Hawaiʻi's ʻukulele festival is back on Oʻahu this Sunday.
The event, hosted by Special Events Hawaiʻi and the Kala Foundation, returns for its third year in a row since the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the shutdown, the festival ran for 52 years under Roy Sakuma.
Organizers from the Kala Foundation hope to continue his tradition of educating through music, art and community. They stated that music is a universal language and they hope this event can unite people “from all walks of life.”
Several performers and vendors from last year's festival have been invited back, including Kamakakēhau Fernandez. He noted the importance of celebrating the ʻukulele in an environment where local artists share space, history, and culture.
“It's tradition. It's something that has been carried on for generations in hopes to inspire the younger generations to know that this is something that is special and significant to Hawaiʻi,” Fernandez said.
“In this time that we're facing in our world, I think it's important that we are able to come together as a community to hone in on the great teachings of our kūpuna, our ancestors. That’s going to be told through the stories, through the entertainers, and through their experiences as well.”
In addition to live entertainment, the festival will feature a keiki cultural activities center, an artisan craft village, and a multi-ethnic food court.
Lisa Miller, owner of Handwritten Aloha, is excited to be back to share her products. She incorporates ʻōlelo noʻeau and native plants into her creations to show her appreciation and respect toward her home.
“I like to think everything I do is with the spirit of aloha, whether it’s creating, sharing, talking to people, or whatever. It spreads that spirit for the land, for the people, for the culture, and for each other,” Miller said.
The festival is this Sunday, July 13, at the Kapiʻolani Park Bandstand. Admission is free to the public, and the event will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
