Hawaii has a rich culture and history that’s certainly worth celebrating. There are many festivals that you may want to plan into your Hawaii vacation. Let’s take a look at a selection of the top cultural celebrations taking place between May and August 2018.
May 2018
1st – All islands – Lei Day – Celebration of the beauty and traditions of the Hawaiian lei. Check with your concierge and local newspapers for special Lei Day events.
12th – 13th – Maui – Mele Mei Maui – Top Hawaiian musical artist perform under Lahaina’s famous banyan tree. See this link for more information.
20th to 28th – Hawaii (Big) Island – Honoka’a Western Week – A week-long celebration of the paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) heritage including Hamakua Harvest Festival, a rodeo, food, music and dance.
27th – Kauai – Banana Poka RoundUp – A lively forest education fair in Kokee State Park .
28th – Oahu – Memorial Day Events – A ceremony at Punchbowl and Latern Floating Festival are two of Hawaii’s top Memorial Day events. Check our Oahu Memorial Day Events page which will be updated in May.
May 31st to June 2nd – Molokai – Molokai Ka Hula Piko – A festival celebrating the birth of Hawaiian hula dancing.
June 2018
1st to 2nd – Molokai – Molokai Ka Hula Piko – A festival celebrating the birth of Hawaiian hula dancing.
7th to 10th – Maui – Kapalua Wine and Food Festival – In its 37th year, this food and wine festival is one of the top culinary festivals in Hawaii.
8th to 10th – Oahu – Pan-Pacific Festival – A international cultural celebration with a focus on Pacific Rim cultures. Food, hula, music and a parade are all included.
9th to 11th – All islands – King Kamehameha Celebration – Honoring King Kamehameha who united all the Hawaiian Islands under one rule in 1795. You can find special celebrations around the islands – mostly with impressive floral parades. The 102nd Annual King Kamehameha Celebration Floral Parade takes place on Oahu on June 9, 2018. The Big Island parade is on June 9, 2018 in Kailua-Kona. The Kauai parade is also on the 9th in Lihue. As more Kamehameha events firm up, they’ll be posted at this site.
13th to 17th – Maui – Maui Film Festival – View, discuss and enjoy new films.
July 2018
4th – Independence Day – Many fun events are held across the islands to celebrate the 4th of July. We post the top fireworks shows, parades and more in these July 4th island guides, which will be completely updated in mid to late June:
7th – Lanai – Lanai Pineapple Festival – Held annually in early July, the Lanai Pineapple Festival celebrates the history and culture of their pineapple plantation past.
13th to 15th – Hawaii (Big) Island – Hilo Orchid Society Annual Show and Sale – Hawaii Island is known as the “orchid isle” so it’s fitting that Hawaii’s biggest orchid show takes place on Hawaii Island.
15th – Oahu – 48th annual Ukulele Festival
20th to 29th – Kauai –Koloa Plantation Days – Celebrates the area’s plantation culture and history.
19th – 21st – Oahu – 43rd Queen Lili’uokalani Keiki Hula Competition – A celebration and competition of children performing hula dancing.
21st to 22nd – Oahu – 41st Annual Prince Lot Hula Festival – Held at the Monalua Gardens, this festival features hula halau (troupes), crafts, traditional Hawaiian games and more.
August 2018
4th to 5th – Kauai – Heiva I Kauai – An international Tahitian dance competition.
TBD – Hawaii (Big) Island – 46th Annual Ho’oku’ikahi Establishment Day Hawaiian Cultural Festival – Typically held at Pu’ukohola Heiau National Park.
18th to 26th – Oahu – Duke’s OceanFest – A celebration of one of Hawaii’s most beloved watermen and legends, Duke Kahanamoku. A variety of water sport competitions and events take place over several days.
—
We’ve listed the major events of May, June, July and August, but there are many more small and large festivals and events going on throughout the year. An easy way to discover festival happenings is to use the search feature at www.GoHawaii.com/trip-planning/events-festivals.
Notes:
- As far as possible, we have linked to sites for more information on the individual events. Initially, some may not have many details until the time draws nearer to the event.
- Additional resources for festivals and special events:
- Kona Web for Hawaii (Big) Island
- Kauai Festivals
- Go Hawaii
- Local newspapers
Around August, we plan to create a list of the major cultural festivals for September through December 2018.
Sheila Beal
