Hawai‘i Island Steel Guitar Experience - November 19-22, 2026 Free to the Public
The 2026 Hawai‘i Island Steel Guitar Experience featuring the Hawai‘i Island Steel Guitar Festival will be held at the Mauna Lani, Auberge Collection, on Thursday, November 19, 2026, through Sunday November 22, 2026.
In addition to the main concert, the 2026 experience will also include school visits, workshops, Ho‘okūkū Kīkā Kila "TRY" performances, a vintage steel guitar exhibit, and hands-on opportunities for festival guests.
The 2026 free festival will again incorporate the resort's Twilight at Kalahuipua‘a cultural program at the Eva Parker Woods cottage on Saturday. This outdoors musical program features festival steel guitarists and musicians and is presented around the time of the month's full moon.
The festival is presented free to the public by the Mauna Lani, Auberge Collection and the Hawaii Institute for Music Enrichment and Learning Experiences (HIMELE) in association with the Ke Kula Mele Hawai‘i School of Hawaiian Music, with grants and support from corporate partners, and private donors. Support is also provided in part by the Hawai‘i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA), through appropriations from the Legislature of the State of Hawai‘i or grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
2026 Festival Program
Thursday Steel Guitar Entertainment — HāLani Restaurant Lawn
Festival musicians will provide steel guitar entertainment at the resort's HāLani Restaurant from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.
Friday Steel Guitar Hands-On Opportunities — Hale I‘ike
Festival guests will be offered hands-on opportunities to experience the steel guitar under the guidance of steel guitar expert Daniel Tremblay on Friday, November 23, beginning at 10:00 A.M. in Hale I‘ike.
Friday Festival Ho‘olaule‘a Pageant — Milo Tree (Outdoors)
Friday's ho‘olaule‘a will begin at 3:00 P.M. and will feature eight steel guitar masters in separate programs for your enjoyment.
Saturday Workshop — North Lanai/Hale I‘ike
A "Learn to Play" workshop and an open talk story will be conducted on Saturday morning beginning at 9:00 A.M. in the Hale I‘ike area.
Saturday Twilight at Kalāhuipua‘a — Eva Parker Woods Cottage
Each month during the full moon, music lovers bring blankets and folding chairs to the oceanfront lawn at the Eva Parker Woods Cottage. Musicians gather on the lanai (porch) to talk story and play their favorite tunes. The stage is humble but the talent is world-class. For over two decades, the Twilight at Kalāhuipua‘a concert series has served as a Who's Who of Hawaiian music. The festival's Twilight at Kalāhuipua‘a program will include steel guitar talk story and performances by festival and NextGEN steel guitar artists and will begin at 5:00 P.M.
Sunday Entertainment — HāLani Restaurant Lawn
Guests of the Mauna Lani will enjoy Hawaiian entertainment at the HāLani Restaurant. A kanikapila-stype jam session by participating steel guitar masters and other musicians will be presented from 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.
