Steel Trappings

Festivals Under Construction

Festivals Rescheduled Due To Hotel Renovation Projects

March 9, 2018 • Addison ChingFestivals and Conventions

Two hotels that host HIMELE steel guitar festivals will undergo renovation in the coming year. Venues for the Hawai'I Island steel guitar festival and the Kaua'i steel guitar festival are scheduling major improvement projects beginning in the fall of 2018. The festivals at these venues are being rescheduled to avoid the construction projects.

The Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows, site of the Hawai'i Island Steel Guitar Festival, will begin its renovation project in October, 2018. The festival, normally scheduled for the first part of November, will be moved to an earlier September date. The 2018 Hawai'i island festival will be held on September 7-9, 2018. Most festival events will be held indoors; the main programs will be in the hotel's ballroom, while workshops will be held in the breakout rooms adjacent to the ballroom. The Sunday brunch kanikapila will again be held on the Bay Terrace lawn, weather permitting.

The Courtyard Kaua'i at Coconut Beach will begin its renovation project this fall, and the project is expected to continue through February when the festival is normally held. Both the 2019 Kaua'i Steel Guitar Festival and the 2019 Aloha Music Camp have been moved to later March dates. The Kaua'i festival will be held on March 1-2, 2019, with the Aloha Music Camp occurring the following week. As with the Hawai'i island festival, all festival events will be held indoors.

Scheduling for subsequent festivals is expected to return to the normal event dates in November for the Hawai'i island festival, and February for the Kaua'i festival.

These festivals are among the annual steel guitar festivals produced statewide by HIMELE. Other festivals include the Maui Steel Guitar Festival, Waikiki Steel Guitar Week, and community festivals in Kapolei and Kane'ohe. Information about all festivals is available at www.himele.org/events.

KSGF   HISGF

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HIMELE Events
2026 Festivals and Workshops
Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Ka Makana Ali‘i
February 28, 2026 – 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM HST (Rescheduled)
Ka Makana Ali‘i Shopping Center, Kapolei

Hilo Steel Guitar Festival
March 7, 2026 – 11:00 AM - 3:15 PM HST
Prince Kuhio Plaza, Hilo, Hawai‘i

Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival - Keiki Kine
April 4, 2026 – 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM HST
Ka Makana Ali‘i Shopping Center, Kapolei

Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival
May 10, 2026 - 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM HST
Kukui Grove Center, Lihue, Hawai‘i

Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Windward Mall
June 13, 2026 – 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM HST *
Windward Mall, Kane‘ohe

Royal Hawaiian Center Presents Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week - July 5-11, 2026
July 6-9, 2026 – 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM HST (Nightly Concerts)
Royal Grove Stage, Royal Hawaiian Center, Waikīkī

Royal Hawaiian Center Presents J-FESTA - Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival
July 10, 2026 – 2:30 PM - 6:30 PM HST
Royal Grove Stage, Royal Hawaiian Center, Waikīkī

Royal Hawaiian Center Presents Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival
July 11, 2026 – 11:00 AM - 2:30 PM and 4:00 PM - 6:30 PM HST
Royal Grove Stage, Royal Hawaiian Center, Waikīkī

Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival - Keiki Kine at Kahala Mall
August 15, 2026 – 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM HST *
Kahala Mall, Honolulu, Hawai‘i

Maui Steel Guitar Festival
October 17, 2026 - 3:00 PM - 6:30 PM HST
The Shops At Wailea, Wailea, Hawai‘i
Hawai‘i Island Steel Guitar Experience at Mauna Lani
November 19-22, 2026 – Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection, Waimea, Hawai‘i Island

2026 Hawaiian Steel Guitar Showcase Livestream Broadcasts

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All broadcasts originate from the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Showcase Facebook Page and YouTube Channel.


Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Ka Makana Ali‘i
February 28, 2026 – 11:00 PM - 3:00 PM HST (Rescheduled)

Hilo Steel Guitar Festival
March 7, 2026 – 11:00 AM - 3:15 PM HST

Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival - Keiki Kine at Ka Makana Ali‘i
April 4, 2026 – 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM HST

Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Windward Mall
June 13, 2026 – 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM HST *

Royal Hawaiian Center Presents Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival (J-FESTA)
July 10, 2026 – 2:30 PM - 6:30 PM HST

Royal Hawaiian Center Presents Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival
July 11, 2026 – 11:00 AM - 2:30 PM and 4:00 PM - 6:30 PM HST

Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival - Keiki Kine at Kahala Mall
August 15, 2026 – 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM HST *

Hawai‘i Island Steel Guitar Experience at Mauna Lani
November 20, 2026 - Ho‘olaule‘a concert – 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM HST
November 21, 2026 - Open Stage Performances – 11:30 AM - 3:00 PM HST

Other Events
2026 Events
Steel Guitar Fridays
Every Friday – 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Royal Grove Stage, Royal Hawaiian Center, Waikīkī

Steel Guitar Sundays
January 5, February 2, March 2, April 6, May 4, and June 1, 2026 – 10:00 AM - Noon
Hula Grill Waikiki, Waikīkī

AISGC Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival #
July 23-25, 2026
WInchester Towne Square Community Centre, Winchester, Indiana

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About HIMELE
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.