Mākena's December Gathers on Mākena Road, From a Pet Blessing to a Sunset Christmas Eve

"The beauty of a Mākena sunset will accent our celebration," reads the Christmas Eve listing on the Keawalaʻi Congregational Church events page. It is a short line, and it explains the whole month.

In Mākena, the holiday calendar opens one day before the whale count starts taking sign-ups, on the same few miles of shoreline. Nearly everything worth putting on a December calendar here happens at one church at 5300 Mākena Road or in the water you can see from its lawn. Most of it follows the daylight.

Saturday, December 12 starts with the animals

The first event is the Annual Blessing of the Animals, at 10 a.m. on Saturday, December 12, led by Kahu Mitch Nelson. The service is held in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi. It includes readings, prayers, a blessing for each animal and time for photos. The church welcomes dogs, cats, birds, hamsters, rabbits "or any other pets." Dogs must stay leashed, and other animals must be safely contained. If your pet doesn't travel well, you can bring a photo instead, or just come yourself.

That same Saturday morning does double duty. From 10 a.m. to noon, the church takes drop-offs of baked goods and craft items for the next day's sale. So one trip down Mākena Road covers both: bring the dog, and bring the banana bread.

If you're planning to head to the beach afterward, check the hours first. The DLNR page for Mākena State Park lists Puʻu Olaʻi, or Little Beach, as open 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Oneloa (Big Beach) and Oneuli (Black Sand Beach) stay open until 7 p.m. every day outside the May-to-July summer months.

Sunday, December 13 is lunch under the octopus tree

Sunday is the busiest day, and the schedule is packed tight:

Nā Leo Nahenahe is Keawalaʻi's adult choir. The church describes the joint performance with the UH Maui College Chorus as "a gift of music." The bake sale has a reach well beyond Mākena. Proceeds go to the church's Outreach Committee, which gives grants year-round to individuals and families in need throughout Maui County. Your Sunday lunch money ends up helping people from Hāna to Lahaina.

The church also suggests the faire as a good place to start your Christmas shopping. By the time the chorus finishes, you can have a handful of gifts and a full plate behind you, and still have the afternoon free.

Monday, December 14, the whale count opens for sign-ups

The day after the faire, the focus moves out to the water. Pacific Whale Foundation says registration for its Great Whale Count opens December 14, 2026. The 2027 counts are set for January 30, February 27 and March 27, from 8 a.m. to noon.

These dates match NOAA's statewide program. The Sanctuary Ocean Count runs from 8:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on the last Saturday of January, February and March, and Pacific Whale Foundation leads the Maui count on those same days. NOAA expects its own registration to open in early January.

Mākena was on the map last time. Pacific Whale Foundation's 2026 count sites included one it called Puu Olai Beach, the cinder cone that rises over Big Beach.

The 2026 numbers show why those three Saturdays fall where they do. NOAA's recap reported 4,325 humpbacks, or koholā, observed across all island counts in 2026, from more than 1,200 volunteers. NOAA notes that the total can include duplicate sightings. The monthly totals went like this:

• January 2026: 1,954
• February 2026: 1,935
• March 2026: 436

January and February came in almost even, and March fell to less than a quarter of either. That fits Pacific Whale Foundation's description of Maui viewing. It says sightings typically run November through May and peak from mid-January through March, with the occasional early arrival in late September or October. NOAA's sanctuary site gives the season as November through April, with whales visible both from shore and at sea. By the December faire weekend, the season will already be several weeks old, with the peak still ahead.

If you're getting in the water with a kayak, paddleboard or snorkel, one rule applies. NOAA Fisheries says federal law prohibits approaching a humpback within 100 yards in Hawaiʻi. That covers boats, kayaks, swimmers and "any other means." This is general information, not legal advice, and NOAA's page is the authority if you have questions about a specific situation.

Christmas Eve gets twenty-one minutes of daylight

The outdoor Christmas Eve candlelight service starts at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 24, on the church grounds. On timeanddate's December table for Kihei, sunset that evening is 5:51 p.m. The service opens in the last daylight, and the candles take over as the sun goes down. That is the sunset the church's listing promises.

Kahu Mitch Nelson officiates. Nā Leo Nahenahe sings under the direction of Dr. Thomas Goedecke, with guest musicians Maki Rickard and Jamie Lawrence. The program includes familiar carols in English and Hawaiian. The church asks guests to bring a flower to decorate the trees.

With seating for 500, parking takes some planning. Here's how the church lays it out:

1. Park first in the lots next to the church or along Mākena Road.
2. If those are full, use the overflow lot at south Maluaka Beach. Take Makena Alanui past Honoiki Street, then turn right onto Makena Keonoio Road.
3. From the Maluaka lot, walk the pathway through to the church. The church says to leave time for that walk.
4. Dress for the weather. The whole service is outdoors.

For more information, the church office is at (808) 879-5557.

The next change at Big Beach is designed around the dark

On July 23, 2026, The Maui News reported that the Maui Planning Commission voted 6–1 to approve a revised permit for Mākena State Park. The plan covers two comfort stations with showers and improvements to designated parking.

Each comfort station gets a single shielded, downward-facing exterior light on a timer that shuts off at 8 p.m. It also moves more of the parking onto pervious surfaces and keeps a limited number of paved ADA stalls. A county staff report estimated about 12 months of construction once the needed permits are issued.

The DLNR page lists the current basics. Residents get free entry and free parking with a Hawaiʻi driver's license or state ID. Nonresidents pay $5 per person to enter and $10 per vehicle to park, and parking can be paid at the kiosks or through the park's ParkMobile link. If family is visiting for the holidays and wants a morning at Big Beach before the Sunday faire, plan for that fee.

If relatives are staying in your Mākena place this December, or you own a unit nearby and want it ready for the holiday and whale-season stretch, Emerald Club Realty can help with property management, repairs and guest prep. Work with our Maui Ohana. We'll take care of the house so you can make it to Keawalaʻi on time.