Immerse yourself in the vibrant spirit of Hawai’i with this curated list of captivating events happening across the islands from February to June 2024:
FEBRUARY 2024
February 2 & 3, 2024
Chinese New Year Celebration — The Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaiʻi will present its annual Chinese New Year Celebration at the Chinatown Cultural Plaza in Downtown Honolulu’s Chinatown district. The family-friendly two-day event celebrating the start of the Year of the Dragon will include food and craft booths, live entertainment, special cultural performances, lion and dragon dances, and more. www.ChineseChamber.com
February 3, 2024
31st Annual Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival (island of Hawaiʻi) — With events at Parker Ranch Center and the flower-filled cherry blossom trees of Church Row Park in ranch town Waimea, this popular event includes cultural demonstrations, food from local chefs, craft vendors, a traditional tea ceremony, live entertainment and more. Facebook.com/people/Waimea-Cherry- Blossom-Heritage-Festival
February 5, 12, 19, 26 & March 4, 11, 18, 25, 2024
E Kanikapila Kākou 2024 (Kaua‘i) — The Garden Island Arts Council presents eight weeks of E Kanikapila Kākou on Monday nights in February and March with a theme centered around the story of mele (music). Series events will feature Hawaiian music, artists, composers and storytellers. Guests will have opportunities to learn from hula practitioners sharing their heritage, culture and history through hula and mele. The series’ weekly events will be held at the Outrigger Kaua‘i Beach Resort and Spa. GardenIslandArts.org
February 9-21, 2024
Kauaʻi Quilt Show 2024 — The Kaua‘i Quilt Show, set for the Kaua‘i Society of Artists Gallery in the Kukui Grove Center, will showcase more than 70 local-crafted quilts available for purchase. A special Meet the Quilters Reception happens at the show on February 9, from 5 to 7 p.m., offering opportunities to interact with quilt creators. Admission to the Kaua‘i Quilt Show is free and proceeds from event sales will support a Kauaʻi nonprofit of each quilt buyer’s choice. The show’s programming also includes ongoing quilting workshops for attendees. The Kaua‘i Quilt Show will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. KauaiFestivals.com
February 17-18, 2024
Pana‘ewa Stampede Rodeo (island of Hawai‘i) — Rodeo competitors from the local ranching community gather at this popular two-day event drawing residents and visitors for cattle roping, double mugging, bull riding and many other thrilling, fast-paced displays of skill. The Pana‘ewa Stampede’s schedule runs throughout the President’s Day weekend. PanaewaStampedeRodeo.com
February 17-25, 2024
Waimea Town Celebration (Kaua‘i) — Kaua‘i’s longest-running festival celebrates its 46th anniversary with nine days of music concerts, cultural exhibits and tasty cuisine culminating in a two- day ho‘olaule‘a (celebration) inviting attendees to engage in the island’s rich history. Visitors and residents are welcome to experience the popular celebration in historic Waimea town. WaimeaTownCelebration.com
February 24-25, 2024
SOKO 9th Annual Artists Studio Tour (island of Hawaiʻi) — The public is invited to visit local artists in their studios at more than a dozen locations on the scenic Kona Coast. Plan for a full day of learning and talk story with the artists about their inspiration and techniques. SokoArtists.com.
