Some evenings on Maui are simply better than others. The kind where world-class chefs are handing you gourmet pūpū under the glow of the Yokouchi Pavilion, boutique vintners are pouring wines you have never tasted before, and the auction paddle in your hand might be the thing that lands you a guitar signed by a rock legend. That is Maui Calls — and the 28th Annual Maui Calls Benefit Gala returns on Saturday, August 22, 2026 at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center (MACC), Kahului, Maui.
Now in its 28th year, Maui Calls is the MACC's signature fundraiser and the event that Maui's arts and culinary communities point to as the island's most elegant and most beloved annual evening.
"Maui Calls is the Maui Arts and Cultural Center's annual benefit gala — an invitation-only, adults-only (21+) fundraising event that has been bringing together Maui's finest chefs, wine producers, performing artists, and community supporters every August since 1999."
The Story of Maui Calls
Maui's Premier Benefit Gala
Maui Calls is the Maui Arts and Cultural Center's annual benefit gala — an invitation-only, adults-only (21+) fundraising event that has been bringing together Maui's finest chefs, wine producers, performing artists, and community supporters every August since 1999.
Every dollar raised goes directly to supporting the MACC's programming — concerts, theatre performances, educational arts programmes, and the cultural infrastructure that makes the Maui Arts and Cultural Center one of the most important community institutions in Hawaii.
The event has built its reputation over 28 years on a specific combination that no other Maui event delivers in the same way:
- Maui's most celebrated restaurant chefs serving gourmet pūpū in person
- Award-winning wines from boutique wineries across the United States and around the world
- Live entertainment from some of the most talented performers on the island
- A silent and live auction offering items that are genuinely one-of-a-kind and exclusively available at Maui Calls
The 2026 Experience
What to Expect on August 22
The 28th Annual Maui Calls takes place on Saturday, August 22, 2026 from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM at the Yokouchi Pavilion, Maui Arts and Cultural Center, Kahului:
The evening follows the format that has made Maui Calls Maui's most anticipated annual gala since 1999:
- Fresh flower lei greeting and Hawaiian music serenade on arrival
- Gourmet pūpū stations — award-winning Maui chefs preparing and serving their finest creations directly to guests; past editions have featured chefs from Maui's most celebrated restaurants
- Premium wine tasting — wines selected from boutique wineries across the country poured throughout the evening
- Live entertainment — performances by Hawaiian musicians, hālau hula, and special guest artists across the four-hour programme
- Silent auction beginning at the event's opening — bidding on Maui adventures, staycations, dining experiences, and original artworks
- Live auction featuring the most premium and most exclusive items; past live auction highlights have included musical instruments autographed by celebrities who have performed on the MACC's stages, one-of-a-kind Maui experiences, and unique MACC-only items
- Dancing to close the evening under the glowing roof of the Yokouchi Pavilion
The 2025 edition (27th Annual) featured performances by Benny Uyetake, Joel Katz, The Hula Honeys, Hālau Hula Kauluokalā under Kumu Hula Uluwehi Guerrero, aerialist Andrea Torres, MAKANA, and the JD and the On The Rocks Band closing the night with dance music — setting a high benchmark for the 2026 programme.
The full 2026 entertainment lineup and chef roster will be announced closer to August 22. Check mauiarts.org/mauicalls for updates.
The Yokouchi Pavilion
The Perfect Setting
The Yokouchi Pavilion at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center is one of the most atmospheric event spaces in all of Hawaii:
- An open-air covered pavilion with its iconic glowing roof visible from across the MACC grounds
- Set within the broader MACC campus in Kahului, which includes the Castle Theatre, the McCoy Studio Theatre, and the A&B Amphitheater
- Capacity to hold the full Maui Calls gala layout of food stations, wine stations, auction areas, performance stages, and dance floor simultaneously
- The combination of the pavilion's architecture, the tropical evening air of Maui in August, and the quality of the food and entertainment creates an event atmosphere that guests consistently describe as unlike anything else on the island
The Auction
Where the Night Gets Exciting
The Maui Calls auction is one of the most talked-about features of the annual event and a genuine driver of the evening's fundraising for the MACC:
Silent auction items typically include:
- Maui resort staycation packages
- Fine dining experiences at Maui's top restaurants
- Original works of art by Maui-based artists
- Adventure experiences including ocean charters, hiking tours, and cultural experiences
- MACC-exclusive items available only at Maui Calls
Live auction highlights in past editions have included:
- Musical instruments autographed by celebrity performers who have appeared on the MACC stages
- Round of golf with notable figures (past editions have included Alice Cooper)
- Exclusive travel and cultural experiences
- Collector items with direct ties to MACC's performing arts history
Why Maui Calls Matters
Beyond the Gala
The Maui Arts and Cultural Center is not just a venue. Since opening in 1994, it has been the cultural heart of Maui — a community-built, community-supported institution that brings world-class performing arts, visual arts, and cultural education to an island of approximately 168,000 residents:
- The MACC hosts over 100 events annually ranging from Broadway touring shows and internationally recognised musicians to local Maui talent showcases and school arts programmes
- It operates multiple galleries, theatres, and educational spaces across its Kahului campus
- The Maui Calls benefit gala is the single most important fundraising event the MACC runs — the funds raised on August 22 directly support the programming that serves the entire Maui community year-round
When you attend Maui Calls, you are not just attending a gala. You are investing directly in every concert, every school workshop, every cultural performance, and every artist the MACC will bring to Maui in the following year.
