Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week

Event Info

Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week incorporates nightly performances Monday through Thursday, the Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival on Friday, and the Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival's Saturday ho‘olaule‘a. The event is presented each year by the Royal Hawaiian Center and produced by HIMELE™ (Hawai‘i Institute for Music Enrichment and Learning Experiences). This week-long celebration of the Hawaiian steel guitar brings together legendary steel guitarists and keiki NextGen steel guitarists in nightly presentations at the Royal Grove Stage and culminates with two festival ho‘olaule‘a pageants on Friday and Saturday. This annual event is presented to heighten awareness of the Hawaiian Steel Guitar and its importance in Hawaiian music and culture.

Alan Akaka, renowned Hawaiian steel guitarist, music teacher and Chairman of the Board of HIMELE, says, "It's an honor and joy for all of us in the steel guitar community to participate in the Festival and we hope that both visitors and kama‘aina will join us."

Located at the Royal Grove entertainment venue in the heart of the Royal Hawaiian Center, Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week honors what was once the playground of Hawaiian royalty by offering a program of Hawaiian music and dance that is easily accessed by Waikīkī pedestrian traffic and center visitors.

All Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week events are free and open to the public. These include nightly hour-long programs from Monday through Thursday, the Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival on Friday and the Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival on Saturday with morning and afternoon programs. Vintage steel guitars may be exhibited in Helumoa Hale, with steel guitar experts on hand to answer questions. Parking is available at the Royal Hawaiian Center parking garage. Standard parking rates apply. Validated parking is available with $10 purchase from any center merchant. The Friday and Saturday festivals will be livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube.

Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week is one of a series of annual Hawaiian Steel Guitar festivals and other events produced by the Hawaii Institute for Music Enrichment and Learning Experiences (HIMELE) and its partners.

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 2026 Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week

Planning for the 2026 Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week, incorporating the 5th annual Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival and the 16th annual Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival, is ongoing. Please check back for updated information.

Festival Information From Previous Festivals and Events

Copyright ©2026 by Hawaii Institute for Music Enrichment and Learning Experiences, Inc., and Cyberventures Unlimited.Terms of Use

Resources
HIMELE
Ke Kula Mele Hawai‘i
Hawaiian Steel Guitar Symposium
Steel Trappings

Statewide Festivals
Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival
Maui Steel Guitar Festival
Hawai‘i Island Steel Guitar Festival
Kona Steel Guitar Festival
Hilo Steel Guitar Festival
Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival
Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week

Community Festivals
Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Ka Makana Ali‘i
Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Windward Mall
Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival - Keiki Kine at Kahala Mall
Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival - Keiki Kine at Ka Makana Ali‘i

Livestream
Hawaiian Steel Guitar Showcase