2019 Program

Click here to see the Festival's Event Schedule

The Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival will feature school visitations, a steel guitar workshop, kanikapila, Open Stage sessions, and a ho‘olaule‘a featuring several of Hawai‘i's steel guitar masters.

Thursday and Friday School Presentations

The festival's educational component provides learning opportunities for local area schools. These educational presentations will be made by teams of festival steel guitar masters and are geared towards reintroducing the Hawaiian steel guitar to the younger generation and to get them interested in the instrument and its importance in Hawaiian music. If your Kaua‘i school is interested in such a presentation and has not been contacted, please fill out the contact form to reserve your opportunity.

Friday Open Stage Sessions

Hawaiian steel guitarists or bands with a Hawaiian Steel Guitar will present a 30-minute program to festival attendees. Performances will be presented from noon to 4:30 PM in the hotel's Paddle Room.

Friday Evening Workshops

Friday evening steel guitar workshops will be presented by Alan Akaka and Bobby Ingano.

Friday Evening Kanikapila

A public kanikapila jam session will be held in the Makai Lounge area. Festival guests are invited to bring their instruments, amplifiers, and music stands as appropriate and play along Hawaiian-style with the steel guitar masters. The kanikapila will commence upon conclusion of the hotel's lounge entertainment at approximately 8:30 P.M.

Saturday Ho‘olaule‘a

The festival's main program will be hosted by Lady Ipo Kahaunaele-Ferreira. The Ho‘olaule‘a will showcase each of the Festival's featured performers in individual programs. The finale will feature all Ho‘olaule‘a steel guitarists playing together in a group kanikapila, round-robin style. Performances will begin at noon and continue to approximately 6 P.M. in the hotel's Paddle Room.

Saturday Evening Kanikapila

Featured Steel Guitarists

Other Festival Performers

Pomaika‘i Lyman

NextGen Steel Guitar Players and Musicians

"NextGen" Steel Guitar students and musicians of Ke Kula Mele Hawai‘i School of Hawaiian Music will perform for festival attendees' enjoyment. These musicians as young as age 11 will perform during the Open Stage Entertainment. NextGen steel guitarists Joey Misailidis and Mālie Lyman will also appear in the main ho‘olaule‘a program. Joey will perform with the Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School ‘Ukulele Band and Mālie will perform with student musicians from Kapa‘a Middle School.

Workshops

Workshops on steel guitar basics and playing chimes on the steel guitar will be presented.

Open Stage Entertainment

Friday Open stage entertainment will feature guest artists and performers. These 30-minute playing sessions will showcase steel guitarists from all over the world, including some Aloha Music Camp attendees.

Steel Guitar Exhibit

An exhibit featuring vintage and contemporary lap steel guitars will be presented at the festival. The instruments are from the instrument collections of Kaua‘i steel guitarist Martin Curnan and Maui steel guitarist Geri Valdriz. Come and see this wide assortment of steel guitars.

The Proclamation

Kaua‘i County Mayor Derek Kawakami will present a proclamation at Saturday's program, commending the efforts of the Hawaii Institute for Music Enrichment and Learning Experiences for its continuous efforts to revitalize the Hawaiian steel guitar. See the proclamation here.

The Festival Poster

2019 Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival Poster

The Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival poster was designed by Addison Ching and features pictures of the master performers superimposed on a picture of an Excel 8-string Jerry Byrd Frypan steel guitar. Click on the thumbnail for a larger view.