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STEM Activities at Maui Matsuri Children’s Festival

May 8, 2025 | Education, Events, Innovation, Stemworks, Uncategorized

Maui’s youth are taking center stage at this year’s Maui Matsuri Children’s Festival. The free multicultural events will take place on Saturday, May 10, at Queen Kaʻahumanu Center, and this year’s event will feature Maui Economic Development Board’s STEMworks AFTERschool program with students and teachers from across Maui County. The students will showcase a variety of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) projects through hands-on activities that honor both Hawaiian culture and STEM innovation. 

Each STEMworks AFTERschool site will host a table featuring interactive displays and student-led presentations. Participating schools and activities will include: 

  • Iao Intermediate: honoring Mother’s Day through a hula performance and tribute to Queen Liliʻuokalani and presenting projects in coding, entrepreneurship, and healthcare 
  • Kalama Intermediate: hosting a special hula performance as well as robotics, art, 3D printing showcase, and optical illusion photo and video activities 
  • Lokelani Intermediate: providing beaded bracelet activities and a showcase of digital art, interactive student video games, and 3D printed designs 
  • Maui Waena: highlighting media and entrepreneurship student projects 
  • Molokai Middle: showcasing native Hawaiian plants and agriculture, robotics 
  • Pukalani Elementary: providing introductory STEM activities and robotics demonstrations 

This community event is a chance to support local students and see the impact of the STEMworks AFTERschool program. Families, educators, and community members are all invited to enjoy the day, celebrate keiki, and be inspired by local STEM students’ talent and dedication to learning.  

The festival will start at 10am, with other performances and activities including a Chinese lion dance, a cultural parade, a Bayanihan folk dance, and a wide variety of craft tables run by local organizations. For more information about the Maui Matsuri Children’s Festival, including the event schedule, visit https://mauimatsuri.com/. To learn more about the STEMworks AFTERschool program, visit https://www.stemworkshawaii.org/afterschool.  

Community members are also invited to mark their calendars for the Maui Matsuri Japanese Festival, which will take place on Saturday, May 24 from 3pm to 9pm at UH Maui College.