Program | Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival

Festival Program - 2023 Festival

Event Schedules

Click here to see and download the Festival's Complete Event Schedules

Friday and Saturday festival activities will be held at the Sheraton Kaua‘i Coconut Beach Resort in Kapa‘a. Sunday festival activities will be held at the Kukui Grove Center in Lihue.

Sheraton Kaua‘i Coconut Beach Resort

Friday evening Workshops
Friday Kanikapila
Saturday Open Stage Sessions
Saturday Afternoon and Evening Ho‘olaule‘a programs
Saturday Kanikapila
Vintage Steel Guitar Exhibit
Hands-on Opportunities

Kukui Grove Center

Sunday Ho‘olaule‘a program
Hands-on Opportunities

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. School visits included in this year's festival include Kapa‘a Middle School, Island School and Kalāheo Elementary School.

Friday Evening Workshop

A Friday evening steel guitar workshop will be presented in the Makai Room by festival steel guitarists Alan Akaka and Bobby Ingano. The workshop will be in a "talk story" format with discussions guided by topics suggested by workshop attendees.

Friday Evening Kanikapila

A public kanikapila jam session will be held in the Makai Room. Everyone is invited to bring their instruments, amplifiers, and music stands as appropriate and play along Hawaiian-style with the steel guitar masters. The kanikapila will begin at approximately 8:30 P.M. and run until 10:00 P.M.

Saturday Open Stage Entertainment

Saturday Open stage entertainment will be held in the Makai Room and feature guest artists and performers. These 30-minute playing sessions will showcase steel guitarists from all over the world.

Kauluwehi Andrade
Ki‘ileiah Jefferies

Saturday Ho‘olaule‘a

Eight featured steel guitarists will be presented in two performance segments with an intermission between segments. NextGen steel guitarists will also perform

The Ho‘olaule‘a will be presented in the hotel's Makai Room and both segments will be livestreamed on the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Showcase's Facebook Page and YouTube Channel. The livestream may also be offered on the Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival's Facebook page.

Featured Steel Guitarists

This year's featured steel guitarists include Alan Akaka, Bobby Ingano, Kapono Lopes, Mālie Lyman, Sebastian Müller, Greg Sardinha, and Geronimo "Geri" Valdriz.

NextGen Steel Guitar Players

NextGen Steel Guitar students of Ke Kula Mele Hawai‘i School of Hawaiian Music will perform also perform in the main concert program. The NextGen steel guitarists include Enosa Lyman, Tai Misailidis, Makamae Lyu-Napoleon, Isabella Bertelmann, and Joey Misailidis.

Saturday Evening Kanikapila

A public kanikapila jam session will be held in the Makai Room. 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 begin at approximately 8:30 P.M. and run until 10:00 P.M.

Steel Guitar Exhibit

An exhibit featuring vintage and contemporary lap steel guitars will be presented in the Makai Room. Come and see this wide assortment of steel guitars. Geri Valdriz will be on hand to answer any questions you might have.

Hands-On Experience

A Hands-On Experience will be offered for anyone wanting to become more familiar with the Hawaiian Steel Guitar. Festival guests can gain an introduction to the instrument and try their hand at playing the instrument under the direction of Daniel Tremblay.

Sunday Ho‘olaule‘a

Sunday's Kukui Grove Center ho‘olaule‘a will include seven featured steel guitarists and NextGen steel guitarists in an abbreviated program. This program will not be livestreamed.

The Festival Posters

2023 Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival Poster-Sheraton

The Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival-Sheraton 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.

2023 Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival Poster-Kukui Grove

The Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival-Kukui Grove 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.