt's Birthday. President. Colonel. Rough Rider. Father. Naturalist. Rancher. The National Park Service celebrates the legacy of Theodore Roosevelt with a fee-free day. During his presidency from 1901 to 1909, Teddy Roosevelt doubled the number of national parks from five to 10, created 150 national forests and many more bird and game reserves and national monuments.
When: Tuesday, October 27
Where: All fee-charging national parks in the US.

Spooky Scavenger Hunt at Kīlauea Summit. Join park rangers for a spooky scavenger hunt through the bewitching forests and ʻāina (land) near the summit of Kīlauea volcano. Explore haunting facts and learn about nananana makakiʻi, the Hawaiian happyface spider that lives in trees along with other plants and animals. Costumes encouraged!
When: Saturday, October 31 from noon to 4 p.m.
Where: Meet at Kilauea Military Camp at the flagpole in front of the Welcome Center

Annual Halloween Bingo Scavenger Hunt at Kahuku. Back by popular demand! Families are invited to the Visitor Contact Station (VCS) to get their free bingo cards. Head out into extraordinary Kahuku landscape and find the items pictured on the card. When five in a row are achieved, return to the VCS to collect a goodie bag provided by the Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association. Costumes encouraged!
When: Saturday, October 31 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Kahuku Unit Visitor Contact Station. Turn into Kahuku near the 70.5-mile marker on Hwy 11 in Kaʻū.

Ranger-Guided Programs at Kīlauea Summit. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park offers free guided programs nearly every day. Experience Life on the Edge at Uēkahuna, Explore the Summit and other ranger programs by checking the park calendar for dates, times and descriptions or drop by the Welcome Center to read the program board.
When: Almost daily
Where: Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Kīlauea summit

All events are free, but park entrance fees apply. Some programs are sponsored by the Friends of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association. Programs are subject to change or cancellation without notice. Check the park calendar for more information.

Kīlauea Volcano Eruption. Kīlauea continues to erupt intermittently from Halemaʻumaʻu crater which could cause some programs to be canceled. All eruptive activity remains within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and does not threaten homes or park infrastructure. Visit the eruption page on the park website for safety tips, viewing areas and more.

Before your visit, check the park website Current Conditions web page for alerts.

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