HIMELE Announces 2027 Festival Schedule

November 5, 2026 • Addison Ching • Festivals and Conventions

Dates for the 2027 Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festivals in Hawai‘i have been announced by HIMELE.

The 2027 schedule is similar to festivals offered in 2026 and prior years, and include events on O‘ahu, Kaua‘i, Maui, and Hawai‘i Island.

The 2027 schedule begins with a Hawaiian steel guitar festival at Kapolei's Ka Makana Ali‘i shopping center on Saturday, January 30, 2027.

The 2^nd Annual Hilo Steel Guitar Festival will be presented on Saturday, March 13 at the Prince Kuhio Plaza.

The NextGEN Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival, featuring NextGEN steel guitarists and musicians from Ke Kula Mele School of Hawaiian Music will be presented on Saturday, April 3, at Ka Makana Ali‘i.

Sunday, May 2, will be the date for the Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival at Kukui Grove Center.

The Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Windward Mall will occur on Saturday, June 12.

The 9^th Annual Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week will take place during the week of July 4-10, 2027. Musical events will be offered each night, including nightly concerts on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, the 2^nd annual Ho‘okūkū Kīkā Kila Hawaiian Steel Guitar competition on Wednesday, J-FESTA 2027 (Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival) on Friday, and the Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival on Saturday.

Saturday, August 14, will be the date of the NextGEN Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Windward Mall. This is a new venue for the keiki steel guitar presentation.

The 2027 Maui Steel Guitar Festival will be presented at The Shops At Wailea on Satuday, October 16.

The 2027 Hawai‘i Island Steel Guitar Experience at Mauna Lani is being proposed for November 11-14 at the Mauna Lani, Auberge Collection. This date is tentative and subject to confirmation by the resort.

Livestream broadcasting of festival concerts will be discontinued due to a decrease in audience participation.

All events are free and open to the public. Funding for these events comes from the Hawai‘i State Foundation for Culture and the Arts, other private funding sources, and contributions from supporters of HIMELE.