2025 HSGA Festival Information
Our Waikiki Festival ‘25 is being planned in conjunction with Waikiki Steel Guitar Week, which is a week-long music program organized by the Hawaiian Institute for Music Education and Learning Enrichment (HIMELE). The larger event is scheduled for the week of July 7 to July 12, 2025, and is held at the Royal Hawaiian Center Royal Grove Stage in the center of Waikiki. HSGA members from Japan have already been participating in the event for the past two years. HSGA member performances will be added to the schedule on Thursday afternoon, July 10, and if needed, on Wednesday afternoon, July 9, 2025. The week-long event culminates on Saturday, July 12 with a day-long program featuring top Hawaiian steel players, a definite must see, must hear.
2025 HSGA Festival Registration
Members who plan on attending the Waikiki festival must complete and return the festival registration form by March 3, 2025 by clicking this link. If you would like to perform at the festival, please complete the Performer portion at the bottom of the registration form.
For those who wish to perform, keep in mind that you do not have to play an entire 25 minute set. Just let us know on the registration form how much play time you would like and if you need back up musicians?
2025 HSGA Hotel Registration
The hotel of choice for this event is the Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort. https://www.outrigger.com/hawaii/oahu/outrigger-reef-waikiki-beach-resort This four-star hotel is located on the beach and less than a half mile from the Royal Hawaiian Center. The Outrigger, next door to the Halekulani, features a Hawaiian music and cultural theme throughout its architectural design and amenities. The HSGA is planning on member showcases and kanikapilas at the hotel on Wednesday July 9 and also performing at the Royal Grove on Thursday July 10 as part of the Waikiki Steel Guitar Week festival.
The hotel has set aside a block of suites for our Festival guests at the rate of $349 per night. Please reserve by no later than June 20, 2025. Reservations may be made online using the following link: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx or, you may call. Please mention the event dates (for reservation purposes, July 5 to July 13, 2025 and the group code “HSGA.”
We encourage members to book their stay at the Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Hotel. However, if you choose to stay elsewhere, members are welcome to gather at the hotel meeting room for the evening activities. (We may add group gatherings/hospitality receptions at the host hotel as we get closer.) As you may know, Waikiki Beach has many hotel options and price ranges to choose from.
2024 HSGA Festival
The annual festival is an opportunity to gather with old friends and to make new friends from points near and far. This year’s festival was held on September 26, 27 and 28, 2024 at the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel in Emeryville, California, directly across the bay from San Francisco.
The 2024 festival was presented in honor of the late Alvin Kalanikau “Barney” Isaacs, famed Hawaiian steel guitarist and entertainer. This year would have been his 100th Birthday. For this festival, we invited our special friend, the fabulous Alan Akaka to be our “keynote performer.” The Saturday evening Luau Dinner and Show was at Trader Vic’s and guests were welcomed by the sounds of Mikiya Matsuda and the Alcatraz Islanders. After dinner, Alan Akaka presented his luau musical program, featuring lovely local Hula dancers and some very talented musicians.
HSGA Virtual
Festivals
When the pandemic made live festivals impossible we decided to produce virtual festivals. This gave both musicians and interested viewers the opportunity to continue to see and hear Hawaiian steel guitar music. We have had seven to date, and we plan to produce two virtual festivals a year as well as our live yearly festival.
Seventh Virtual Steel Guitar Festival
Aug 17, 2024
Sixth Virtual Steel Guitar Festival
January 13-14, 2024
Fifth Virtual Steel Guitar Festival
August 5, 2023
Fourth Virtual Steel Guitar Festival
August 13, 2022
Third Virtual Steel Guitar Festival
July 9 & 10, 2022
Second Virtual Steel Guitar Festival
October 8 & 9, 2021
First Virtual Steel Guitar Festival
January 23 & 24, 2021
Other Hawaiian
Steel Guitar
Festivals
The Experience will begin on Thursday, November 21, with school visitations and performances at the at the Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection. The Hawai‘i Island Steel Guitar Festival’s ho‘olaule‘a concert will be held on Friday, November 22, followed by a public kanikapila. The hotel’s monthly Twilight at Kalāhuipua‘a program featuring the Hawaiian steel guitar will be on Saturday, November 23, and include performances by festival artists and NextGen steel guitarists. A Sunday brunch entertainment and kanikapila will be offered on the lawn of the HāLani Restaurant.
Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at the Mauna Lani Thursday through Sunday, November 21-24, 2024.