2020 Maui Steel Guitar Festival Announced

November 6, 2019 • Addison Ching • Festivals and Conventions

The 2020 Maui Steel Guitar Festival will be held on May 15-16, 2020, at the Shops at Wailea in Wailea, Maui. The Shops at Wailea, a popular tourist shopping and dining destination in the Wailea resort area, presents regular evening entertainment including jazz concerts, Polynesian shows and Hawaiian music concerts by artists such as Kuana Torres Kahele, Del Beazley and Makana.

The 2020 festival will be the 12^th Maui steel guitar festival since its inception in 2009. Originally produced as the Henry Kaleialoha Allen Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival by Maui's Arts Education and Children Group, the festival has evolved over the years into its present multi-day format. Alan Akaka and HIMELE have partnered with AECG since 2013 to produce the event. The 2020 festival will be the first to be solely produced by HIMELE.

The festival will follow Maui festival format developed over the years, with school visitations, open stage performances, workshops, evening programs and public kanikapila on Friday and Saturday. A steel guitar exhibit and hands-on opportunities will also be offered. HIMELE is in the process of developing the festival program which will be published on the festival's website when it is finalized.

The Shops At Wailea

The 1500-acre Wailea Resort is located on the shoreline of southwestern Maui. Wailea is known for year-round sunny weather with temperatures averaging 82 degrees. The Shops at Wailea is a collection of more than 70 shops, restaurants and art galleries serving the community of Wailea.