Practical Information
For Maui Calls 2026
- Date: Saturday, August 22, 2026
- Time: 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM (based on the 2025 edition's confirmed hours)
- Venue: Yokouchi Pavilion, Maui Arts and Cultural Center, 1 Cameron Way, Kahului, Maui, HI 96732
- Age requirement: 21 and over with valid photo ID
- Tickets: Ticket pricing for 2026 TBA; past editions have been priced around $175 to $200 per person with table reservations available for groups
- For event or sponsorship inquiries: Contact Catherine Taylor at the MACC on 808-243-4237
- Booking and information: mauiarts.org/mauicalls
Getting to the MACC
From Kahului Airport
- The Maui Arts and Cultural Center is approximately 10 minutes from Kahului Airport (OGG) by taxi or hire car — one of the most conveniently located major event venues on the island
- Street and surface parking is available at the MACC campus on event nights
- Rideshare services (Uber and Lyft) operate on Maui and are a convenient option for attending a gala where wine is flowing throughout the evening
Where to Stay
Near the MACC
- Maui Beach Hotel, Kahului — budget-friendly and approximately 10 minutes from the MACC
- Courtyard by Marriott Maui Kahului — clean, well-located, and airport-adjacent
- Kāʻanapali Beach Resort corridor — approximately 40 minutes west; most visitors attending Maui Calls for a full Maui holiday will base themselves at Kāʻanapali or Wailea and travel to Kahului for the gala evening
August 22 on Maui
A Day of Extraordinary Events
One of the most notable aspects of the 2026 Maui calendar is that August 22 hosts two of the most significant events in West Maui and Central Maui simultaneously:
- Emma Farden Sharpe Hula Festival — 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the Royal Lahaina Resort, Kāʻanapali Beach (free admission)
- 28th Annual Maui Calls Benefit Gala — 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM at the Yokouchi Pavilion, MACC, Kahului
A visitor staying in Kāʻanapali or West Maui on August 22 could experience free hula performances at the beach in the morning and afternoon, then drive 40 minutes east to Kahului for the most elegant food and wine gala on the island that same evening. That is one of the most fully realised single-day Maui cultural itineraries available anywhere on the 2026 calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Things People Always Want to Know
When is the 28th Annual Maui Calls 2026?
The 28th Annual Maui Calls Benefit Gala is on Saturday, August 22, 2026 at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center, Kahului, Maui.
What is Maui Calls?
The annual signature benefit gala for the Maui Arts and Cultural Center (MACC) — Maui's premier food, wine, live entertainment, and auction fundraising event, running since 1999.
Where is Maui Calls held?
At the Yokouchi Pavilion, Maui Arts and Cultural Center, 1 Cameron Way, Kahului, Maui.
Who can attend Maui Calls?
All attendees must be 21 years of age or older with a valid photo ID.
How do I buy tickets for Maui Calls 2026?
Through mauiarts.org/mauicalls — or contact Catherine Taylor at the MACC directly on 808-243-4237 for event and sponsorship inquiries.
What does Maui Calls fundraise for?
All proceeds benefit the Maui Arts and Cultural Center — supporting concerts, theatre, educational arts programmes, and cultural events across the MACC's annual calendar.
Verified Information at a Glance
- Event: 28th Annual Maui Calls Benefit Gala
- Category: Annual benefit gala and fundraising event
- Date: Saturday, August 22, 2026
- Time: 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM
- Venue: Yokouchi Pavilion, Maui Arts and Cultural Center, 1 Cameron Way, Kahului, Maui, HI 96732
- Age requirement: 21+ with valid photo ID
- Beneficiary: Maui Arts and Cultural Center (MACC)
- Programme: Flower lei greeting, gourmet pūpū stations, premium wine tasting, live entertainment, hula performance, silent and live auctions, dancing
- Tickets: TBA for 2026; historically $175 to $200 per person; table reservations available
- Contact: Catherine Taylor, 808-243-4237
- Official website: mauiarts.org/mauicalls
- Nearest airport: Kahului Airport (OGG) — approximately 10 minutes
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