Events and Festivals
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Hawaii's Annual Events & Festivals
The Festive Islands of Aloha
Dive deep into Hawaii’s local community and you’ll discover a culture alive with paniolo (cowboys), Chinese dragons, ethnic festivals, culinary events and an exotic collection of celebrations. Throughout the year, you’ll also encounter parades, street parties, food and craft fairs, concerts and family activities that honor every aspect of Hawaii’s diverse culture.
Annual Events
Many of Hawaii’s most memorable celebrations occur annually. Some, like the Honolulu Marathon(December) and the Hawaii International Film Festival (October), draw visitors and participants from around the globe. Others, like Oahu’s Prince Lot Hula Competition (July) or the Eo E Emalani I Alakai Festival (October) on Kauai and the statewide King Kamehameha Celebration (June) are primarily local occasions. These events have a strong allure for visitors who want to get an authentic glimpse of Hawaii during their trip.
Food Festivals
Events that feature local foods and agricultural products attract both locals and visitors. The Hawaii Food and Wine Festival on the islands of Hawaii, Maui and Oahu (October) and the Kapalua Wine & Food Festival (June) on Maui are long-running culinary events, hosting world-class chefs, winemakers and master sommeliers for thousands of wine and food lovers. The Island of Hawaii’s Annual Kona Coffee Cultural Festival (November) celebrates all things coffee and includes nearly 50 events over 10 days. Kauai Chocolate & Coffee Festival (October) highlights al things cacao and coffee industries of Kauai.Video: Festivals and Events in Hawaii
Events Around the Hawaiian Islands
Molokai Holokai Hoolaulea (Festival)
The Molokai Holokai Ho'olaule'a (Festival) seeks to function as an opportunity for professional SUP/Paddle racers to experience a race which is fun and challenging, whilst also being a community event that invites (amateur) locals to participate. It aims to encourage racers to interact with our [...]
- Contact Name: Clare Mawae/Kaela Pereira
- Contact Organization: Youth in Motion
Maui Marathon & Half Marathon
The Maui Marathon is the longest consecutively held running event in the state of Hawaii and is the oldest marathon west of the Mississippi River. It has been chosen as one of the top 10 Most Scenic Marathons in the nation by Runner's World magazine (Feb. 96), and the #10 destination marathon in [...]
- Contact Name: Jon Emerson
- Contact Organization: Maui Marathon
Honolulu Marathon (47th Annual) including the Kalakaua Merrie Mile & Start to Park 10K
26.2 miles, 385 yards or 42.195 kilometers - The Honolulu Marathon's scenic course includes spectacular ocean views alongside world-famous Waikiki Beach, and Diamond Head and Koko Head volcanic craters. The terrain is level except for short uphill grades around Diamond Head. At the starting [...]
Honolulu City Lights (34th Annual)
The annual Honolulu City Lights Public Worker's Electric Light Parade will be held at 6 p.m. on Saturday, December 1, in Chinatown and downtown Honolulu. The parade features work vehicles adorned with lights and special decorations. Among the more than 50 units expected to participate are fire [...]
- Contact Name: Honolulu City Lights
Hanapepe Walk and Talk Story
Walk & Talk Story in Hanapepe Available every Tuesday & Thursday 9:30am- 11:00am and by calendar appointment. The Walk and Talk Story Tour of historic Hanapepe town is a 90 minute walk through one of Kauai's most whimsical old towns. Tour participants will meet in front Storybook Theatre at [...]
- Contact Name: Mark Jeffers
- Contact Organization: Storybook Theatre of Hawaii
Gannenmono: A Legacy of Eight Generations in Hawai‘i Exhibition
Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum presents a new exhibit to honor the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the first Japanese plantation workers to Hawai‘i – known as the gannenmono. Drawing from Bishop Museum’s rich plantation-era collections, Gannenmono: A Legacy of Eight Generations in Hawai‘i [...]
- Contact Name: Claudette Springer
- Contact Organization: Bishop Museum
Farm Fridays
Please join Malama Kauai for our Farm Fridays, an opportunity for the community and visitors to join us on the Community Farm in Kalihiwai for a variety of service projects! We will meet every Friday from 9am-12noon to take some time to mālama our space.This can be a wide variety of projects from [...]
- Contact Name: Julia
- Contact Organization: Malama Kauai
Joy of Christmas
Join us at the inaugural "Joy of Christmas" festival of lights hosted at St. Raphael Church. FREE ADMISSION.
We have invited parishioners, local businesses and organizations to join us in creating a celebration of Christmas for all Kauai residents and visitors. Festivities begin every [...]
- Contact Name: Lillian Vierra
- Contact Organization: Laulima Campaign
Celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Meiji Restoration and Immigration to Japan Exhibition
In 1868, Japan underwent a political revolution. With the coronation of Emperor Mutsuhito (known commonly as the Meiji Emperor), the Imperial Family regained political control, and the feudal stratocracy—in which regional lords (daimyō) and a military chief (shogun) ruled the nation for more [...]
- Contact Name: Honolulu Museum of Art
- Contact Organization: Honolulu Museum of Art
Unreal: Hawaiʻi in Popular Imagination
Bishop Museum’s new exhibition “Unreal: Hawaiʻi in Popular Imagination” presents rare images and objects drawn from one of the largest private collections of Hawaiʻi-themed printed ephemera. The exhibition gives visitors a unique opportunity to see the breadth of Hawaiʻi-themed commercial [...]
- Contact Name: Lance Aquino
- Contact Organization: Stryker Weiner & Yokota Public Relations