HIMELE Festival News

May 22, 2023 • Addison Ching • Festivals and Conventions

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

Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Ka Makana Ali‘i

May 27, 2023

Mālie Lyman has been added to the list of steel guitar performers, replacing Joseph Zayac who is unable to participate due to a scheduling conflict. The event will run from Noon to approximately 3:30 PM on Saturday, May 27.

NextGen steel guitarists Joey and Tai Misailidis have withdrawn from the festival. The untimely passing of Joey's fellow swimming teammate at a recent swim meet has devastated the entire Misailidis family due to their closeness to the family of the deceased swimmer.

Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Windward Mall

June 10, 2023

The lineup of the Kamehameha Day festival will include Kapono Lopes, Joseph Zayac, Steve Cheney, Greg Sardinha and Po'okela, Malie Lyman, Alan Akaka, and the Paul Kim Trio. NextGen steel guitarists Hi‘ipoi Lindsay, Reign Lyu, Enosa Lyman, Tai Misailidis, Makamae Lyu-Napoleon, Isabella Bertelmann, Pono Fernandez, and Joey Misailidis will also perform. The festival, which begins at 11:00 AM and runs through 4:00 PM, will be livestreamed.

Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival

July 14, 2023

The lineup for this year's festival, included in Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week, will include Japanese steel guitarists Noriko and Shuji Tomita, Paul Okubo, Matt Kobayashi, and Kiyoshi "Lion" Kobayashi. Japanese artist Boo Takagi will make a special guest appearance at the festival. The Friday event will be livestreamed.

Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week

July 10-15, 2023

The complete lineup has been announced. Monday-Thursday evening concerts will be presented by Alan Akaka, Mālie Lyman, Greg Sardinha and Po‘okela, and NextGen steel guitarists. The one-hour programs will begin at 5:30 PM each day. Emcee for these programs will be Monte McComber.

Friday's presentation is the Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival. Performances will begin at 3:00 PM HST and run through 6:30 PM. Emcee for the festival will be Reiko Tokushige Rogers.

Saturday's Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival two-part concert will include Alan Akaka, Billy Cardine from Weaverville, NC, Steve Cheney, Bobby Ingano, Kiyoshi "Lion" Kobayashi, Kapono Lopes, Mikiya Matsuda from San Francisco, CA, Greg Sardinha and Po‘okela, and Geronimo "Geri" Valdriz.

The first segment will begin at 11:00 AM and run through 2:00 PM. The second segment will begin at 4:00 and run through 6:30. Emcee for Saturday's presentations will be Kimo Kahoano. The Saturday event will be livestreamed.