Hawaii festivals and special events May – August 2017

Are you headed to the Hawaiian Islands in the coming months? Or, are you looking for inspiration to go? Perhaps one of the following special events will strike your fancy.

We list Hawaii’s major cultural and special events planned from May through August, 2017. Note that the links listed will provide many more details about the events.

May

1st – All islands – Lei Day – A celebration of the traditions and beauty of the Hawaiian lei. Check local newspapers for special Lei Day events.

29th – Oahu – Memorial Day Events – A ceremony at Punchbowl and the Lantern Floating Festival are two of Oahu’s top events to honor this day. See our Oahu/Honolulu/Waikiki Memorial Day Weekend Events page.

June

1st to 3rd – Molokai – Molokai Ka Hula Piko – A celebration of the birth of hula.

2nd to 4th – Big Island – Hilo Orchid Society Annual Show and Sale – Hawaii’s biggest orchid show.

8th to 11th – Maui – Kapalua Wine and Food Festival – In its 36th year, this food and wine festival is one of the top festivals of its kind in Hawaii.

11th – All islands – King Kamehameha Day – Celebration of King Kamehameha who united all the Hawaiian Islands in 1795. You can find special celebrations around the islands – mostly with floral parades. The Big Island parade is on June 10, 2017 in Kailua-Kona. The Kauai parade is also on the 10th in Lihue. As more Kamehameha events firm up, they’ll be posted at this site.

9th to 11th – Oahu – Pan-Pacific Festival – A international cultural celebration with a focus on Pacific Rim cultures. Food, hula, music and a parade are all included.

21st to 25th – Maui – Maui Film Festival – View, discuss and enjoy new films.

July

1st – Lanai Pineapple Festival – Held in early July, the Lanai Pineapple Festival celebrates the history and culture of their pineapple plantation past.

4th – Independence Day – Many fun events are held across the islands to celebrate the 4th of July. We post the top fireworks shows, parades and more in these July 4th island guides:

• Oahu July 4th
• Maui July 4th
• Hawaii (Big) Island July 4th
• Kauai July 4th

15th to 16th – Oahu – Prince Lot Hula Festival – Held at the Monalua Gardens, this festival features hula halau (troupes), crafts, traditional Hawaiian games and more.

16th – Oahu – 47th Annual Ukulele Festival

21st – 30th – Kauai – Koloa Plantation Days – Celebrates the area’s plantation history.

August

5th to 6th – Kauai – Heiva I Kauai – An international Tahitian dance competition.

12th – Big Island – 45th Annual Ho‘oku‘ikahi Establishment Day Hawaiian Cultural Festival – Royal court ceremonies, traditional Hawaiian warrior exhibitions, music and more.

19th to 27th – Oahu – Duke’s OceanFest – A celebration of one of Hawaii’s most beloved watermen and legends, Duke Kahanamoku. A variety of water sport competitions and events take place over several days.

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We’ve listed the major events, but there are many more festivals and events going on throughout the year.

An easy way to discover festival happenings is as follows:

1. Go to www.gohawaii.com
2. After the page opens, move to the ‘Vacation Directory’ on the right sidebar. Note that the photo on the right shows a screen shot of the “Vacation Directory’
3. Click on the EVENTS tab.
4. Select the date range of your visit and/or interest.
5. Select the island you’ll be visiting.
6. Click on the Go button. Then, the results will display.

Around July or August, we plan to create a list of the major cultural festivals for September through December 2017. In the meantime, if you are searching for more information on events for that time period or beyond, use the above instructions to search for them.