2018 Kaua'i Steel Guitar Festival Lineup Announced

December 4, 2017 • Addison Ching • Festivals and Conventions

Alan Akaka, Bobby Ingano, and Greg Sardinha will again present their steel guitar stylings at the 2018 Kaua'i Steel Guitar Festival. The event is scheduled for February 2-3, 2018, at the Courtyard Kaua'i at Coconut Beach, the site of the Kaua'i festival since its introduction to the Garden Isle in 2015.

Also headlining the Saturday ho'olaule'a will be Kaua'i steel guitarists Kilipaki Vaughan and Ed Punua. Geronimo "Geri" Valdriz from Maui and Dave "DK" Kolars from DeKalb, Illinois, will also perform, as will 18-year old Next Generation alumnus Alexis Tolentino.

A highlight of last year's festival will be repeated this year in Saturday's main program. Next Generation steel guitarist Joey Misailidis, 12, and her younger sister Tai, on bass, will be joined by the Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School Ukulele Band in one performance segment, and Next Generation steel guitarist Malie Lyman will be joined by the students of Kapa'a Middle School in another segment.

The main program will be emceed by Lady Ipo Kahaunaele-Ferreira and Alan Akaka.

Festival activities will begin on Friday, with school visitations by teams of festival musicians visiting local area schools to offer presentations about the steel guitar, musical performances, and hands-on opportunities for students.

In a departure from previous festivals, Open Stage performances will be held on Friday only, and moved indoors to the hotel's Chart Room. Festival workshops will be held in the same room Friday evening. Saturday's main program will also be held indoors in the hotel's Paddle Room beginning at noon with performances continuing until approximately 6 P.M. The public kanikapila will be held in the hotel's Makai Lounge and begin as soon as the lounge's evening entertainment concludes.

New this year will be a vintage steel guitar exhibit from Martin Curnan's collection.

This year's event again precedes the annual Aloha Music Camp. Hotel reservations can be made from the festival's website Reservations page or via this link. Special festival rates of $145-$182 USD are available during the festival period of January 30-February 7, 2018.