Aloha Festivals 2026 - September 5 through September 26, 2026
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Aloha Festivals 2026
80 Years of Aloha: Our Culture, Our Stories, Celebrating Our Island Home
Aloha Festivals, Hawai‘i's Longest-Running Cultural Festival, Celebrates 80 Years of Aloha This year's theme and signature events celebrate Hawaiʻi's culture, stories and community, honoring the people and traditions that have shaped Aloha Festivals across generations
HONOLULU, HAWAI‘I -- In 2026, Aloha Festivals proudly celebrates a historic milestone: 80 years of celebrating Hawaiian culture, community, and the aloha spirit. For eight decades, Hawai‘i's longest-running cultural festival has united generations of kamaʻāina (locals) and malihini (visitors) to honor Hawaiian culture through music, hula, storytelling, and shared cultural experiences.
What began in 1946 as Aloha Week, a cultural celebration created by the Jaycees Old-timers of Hawaiʻi to honor the islands' heritage, connect visitors to Hawaiian culture, and perpetuate Native Hawaiian traditions through music, hula and storytelling, has grown into the largest Hawaiian cultural celebration in the U.S. Renamed Aloha Festivals in 1991, the statewide
celebration continues to bring together residents and visitors, with major events on Oʻahu drawing more than 100,000 attendees each year. Supported by thousands of volunteers and sustained through community partnerships, the festival remains a living expression of Hawaiʻi's culture and a bridge connecting generations through the enduring spirit of aloha.
The 2026 festival theme, "80 Years of Aloha: Our Culture, Our Stories, Celebrating Our Island Home," reflects both a legacy and a living tradition. Since its founding, Aloha Festivals has served as a bridge between past and present, uplifting the ʻike (knowledge), practices, and stories that shape Hawaiʻi's history. This year's theme honors the Royal Court, hālau hula, parade participants, local entertainers, artisans, vendors, volunteers, and community organizations whose dedication and participation have sustained Aloha Festivals for eight decades and continue to carry forward the aloha spirit.
"This milestone anniversary is a powerful reminder of the people, communities and cultural practitioners who have kept the spirit of aloha alive for generations," said Momi Cazimero,
director emeritus of Aloha Festivals. "For 80 years, Aloha Festivals has been Hawaiʻi's invitation to the world, to visit with us, to hula with us, to kanikapila (play music) with us, to make lei with us, and to aloha i ke kahi i ke kahi (sharing aloha with one another) while honoring our cultural traditions, perpetuating them for future generations, and connecting residents and visitors
through the spirit of aloha."
Aloha Festivals 2026 Signature Events Schedule
Aloha Festivals 2026 begins with the Royal Court Investiture & Opening Ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 5, followed by the 72nd Annual Waikīkī Ho‘olaule‘a on Saturday, Sept. 19. The celebrations culminate with the 78th Annual Floral Parade on Saturday, Sept. 26.
Royal Court Investiture & Opening Ceremony
Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026 │ 4 -- 6 p.m.
Helumoa Gardens at The Royal Hawaiian, A Luxury Collection Resort | The Royal Grove at Royal Hawaiian Center
The Royal Court Investiture & Opening Ceremony will mark the official start of Aloha Festivals' 80th anniversary celebration. The evening begins at Helumoa Gardens at The Royal Hawaiian, where the 2026 Royal Court will be ceremoniously invested in regalia reserved for Hawaiʻi's highest-ranking aliʻi. As ambassadors of Hawai‘i's royal legacy, the Royal Court plays a vital role in ensuring that Aloha Festivals remains rooted in the cultural traditions and protocols of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Following the Investiture, festivities will continue at the adjacent Royal Hawaiian Center with the Opening Ceremony. This cherished ceremony connects past and
present, setting the tone for a month dedicated to celebrating Hawai‘i's culture and
community.
72nd Annual Waikīkī Ho‘olaule‘a
Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026 │ 6 -- 10 p.m.
Kalākaua Avenue
Aloha Festivals hosts Hawai‘i's premier block party with the 72nd Annual Waikīkī Ho‘olaule‘a.
Drawing tens of thousands each year, this beloved celebration transforms Kalākaua Avenue into a vibrant showcase of local food, fashion, art, and entertainment. More than 100 vendors will line the beachfront corridor, offering island cuisine, handcrafted goods, and cultural demonstrations. Multiple entertainment stages will feature live performances ranging from traditional Hawaiian music and hula to contemporary island artists.
78th Annual Floral Parade
Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 │ 9 a.m. -- 12 p.m.
From Ala Moana Park through Kalākaua Avenue to Kapi‘olani Park
The 78th Annual Floral Parade will bring the 80th anniversary celebration to a spectacular close. Colorful floats adorned with thousands of fresh island flowers will make their way through
Waikīkī, accompanied by marching bands, community organizations, civic leaders, and cultural
practitioners representing the diverse fabric of Hawai‘i. Riders adorned in elegant pāʻū skirts will showcase the traditional art of pāʻū riding, while beautifully decorated parade units pay tribute to Hawai‘i's history, heritage, and future.
The mission of Aloha Festivals is to foster the aloha spirit through the perpetuation of the Hawaiian culture and the celebration of the diverse customs and traditions of Hawai‘i. For more information about Aloha Festivals, visit www.AlohaFestivals.com.
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About Aloha Festivals
Aloha Festivals was first held in 1946 as Aloha Week, and over the past seven decades has become a celebration of Hawaiian culture, integrating the traditions and cultures of the Islands through music, dance, cuisine and art. All festivities are coordinated by a volunteer board of directors. Aloha Festivals is funded by corporate and private sponsorships, and sales of Aloha Festivals merchandise. More information about Aloha Festivals and its events can be found at www.AlohaFestivals.com, Facebook (facebook.com/AlohaFestivals), Twitter (@AlohaFstvls), Instagram (@alohafestivals) or by calling (808) 923-1094.
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