Festival Information

The Kona Steel Guitar Festival is presented by the Hawaii Institute for Music Enrichment and Learning Experiences (HIMELE) and the Ke Kula Mele Hawai‘i School of Hawaiian Music. The festival brings together legendary steel guitarists for a celebration of the Hawaiian Steel Guitar and provides opportunites for Kona area steel guitarists to join steel guitarists from other parts of Hawai‘i and the US to share their talents. Some festivals have been scheduled to precede the Aloha Music Camp to offer camp attendees an extra opportunity to rediscover the Hawaiian steel guitar and enjoy the nahenahe sounds of master steel guitarists from Hawai‘i.

The Kona Steel Guitar Festival is one of a series of Hawaiian Steel Guitar festivals produced and presented by the Hawaii Institute for Music Enrichment and Learning Experiences, Inc. (HIMELE) and its partners.

• The Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festivals are community-based festivals produced by HIMELE on O‘ahu.
  • The Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Ka Makana Ali‘i at Ka Makana Ali‘i Shopping Center in February-March
  • The Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Windward Mall at Windward Mall Shopping Center in June
  • The Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival Keiki Kine at Kahala Mall at Kahala Mall Shopping Center in August
• The Kona Steel Guitar Festival at Outrigger Kona Resort and Spa, Keauhou, Hawai‘i, preceding the Aloha Music Camp in April
• The Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival at Sheraton Kaua‘i Coconut Beach Resort and Kukui Grove Center in May
• The Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Royal Grove Stage, Royal Hawaiian Center in July
• The Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week (incorporating the Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival and the Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival) at Royal Grove Stage, Royal Hawaiian Center in July
• The Maui Steel Guitar Festival at The Shops at Wailea and Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center on Maui in October.
• The Hawai‘i Island Steel Guitar Experience at Mauna Lani (incorporating the Hawai‘i Island Steel Guitar Festival) at Mauna Lani Auberge Resorts Collection on Hawai‘i Island in November-December
• The Hawaiian Steel Guitar Showcase - monthly livestreamed Hawaiian steel guitar presentations (including livestreamed festival ho‘olaule‘a concerts) on the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Showcase Facebook Page and YouTube Channel

All festivals are presented to increase awareness and foster interest in the Hawaiian Steel Guitar, an instrument important to Hawaiian music and culture. All these festivals are free and open to the public and made possible through grant awards and donations from Hawai‘i State agencies, corporate sponsors and private individuals, supplemented by in-kind contributions and volunteer resources. Please visit HIMELE's website to see how you can help support our festivals.

The 2024 Kona Steel Guitar Festival

The 2024 Festival will be held at the Outrigger Kona Resort and Spa immediately preceding the 2024 Aloha Music Camp. The event is in the planning stages but will likely follow the same format as the 2023 festival and include concerts, kanikapila sessions, Open Stage performances, a steel guitar exhibit, and a workshop.

The festival date and lineup will be announced when details have been finalized.

Festival Information From Previous Festivals

• The 2023 Festival - Festival Info