Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival Part 2

The 16^th Annual Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival was held on Saturday, July 11, 2026. The first segment began at 11:00 AM and featured steel guitarists Steve Cheney, Geronimo "Geri" Valdriz from Maui, Greg Sardinha & Po‘okela (Zachary Castro and Kata Maduli), Mālie Lyman, and Kiyoshi "Lion" Kobayashi from Tokyo, Japan. The second segment began at 4:00 PM and featured Masami Sato and Makana (Kazuko Tanaka, Kazuko Ishii, Ayumi Kato, Toshiko Konno, and Michiko Makiuchi) from Japan, Christo Ruppenthal from Madison, Wisconsin, winners from the 1^st annual Ho‘okūkū Kīkā Kila Hawaiian Steel Guitar Contest, and Alan Akaka & the Islanders with special guests. Emcee was Monte McComber.

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• Alan Akaka and Monte McComber with Makana: Michiko Makiuchi, Toshiko Konno, Masami Sato, Kazuko Tanaka, Ayumi Kato, and Kazuko Ishii.
• Michiko Makiuchi, Toshiko Konno, and Masami Sato.
• Toshiko Konno.
• Masami Sato.
• Kazuko Tanaka.
• Ayumi Kato.
• Kazuko Ishii.
• Michiko Makiuchi, Toshiko Konno, Masami Sato, Kazuko Tanaka, Ayumi Kato, and Kazuko Ishii.
• Hula by Toshiko Konno.
• Dancer Toshiko Konno with Michiko Makiuchi, Masami Sato, Kazuko Tanaka, Ayumi Kato, and Kazuko Ishii.
• Michiko Makiuchi, Toshiko Konno, Masami Sato, Kazuko Tanaka, Ayumi Kato, and Kazuko Ishii.
• Masami Sato.
• Hula dancer Moana.
• Hula by Masami Sato.
• A view of the festival guests.
• Featured steel guitarist Christo Ruppenthal with Kaipo Lindsey.
• CHristo Ruppenthal with Dylan Nakahara, Alan Akaka, Kaipo Lindsey, and David Woodward.
• Alan Akaka, Christo Ruppenthal, and Kaipo Lindsey.
• Christo Ruppenthal.
• Ayumi Kato, Kazuko Ishii, Toshiko Konno, Kazuko Tanaka, Masami Sato, and Michiko Makiuchi.
• Hoʻokūkū Kīkā Kila Kūpuna Division winner Sakae Machida.
• Sakae Machida with Dylan Nakahara, Alan Akaka, Kaipo Lindsey, and David Woodward.
• Dylan Nakahara.
• Sakae Machida.
• Hoʻokūkū Kīkā Kila Open Amateur Division runner-up Kevin Speyer.
• Kevin Speyer with Dylan Nakahara and Alan Akaka.
• Hoʻokūkū Kīkā Kila Keiki Division winner Isaac Kazuyuki Kauahikaua Woodward with Dylan Nakahara, Alan Akaka, Kaipo Lindsey, and David Woodward.
• Isaac Kazuyuki Kauahikaua Woodward with Alan Akaka and Kaipo Lindsey.
• Isaac Kazuyuki Kauahikaua Woodward.
• Featured steel guitarist Alan Akaka.
• Alan Akaka with Kaipo Lindsey, and David Woodward.
• Guest performer Schuyler Woodward.
• Schuyler Woodward with Dylan Nakahara, Kaipo Lindsey, and David Woodward.
• Guest artist Masami Sato.
• Masami Sato with Dylan Nakahara, Alan Akaka, Kaipo Lindsey, and David Woodward.

Back to Gallery: 2026 Waikiki Steel Guitar Week

Photography by Don Rostow ©2026 by Don Rostow and HIMELE.