HIMELE Launches Hilo Steel Guitar Festival

January 9, 2026 • Addison Ching • Festivals and Conventions

The first annual Hilo Steel Guitar Festival will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2026, at Hilo's Prince Kuhio Plaza.

The one-day event will feature seven steel guitarists from O‘ahu and Hawai‘i and three NextGEN steel guitarists. The ho‘olaule‘a is expected to begin at 11:00 AM.

The Hilo festival is being offered as an alternative to the Kona Steel Guitar Festival which is now on hiatus due to the discontinuation of Keola Beamer's Aloha Music Camp.

The Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival was deveoped in 2016 and offered in conjunction with the Aloha Music Camp when it was located on Kaua‘i. The Kona Steel Guitar Festival was created when the Camp relocated to the Keauou area in 2023 to continue the combined experience for Campers and extend the steel guitar experience in the Kona area.

A Hilo festival brings steel guitar entertainment to the Hilo community and provides an opportunity for residents and guests to enjoy Hawaiian music entertainment featuring Hawaiian steel guitarists from O‘ahu and Hawai‘i and learn more about the Hawaiian steel guitar through hands-on opportunities.

This year's festival will include O‘ahu steel guitarists Alan Akaka, Bobby Ingano, Mālie Lyman, and Hawai?i steel guitarists Pomaika‘i Brown, Ken Emerson, Kapono Lopes, and Dwight Tokumoto. Mark Yamanaka and J. J. Ahuna will appear as guest artists.

NextGEN steel guitarists from Ke Kula Mele School of Hawaiian Music will include Charlie Ahuna, Hi‘ipoi Lindsey, and Isaac Woodward.

The event will be livestreamed.

The Hilo Steel Guitar Festival is the eleventh steel guitar festival offered to Hawai‘i residents statewide. These festivals include events on Kaua‘i Maui, two on Hawai‘i, and six festivals on O‘ahu including two that feature only youth steel guitarists from 12 to 18.

For complete festival information see the Hilo Steel Guitar Festival website.