Let's take a look at some of the exciting festivals and events taking place on Kauai this spring and early summer.
30th Annual Kaua'i Museum May Day Celebration and Lei Contest – May 7, 2011
This event is a showcase of floral lei and the best in traditional and contemporary lei making by Kaua'i artists. Enjoy activities, demonstrations, hands-on lei making, silent auction, live auction, entertainment and more! Free and open to the public.
Kaua'i Polynesian Festival 2011 – May 26-29, 2011
The 9th Annual Kaua'i Polynesian Festival is a cultural celebration of Tahiti, Samoa, New Zealand, and Hawai'i, featuring folklore, language, dance, music, and crafts. Enjoy a Polynesian pageant, various competitions (e.g., poi ball, hula, Tahitian dance, and fore knife), fashion show, workshops, and craft booths.
Banana Polka Roundup – May 29, 2011
Come to beautiful Köke'e State Park to enjoy this outdoor, family-friendly event, with activities that include a forest education fair, live music, exhibitors, basket-making workshops, hikes, and a rooster-crowing contest. Free and open to the public.
2011 King Kamehameha Celebration Parade – June 18, 2011
Enjoy this annual holiday parade through Lïhu'e, featuring marching bands, decorated vehicles and pa'u horse riders dressed in the tradition of Hawaiian culture. The parade starts at Vidinha Stadium and follows Rice Street to the historic County Building for a ho'olaule'a (celebration) on the front lawn. Enjoy local food while entertainers perform and artisans showcase their crafts.
Third Annual Kaua'i Kau Wela Festival – July 1, 2011
Fans of Polynesian dance will love this festival, as wahine (women) and kane (men) compete in solo, ancient hula, modern hula and solo Tahitian dance at Kukui Grove Shopping Mall from 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Free and open to the public.
Kekaha's 4th of July Celebration – July 4, 2011
Enjoy the Independence Day holiday on Kaua'i's westside at the Fourth Annual Kekaha 4th of July Celebration. This daylong festival runs from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and will offer food, games, local crafts, exhibits, and entertainment before topping off the holiday with a spectacular fireworks display. Free and open to the public.
Concert in the Sky – July 4, 2011
A local-style celebration of July 4th will be held at Lïhu'e's Vidinha Stadium Soccer Field, 4:00 to 10:00 p.m., featuring food by various Kaua'i restaurants, music, entertainment, and hula halau. Activities for keiki include face painting, inflatables and games. Presale tickets: $10.
Garden Isle Artisan Fair – July 9, 2011
More than 40 of Kaua'i's finest artisans will come to Waioli Town Park in Hanalei to showcase an array of handcrafted products, tropical clothing, and accessories from Kaua'i and Polynesia. The display will include photography, jewelry, aloha wear, wood carvings, pounded mulberry bark, passion fruit jellies, original oil paintings, table linens, and palm bark baskets. Enjoy Hawaiian music, local plate lunches and shave ice. Admission is free and open to the public.
Koloa Plantation Days – July 23-31, 2011
This nine-day, family-oriented festival will offer more than 20 events in Koloa and Po'ipu to celebrate the plantation heritage and modern-day vitality of Kaua'i's south shore communities. Attendees learn about the area's multicultural history, experience a diverse range of local foods, culture and activities, explore the unique ecology and archaeology, and enjoy the warm hospitality of the venues. Free and open to the public.
More Festivals and Events
For detailed information on more festivals on Kauai, check out Kauai Festivals which is supported by the Kauai Visitors Bureau, Hawaii Tourism Authority, and the County of Kauai.
