Steel Guitars In Kapolei

February 26, 2018 • Addison Ching • Festivals and Conventions

The 2^nd annual Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Ka Makana Ali'i will be held on Saturday, March 17, 2018. Continuous entertainment begins at 11 A.M. and continues through 3 P.M.

The festival features the Hawaiian steel guitar stylings of Alan Akaka, Jeff Au Hoy, Greg Sardinha and Bobby Ingano. Also performing will be the keiki steel guitar students of Akaka's Ke Kula Mele Hawaii School of Hawaiian Music. These students, ranging in age from 12 to 19, are the Next Generation of steel guitar players and include Joey Misailidis, Pono Fernandez, Malie Lyman, and Alexis Tolentino. Also featured will be Joey's younger sister Tai on the U-bass.

The Kapolei festival is designed to bring attention to the Hawaiian steel guitar as an important instrument in Hawaiian music and culture. This instrument is now experiencing a rebirth after almost disappearing from the Hawaiian music scene due to the reluctance of old-time players to share their tunings and techniques with others. The Kapolei event, held at one of the West Side's newest shopping destinations, is one of two festivals that brings the sounds of the steel guitar to local communities. The Kane'ohe event will be held in June at the Windward Mall.

This festival is supported in part by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts through appropriations from the Legislature of the State of Hawaii and by the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support is provided by Ka Makana Ali'i. For additional festival information, see the festival website.