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2 Thursday, December 8, 2016 A wonderland with Willie K Plenty of Yuletide cheer is coming to Hilo in a family-friendly concert featuring Grammy nominated musician Willie K at 7 p.m. Friday in the renovated Grand Naniloa Hotel Willie K Crown Room. “Willie’s Wonderland: Christmas with Uncle Willie K” also features pupus by Kaleo’s Bar & Grill and laughs by emcee Rodney Villanueva. “You can expect lots of songs from my Christmas album ‘Willie Wonderland,’ and a couple from ‘Willie Kalikimaka,’ along with a couple of new songs that I wrote last year,” says Willie K, who is affectionately known as Uncle Willie. “The show was well-received on Kauai, making people laugh, cry and sing along.” Uncle Willie has his own favorite memories of past Christmas concerts, including the time he re-created the backyard of an old Hawaiian shack as a set with real banana and lauhala trees, or the time he had half of a life-size voyaging canoe built with a sand beach and a running waterfall. “The holidays are all about family and I have a large one — I’m one of nine boys and four girls, and I have four kids and three grandkids of my own,” Willie K says. “Christmas is the busiest season for me, but I enjoy taking the audiences on a musical journey and watching their expressions change throughout the show.” Grand Naniloa Hotel special events director Kwai Chang Publico says, “Uncle Willie is an undeniable musical Dec. 08 2016 4. This weekend ‘The Nutcracker Ballet’ returns to the Hilo Palace Theater 6. Holiday card Big Isle groups join together for concert 10. Puzzles Entertain your brain 12. Let’s Go Out Ono grinds CREDITS: Editor David Bock Writers John Burnett Katie Young Yamanaka Photography Hollyn Johnson Design Bonnie L. Rogers Katie Young YAMANAKA Big Island Vibe See WILLIE K Page 11 Email your Island Beat announcements to entertainment@hawaiitribune-herald.com Courtesy photo Willie K will perform at 7 p.m. Friday in the renovated Grand Naniloa Hotel Willie K Crown Room.


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