Kahala Mall Steel Guitar Festival Canceled

June 2, 2020 • Addison Ching • Festivals and Conventions

The 2020 Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival - Keiki Kine at Kahala Mall is the latest steel guitar festival to fall victim to the coronavirus pandemic. The festival, featuring the talents of Ke Kula Mele NextGen steel guitarists and musicians, was scheduled for August 15.

According to Theresa Tam Sing, the mall's marketing coordinator, "Right now, it's hard to say if we can still have the event in August." Currently, all events at the mall's center stage have been suspended.

Iosepa Lyman, Bryan Tolentino, Enosa Lyman, Mālie Lyman, Halekahu Seabury,
Hō‘ailona Mahuka, Alan Akaka, and Ikaika Orlando at the 2019 Keiki Kine festival

Honolulu malls were just recently allowed to re-open for retail businesses after being closed since the end of March. Only a limited number of take-out food establishments were allowed to remain open at the Kahala Mall and others.

Hawaii is now in its Phase 2 of reopening the economy that addresses medium-risk businesses and activities. This phase allows for gatherings of no more than ten people and requires social distancing and face-masking. Phase three addresses long-term recovery but still restricts large gatherings to up to 50 people.

As with phased reopening plans developed by other states, advancement to the next phase of reopening will depend on directives from local health officials.

The 14-day quarantine period for travelers to Hawai‘i is still in effect. Hawai‘i governor David Ige has indicated that he will extend the order beyond June 30 but will relax the interisland travel quarantine on June 16.