MARCH 2024
March 3, 2024
Maui 5K (Maui) — Runners are invited to join the 13th annual Maui 5K, presented by the Maui Ocean Center, which includes opportunities to participate in the event’s timed 5K race and an untimed 1-mile run or walk for keiki (children) and adults. In light of the 2023 Maui wildfires and their effect on the town of Lahaina’s community and schools, race participants will have the option of designating their entry fees and/or donations to go to West Maui schools affected by the fires. Maui5k.org
March 8-10, 2024
Honolulu Festival (O‘ahu) — Celebrating its 28th anniversary in 2024, the Honolulu Festival is one of Hawai‘i’s premier cultural events. The three-day festival shares the rich, vibrant cultures of Hawai‘i and its Pacific Rim neighbors with attendees through arts and entertainment, educational programs and activities, craft fairs, and a grand evening parade through Waikīkī. The festival concludes with the colorful Nagaoka Fireworks show off Waikīkī’s beaches. HonoluluFestival.com
March 9, 2024
29th Annual Kona Brewers Festival (island of Hawaiʻi) — An annual fundraising event celebrating local-made craft beer, this festival also throws in delicious cuisine, live music and the unique culture of Kailua-Kona. Festival attendees enjoy an array of craft beers from Hawai‘i breweries alongside specialty brews from the continental U.S. and cuisine from island of Hawai‘i restaurants and chefs. Attendees can also look forward to live music performances and the fest’s main event: the Trash Fashion Show. Tickets will be available for purchase beginning January 16. KonaBrewersFestival.com
March 26, 2024
Prince Kūhiō Day Celebration (Kaua‘i) — Hawai‘i’s annual Prince Kūhiō Day holiday celebrates the life, accomplishments and birthday of Kingdom of Hawai‘i Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalaniana‘ole and his legacy promoting native Hawaiian culture and practices around the world. Visitors to this Kaua‘i celebration are invited to participate in a day of fun educational and cultural activities the whole family will enjoy. PrinceKuhioDayCelebration.com
March 29-30, 2024
32nd Annual Celebration of the Arts (Maui) — The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua’s Celebration of the Arts is one of Hawai‘i’s premier arts and cultural festivals, and a celebration of Hawaiian culture and the spirit of aloha. Its upcoming 32nd annual edition will welcome more than 60 of the state’s top artisans, educators, cultural practitioners, speakers and entertainers. Opening ceremonies include traditional Hawaiian oli (chants), with music and hula presented throughout the weekend. Hands-on art workshops, cultural demonstrations, local-made films, Hawaiian cultural panels, and live music and dance welcome attending visitors and residents with opportunities to personally connect with Hawaiian culture. KapaluaCelebrationoftheArts.com
March 29-31, 2024
Kawaii Kon (O‘ahu) — Kawaii Kon is a three-day convention celebrating Japanese anime (cartoons), manga (comics) and all facets of Japanese culture. Offering a variety of events and activities throughout its weekend schedule, Kawaii Kon is held annually at the Hawai‘i Convention Center. KawaiiKon.com
March 31 – April 6, 2024
Merrie Monarch Festival (island of Hawaiʻi) — Celebrating its 61st year in 2024, the world’s premier hula festival will again present the best hālau hula (hula schools) from Hawaiʻi and the continental U.S. — and even a few international halau — honoring Hawai‘i monarch and his contributions to the revitalization of hula. Held at Hilo town’s Edith Kanaka‘ole Stadium, the weeklong celebration is highlighted by the prestigious, three-night Merrie Monarch Hula Competition, which is broadcast live on Hawai‘i television and live-streamed globally. MerrieMonarch.com.
APRIL 2024
April 4-6, 2024
Kona Steel Guitar Festival (island of Hawai‘i) — The second annual Kona Steel Guitar Festival will be held at the Outrigger Kona Resort and Spa in Keauhou. With entry free and open to the public, the concert event’s highlights include a ho’olaule’a (celebration) featuring Hawaiian steel guitar masters; a Learn to Play workshop with hands-on steel guitar experience; open stage sessions featuring guest artists, performers and music groups from around the world and Hawai‘i; kani ka pila jam sessions and a vintage steel guitar exhibit. KonaSteelGuitarFestival.com
April 7, 2024
Lavaman Waikoloa Triathlon (island of Hawai‘i) — The annual Lavaman Waikoloa Triathlon is comprised of a 10K run, 40K bike ride and 1.5K swim. Competitors swim in the waters of ʻAnaehoʻomalu Bay, bike ride through lava fields on the Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway and run throughout the Waikoloa resort area to a finish line on the beach. The Lavaman is open to individuals and relay teams of all abilities and ends with an awards party and beach barbeque alongside ‘Anaeho‘omalu Bay. LavamanTriathalon.com
April 14, 2024
The Hapalua (Oʻahu) — Hawai‘i’s largest half marathon, this 13.1-mile race begins and ends in Waikīkī, with runners enjoying scenic views as they take a loop course through Honolulu and up and around the slopes of Lē‘ahi (Diamond Head State Monument) before ending at a Kapi‘olani Park finish line. Runners completing The Hapalua receive a medal, fresh-made malasadas and shaved ice.
