Every year for 54 years the Maui Roping Club has held its Makawao Rodeo. Complete with amazing displays of skill, it’s a fun event. There were cowboys in Hawaii as far back as 1832 (ummm, before Texas was a state), so the tradition of roping cattle is a long one.  Definitely worth checking out.

If three days of cattle is too much for you, you might just want to check out the parade on Saturday morning. The paniolos and paniolas start riding at 9am on July 4th, so make sure you get to Komoda’s Bakery early for your donuts.  Watching the hardworking cowboys and cowgirls in their best, on their freshly brushed horses, waving to the cheering crowds, is a fantastic Maui event. And it only happens once a year.

Here’s a video with lots of information and pretty good footage that really captures the spirit of the Hawaiian Cowboy: