Linda Mentzer
October 20, 2025 • Nate Goore • News
With a career in technology and a passion for preserving Hawaiian culture, Linda Mentzer brings both organizational skill and heart to her role with HIMELE
Linda's connection to HIMELE began through her husband, Dan, who started taking steel guitar lessons from Alan Akaka. As they attended festivals together, Linda naturally became more involved. When Dan began performing and giving presentations on the history of the steel guitar in Waikīkī and schools across the islands, Linda was often behind the camera, capturing the moments.
Her support grew into hands-on volunteer work-helping with festival merchandise sales and eventually taking over sales operations when longtime HIMELE volunteer Sandy Sardinha stepped down. Linda is always there at the festival merchandise booth to help festival attendees purchase items, answer questions about the festival, or just talk story between performers.
Linda is a strong believer in HIMELE's mission to restore the Hawaiian steel guitar to its rightful place in the islands' musical landscape. "Twenty years ago," she says, "you could hear lap steel everywhere – Duke's, the Marriott, Halekulani. Now it's rare."
She knows the key to reversing that trend lies in reaching the next generation – getting young people excited, trained, and ready to carry the tradition forward.
Please see the complete tribute here.
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2026 Festivals and Workshops
Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Ka Makana Ali‘iFebruary 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
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 FridaysEvery 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
* 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
Statewide Festivals
Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival
Maui Steel Guitar Festival
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Hawai‘i Island Steel Guitar Festival
Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival
Kona Steel Guitar Festival
Community Festivals
Ka Makana Ali‘i – Kapolei
Windward Mall – Kāne‘ohe
Keiki Kine at Kahala Mall
Keiki Kine at Ka Makana Ali‘i
Livestream Hawaiian Steel Guitar Showcase