April 18-20, 2024
The 2024 Outrigger Big West Men’s Volleyball Championship (O’ahu) — This three-day championship tournament will feature all six NCAA Big West conference squads competing on the campus of defending champions, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Rainbow Warriors. BigWest.org
April 20, 2024
HapaSymphony Featuring Robert Cazimero (Oʻahu) — Hawai‘i musician Robert Cazimero will collaborate with the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra once again for this concert presenting his well- known songs alongside newer tunes. The concert by Grammy-nominee and 25-time Nā Hōkū Hanohano Hawai‘i music award-winner Cazimero promises an evening of wonderful symphonic music from one of Hawaiian music’s most iconic voices. MyHSO.org
April 20, 2024
Kaua‘i Brewers Festival (Kaua‘i) — Join in for this fest’s local-beer tasting, complimented by tasty bites, live music and yard-game tournaments, including Portuguese horseshoe, corn hole and water pong. The festival will feature more than 30 different beers and food from 10 island restaurants. KauaiBrewersFestival.com
April 21, 2024
Maui Marathon and Half Marathon (Maui) — The Maui Marathon is Hawai‘i’s longest consecutively-held running event and oldest marathon west of the Mississippi River. Runners can participate in a full marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K or a newly added full marathon relay. The full marathon and marathon relay begin in Kahului and end on Maui’s westside Kā‘anapali resort area with scenic coastline views greeting runners along much of the course. MauiMarathon.com
April 26-27, 2024
11th Annual Big Island Chocolate Festival (island of Hawaiʻi) — Check out this festival for everything from chocolate cooking demos and a unique tequila and chocolate pairing event to a grand gala. The festival is presented by the Kona Cacao Association with a mission of promoting Hawai‘i Island’s cacao industry. All festival events happen at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort and Spa. BigIslandChocolateFestival.com
April 27, 2024
Waikīkī SPAM JAM® (O‘ahu) — The annual Waikīkī SPAM JAM® celebrates Hawai‘i’s love for, of course, SPAM®, with local restaurants offering creative SPAM® dishes alongside special SPAM® merchandise and products from Hawai‘i crafters. The event benefits Hawai‘i Foodbank — the state’s largest nonprofit feeding those in need — the Waikīkī Community Center and the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaiʻi . SpamJamHawaii.com
MAY 2024
TBC
May Day Lei Contest (Kaua‘i) — The Kaua‘i Museum is presenting this year’s 42nd Annual Walter and Irmalee Pomroy May Day Lei Contest at The Royal Sonesta Kauai Resort showcasing the beauty and intricacy of traditional Hawaiian lei making. Through their craft, master lei makers entering each year’s contest share a skill perpetuated over years of Hawaiian culture and history. Attendees are invited to purchase the contest’s lei in a silent auction. KauaiMuseum.org
May 1, 2024
Lei Day Celebration (O‘ahu) — As one of Hawai‘i’s most emblematic symbols of aloha, lei — and the crafting of lei — have been celebrated in the Hawaiian Islands on Lei Day since 1927. The City and County of Honolulu’s official Lei Day event is held at Kapi‘olani Park in Waikīkī, honoring lei and the traditions surrounding it with festivities, including pageants and competitions for lei queen and the crafting of colorful, fragrant flower lei. HonoluluParks.com
May 11, 2024
‘Ahahui Kīwila Hawai‘i O Mo‘ikeha: Ka Moku O Manokalanipō Pā‘ani Makahiki and May Day by the Bay (Kaua‘i) — This community event at Wai‘oli Beach Park in Hanalei features mele (music), hula (dance), cultural practitioners, Kauaʽi-made products, a silent auction and ‘ono (delicious) food. All of the above are celebrated with an aim of perpetuating Hawaiian culture and creating an authentic experience for visitors. Moikeha.org
May 17-26, 2024
Maui Classical Music Festival (Maui) — The annual Maui Classical Music Festival is inviting musicians from around the world for its 42nd season to create and showcase a wide-appeal music program spanning the Baroque period to 20th-century works. The festival’s concert events are focused on enriching and educating attendees about the joys of chamber music by presenting celebrated musicians performing and perpetuating the classical music genre. MauiClassicalMusicFestival.org
