2017 February | Steel Trappings

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The 2017 Waikiki Steel Guitar Festival

February 24, 2017 • Addison Ching • Festivals and Conventions

The 2017 Waikiki Steel Guitar Festival will be expanded this year to a two-day program, and the entire event will be publicized as "The Royal Hawaiian Center presents The Waikiki Steel Guitar Week," according to Monte McComber, Cultural Director at the Royal Hawaiian Center. This year's festival will be held on July 14-15, 2017, with steel-guitar performances at the center occurring every night leading up to the festival. The main festival performances will be held between 5:30 and 9:00 PM on Friday and Saturday.

This year's program will again include ten steel guitar masters, but the program will be spread over two nights to broaden the festival's reach to Waikiki visitors and local residents. This year's festival may also include afternoon workshops at the Royal Grove that will be offered to local school students free of charge. These workshops are designed to acquaint students with the instrument and stimulate interest for further training and development of the next generation of steel guitar players.

The very-popular vintage steel guitar exhibit will again be staged on both festival days in Helumoa Hale, an air-conditioned exhibit hall. Festival guests are invited to see some of these vintage steel guitars up close and learn more about the instruments from the exhibit docents.

The festival planners are also considering incorporating a Saturday music lecture/workshop into the festival events. Several music educators well-versed in the Hawaiian steel guitar and Hawaiian music are being considered.

WSGFW

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HIMELE Events

`2026 Festivals and Workshops`

Hawai‘i Island Steel Guitar Experience at Mauna Lani
November 19-22, 2026 – Mauna Lani, Auberge Collection, Waimea, Hawai‘i Island

`2027 Festivals and Workshops`

Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Ka Makana Ali‘i
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Ka Makana Ali‘i Shopping Center, Kapolei

Hilo Steel Guitar Festival
March 13, 2027 – 11:00 AM - 3:15 PM HST
Prince Kuhio Plaza, Hilo, Hawai‘i

NextGEN Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival
April 3, 2027 – 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM HST
Ka Makana Ali‘i Shopping Center, Kapolei

Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival
May 2, 2027 - 10:30 AM - 2:45 PM HST
Kukui Grove Center, Lihue, Hawai‘i

Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Windward Mall
June 12, 2027 – 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM HST
Windward Mall, Kane‘ohe

Royal Hawaiian Center Presents Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week - July 4-10, 2027
July 5, 6, 8, 2027 – 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM HST (Nightly Concerts)
Royal Grove Stage, Royal Hawaiian Center, Waikīkī

2^nd Annual Ho‘okūkū Kīkā Kila - Hawaiian Steel Guitar Contest
July 7, 2027 – 4:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Royal Grove Stage, Royal Hawaiian Center, Waikīkī

Royal Hawaiian Center Presents J-FESTA 2027 - Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival
July 9, 2027 – 3:00 PM - 6:30 PM HST
Royal Grove Stage, Royal Hawaiian Center, Waikīkī

Royal Hawaiian Center Presents Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival
July 10, 2027 – 11:00 AM - 1:50 PM and 4:00 PM - 6:30 PM HST
Royal Grove Stage, Royal Hawaiian Center, Waikīkī

NextGEN Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Windward Mall
August 14, 2027 – 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM HST
Windward Mall, Kane‘ohe

Maui Steel Guitar Festival
October 16, 2027 - 3:00 PM - 6:30 PM HST
The Shops At Wailea, Wailea, Hawai‘i

Hawai‘i Island Steel Guitar Experience at Mauna Lani
November 11-14, 2027 – Mauna Lani, Auberge Collection, Waimea, Hawai‘i Island (tentative)

Other Events

`2026 Events`

Steel Guitar Fridays
Every Friday – 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Royal Grove Stage, Royal Hawaiian Center, Waikīkī

`2027 Events`

AISGC Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival #
July 22-24, 2027
Winchester Towne Square Community Centre, Winchester, Indiana

Austin Steeel Guitar Fest #
September 30-October 2, 2027
Austin Marriott South, Austin, Texas

* Tentative
# Registration Fee Required

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HIMELE is a Hawai‘i non-profit corporation that supports music enrichment and education for people of all ages. Our purpose is to educate, promote, and perpetuate Hawaiian music, Hawaiian culture and Hawaiian musical instruments.

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Ke Kula Mele Hawai‘i
Hawaiian Steel Guitar Symposium

Ho‘okūkū Kīkā Kila

Statewide Festivals
Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival
Maui Steel Guitar Festival
Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week
Hawai‘i Island Steel Guitar Festival
J-FESTA | Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival
Kona Steel Guitar Festival

Community Festivals
Ka Makana Ali‘i – Kapolei
Windward Mall – Kāne‘ohe
NextGEN Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festivals

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Hawaiian Steel Guitar Showcase