HIMELE Festival News

March 28, 2023 • Addison Ching • Festivals and Conventions

Here is the latest news about HIMELE's Hawaiian steel guitar festivals and related events.

2023 Kaua‘i Hawaiian Steel Guitar Symposium — Postponed

May 3-4, 2023

The 2023 Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Camp, originally scheduled for May 3 and 4, 2023, has been postponed. The symposium may be rescheduled later in 2023 and possibly at a different venue.

2023 Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival

May 5-7, 2023

Featured steel guitar players for the 2023 Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival include Alan Akaka, Bobby Ingano, Mālie Lyman, Kapono Lopes, Greg Sardinha, Geronimo "Geri" Valdriz, and Joseph Zayac. Also participating are NextGen steel guitarists Enosa Lyman, Tai Misailidis, Makamae Lyu-Napoleon, Isabella Bertelmann, and Joey Misailidis.

The event schedule is still being developed but the Friday-Saturday festival at the Sheraton Kaua‘i Coconut Beach Resort will include school visitations, a workshop, Open Stage performances, a main concert, a vintage steel guitar exhibit, hands-on steel guitar demonstrations, and evening public kanikapila jam sessions.

The Sunday festival at Kukui Grove Center will be a condensed version of the Kapa‘a festival and include a main concert and hands-on demonstrations only.

Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Ka Makana Ali‘i

May 27, 2023 - Rescheduled

The Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Ka Makana Ali‘i originally scheduled for Saturday, February 18, 2023, is now rescheduled for Saturday, May 27, 2023. Joseph Zayac has been added as a featured steel guitar artist. Bobby Ingano, originally included as one of the postponed festival's featured steel guitarists, will not be able to participate in the rescheduled festival due to a calendar conflict.

NextGen steel guitar player Reign Lyu has been added to the program.

The Saturday festival concert will be Livestreamed on the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Showcase page and YouTube channel.