2019 Program

Click here to see Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week's Event Schedule

Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week will feature nightly (Monday-Thursday) one-hour evening performances and Friday and Saturday Ho‘olaule‘a programs showcasing several of Hawai‘i's steel guitar masters and artists. A vintage steel guitar exhibit will also be presented. This year's emcees will be Hau‘oli Akaka and Kathy Collins.

MONDAY - THURSDAY CONCERTS Nightly one-hour steel guitar performances featuring some of Hawai‘i's greatest steel guitarists will be presented on the Royal Grove Stage. Hau‘oli Akaka will emcee Monday and Tuesday, and Kathy Collins will emcee Wednesday and Thursday.

FRIDAY - SATURDAY VINTAGE STEEL GUITAR EXHIBIT An exhibit of vintage steel guitars will be presented at the Royal Hawaiian Center's Helumoa Hale meeting room. Experts will be on hand to provide assistance and answer questions.

FRIDAY EVENING HO‘OLAULE‘A The Friday Ho‘olaule‘a will be hosted by Kathy Collins, showcase several featured performers in individual programs, and will typically include vocals and hula.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON OPEN STAGE Open stage performances featuring local and visiting steel guitarists and steel guitar bands will be presented beginning at noon on Saturday.

SATURDAY EVENING HO‘OLAULE‘A The Saturday Ho‘olaule‘a will be hosted by Reiko Tokushige Rogers. president, radio personality, and event emcee at Studio Rim Hawaii, Inc. Saturday's program will be different from Friday's program and present a different lineup of steel guitarists.

OTHER EVENT ACTIVITIES Hands-on opportunities for festival guests to try out the steel guitar will be available in Helumoa Hale during exhibit hours.

Monday-Thursday Evening Concerts - Royal Grove Stage

One-hour evening concerts will be presented on the Royal Grove stage Monday-Thursday, July 15-18, during Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week. The performances will start at 6 P.M. each evening.

Monday	NextGen Steel Guitarists and Musicians
Tuesday	Greg Sardinha and Po‘okela
Wednesday	Kiyoshi "Lion" Kobayashi and Students
Thursday	Alan Akaka and The Islanders

Friday and Saturday Festival Ho‘olaule‘a Pageants - Royal Grove Stage

Friday's ho‘olaule‘a pageant will begin at 5:00 PM on July 19 and Saturday's ho‘olaule‘a pageant will begin at 4:15 PM on July 20. Each evening features different Hawaiian steel guitar masters presenting programs featuring Hawaiian music and hula.

Friday

5:00 PM	Greg Sardinha and Po'okela
5:45 PM	Kapono Lopes
6:30 PM	Scott Furushima
7:15 PM	Paul Kim and the Waimanalo Sunset Band

Saturday

4:15 PM	Paul Agar
5:00 PM	Tetsuya Ishiyama
5:45 PM	Steve Cheney
6:30 PM	Alan Akaka and The Islanders
7:15 PM	Kiyoshi "Lion" Kobayashi

Featured Steel Guitarists

• Paul Agar
• Alan Akaka
• Steve Cheney
• Scott Furushima
• Tetsuya Ishiyama
• Kiyoshi "Lion" Kobayashi
• Kapono Lopes
• Greg Sardinha

Next Generation Steel Guitar Players and Musicians

Next Generation steel guiitar students of the Ke Kula Mele Hawai‘i School of Hawaiian Music will perform for festival attendees' enjoyment.

• Pono Fernandez
• Ethan Goore
• Mālie Lyman
• Hō‘ailona Mahuka
• Joey Misailidis
  
• Tai Misailidis
  

Open Stage Entertainment

Open stage performances featuring guest artists and performers will be presented beginning at noon on Saturday, July 20. These 30-minute playing sessions will showcase steel guitarists from all over the world.

• Peter Garellick
• Shinichi Kakiuchi
• Ke Kula Mele Hawai‘i
• Lion Lady Steel Guitar Ensemble
• Kris Oka
• Grifford "Kamaka" Tom
• Noriko and Shuji Tomita

Vintage Steel Guitar Exhibit and Steel Guitar Demonstration - Helumoa Hale

The Proclamation

Honolulu City and County mayor Kirk Caldwell will issue a proclamation declaring the week of July 15-20, 2019, as Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week. See the proclamation here.

The Festival Poster