May 18, 2024
HapaSymphony Featuring Jake Shimabukuro (Oʻahu) — For more than two decades, ‘ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro has pushed the musical boundaries of the Hawai‘i musical instrument. His energetic performances have resonated with audiences worldwide, showcasing his versatile ‘ukulele renditions of Hawaiian music, Beatles classics and even classical compositions. Shimabukuro will join with the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra once again for this evening of contemporary symphonic music. MyHSO.org
May 19, 2024
Honolulu Triathlon (O‘ahu) — The Honolulu Triathlon is an Olympic-distance triathlon beginning and ending at Ala Moana Beach Park. It includes a 1,500m shoreline swim, 40K bicycle course along O‘ahu’s south shore and a 10K double-loop run ending at the park’s Magic Island recreational area. HonoluluTriathlon.com
JUNE 2024
June 1, 2024
IRONMAN 70.3 Hawai‘i Triathlon (island of Hawai‘i) — A qualifying event for the October IRONMAN World Championship — also held on the island of Hawai‘i — this Olympic-distance race is comprised of a 1.2-mile swim starting at beautiful Pauoa Bay, a 56-mile bike ride on the rolling hills and barren lava fields of the Kohala Coast, and a 13.1-mile run through the scenic grounds of Mauna Lani Golf Course. Ironman.com
June 1, 2024
Kaua‘i Pride Parade and Festival (Kaua‘i) — Kaua’i Pride Parade is a family-friendly event promoting and celebrating peace, acceptance and unity for everyone on island. Join the parade route from Vidinha Stadium to the Front Lawn of the Kaua‘i County Building, then gather on the lawn with the community for a family-friendly festival filled with entertainment, music, dance and more. KauaiPrideParade.com
June 6-9, 2024
Kapalua Wine and Food Festival (Maui) — One of Hawai‘i’s longest-running culinary festivals, the Kapalua Wine and Food Festival annually celebrates the delicious pairing of great food and great wine with a four-day culinary extravaganza. The festival’s aim is to explore trends in the gastronomic world, bringing together winemakers, master sommeliers, chefs and industry insiders for themed tastings, seminars and gala evening culinary events. KapaluaWineAndFoodFestival.com
June 7-9, 2024
Hawai‘i Kuauli Pacific and Asia Cultural Festival (island of Hawai‘i) — The seventh-annual edition of this three-day festival at the King Kamehameha Kona Beach Resort will spotlight the island of Hawai‘i and its significance as a cultural melting pot. Attendees enjoy ʻono (delicious) food, fashion, cultural expressions, a hula hōʻike (dance show), a fireknife competition, a festival culinary event and more. HIKuauli.com
June 8, 2024
Ka‘ū Coffee Festival (island of Hawai‘i) — Though coffee had been farmed in the island of Hawai‘i’s Ka‘ū district for generations dating back to the 1800s, the area’s beans and roasters only began earning notice on the global specialty-coffee scene in the early 2000s, winning numerous international awards. Held each spring, the Ka‘ū Coffee Festival celebrates the district’s now firm standing as a world-class coffee-growing region and honors the farmers, roasters, gatherers and rich agricultural landscape that have all played a role in its renown. KauCoffeeFestival.com
June 11, 2024
King Kamehameha Day Celebrations (Statewide) — Celebrated across the state of Hawaiʻi on June 11, the Kamehameha Day holiday honors Kamehameha I, the island of Hawai‘i chief who united the Hawaiian Islands under his rule in 1810. Festivities happen on Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, Maui, Moloka‘i and the island of Hawai‘i and include lei draping ceremonies, parades, pā‘ū (skirted) horseback riders representing the Hawaiian royal court, food and family-friendly activities for residents and visitors.
Hawaii.gov/Kamehameha
TBC – June 2024
Maui Film Festival (Maui) — The Maui film community honors some of cinema’s brightest and best talents at this annual film-celebrating event. For its 2024 edition, the festival will present a hybrid schedule including an in-person Stardust Cinema as well as an array of virtual-cinema feature film premieres spotlighting diverse storytellers from Hawai‘i and around the world. MauiFilmFestival.com