2026 Event Program

The 2026 8^th Annual Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week will be held on July 5-12, 2026, and will feature the following:

• Steel Guitar Sundays at Hula Grill Waikīkī.
• Evening Concerts at the Royal Grove Stage on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, featuring one-hour performances by different Hawaiian steel guitar artists and ensembles including NextGEN steel guitarists, Kiyoshi "Lion" Kobayashi (celebrating his 93^rd birthday), and Masami Sato & Makana.
• The 1^st Annual Amateur Hawaiian Steel Guitar Contest, Ho‘okuku Kīkā Kila, on Wednesday from 4:30 to 7:30.
• The 5^th Annual J-FESTA 2026 - Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival on Friday from 2:30 PM to 6:30 PM featuring steel guitarists from Japan.
• The 16^th Annnual Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival on Saturday featuring various Hawaiian steel guitar artists and bands in two performance segments, 11:00 AM - 1:50 PM and 4:00 PM - 6:30 PM.
• Steel Guitar Sundays Special presentation at Hula Grill Waikīkī
• A Grand Finale concert featuring NextGEN steel guitarists and emerging artists.
• Hands-on experience for event guests to learn more about the Hawaiian steel guitar.

Program

Click here to see and download the Complete Event Schedule

Sunday - Steel Guitar Sundays presentation at Hula Grill Waikīkī

• Alan Akaka & the Islanders

Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday Evening Concert Performances

Co-emcees for the weekday concerts are Monte McComber and Alan Akaka.

• Monday - NextGEN Steel Guitarists
• Kyle Henderson
• Kui Joy
• Hi‘ipoi Lindsey
• Ever Ta‘ala
  
• Isaac Woodward
• Tuesday - Kiyoshi "Lion" Kobayashi 93^rd Birthday Celebration
• Thursday - Masami Sato and Makana

Wednesday - Ho‘okūkū Kika Kila - The 1^st Annual Amateur Hawaiian Steel Guitar Contest

Friday - 5^th Annual J-FESTA 2026 - Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival

Complete festival information available at the J-FESTA 2026 Festival Website.

Co-ecees for for J-FESTA 2026 will be Masami Sato and Alan Akaka.

• Michiyo Fujita
• moani ito
• YUKIO KATAGIRI
• Kiyoshi "Lion" Kobayashi and his Steel Guitar Ensemble
• Masami "MATT" Kobayashi and Friends
• Paul Okubo
• Masami Sato & Makana

Saturday - the 16^th Annual Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival

• Alan Akaka
• Steve Cheney
• Kiyoshi "Lion" Kobayashi
• Mālie Lyman
• Christo Ruppenthal
• Greg Sardinha
  
• Masami Sato & Makana
• Geronimo "Geri" Valdriz
  

Sunday

• Steel Guitar Sundays Special presentation at Hula Grill Waikīkī featuring Alan Akaka & the Islanders
• Wakīkī Beach Walk Plaza Stage Grand Finale featuring NextGEN steel guitarists and Emerging Artists

The Festival Poster

Festival Archives

The Festival Archives contains program information from previous Waikīkī Steel Guitar Weeks and Festivals.

• The 2025 Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week
• The 2024 Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week
• The 2023 Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week
• The 2022 Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week
• The 2021 Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival
• The 2020 Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week - Canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic
• The 2019 Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week
• The 2018 Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week
• The 2017 Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week
• The 2016 Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival
• The 2015 Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival
• The 2014 Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival
• The 2013 Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival