2019 Special Edition Festival Program

Note: The 2019 Special Edition Festival was held on February 7-9, 2020. Presentation of the 2019 festival, originally scheduled for December, 2019, was postponed due to a completion delay of the hotel's renovation project. The 2019 festival was canceled, then reinstated and rescheduled for the February presentation.

Click here to see the Festival's Event Schedule

Thursday and Friday Kanikapila

Bring your instrument and play along with festival musicians or just come and enjoy the music. If your instrument requires amplification bring along a battery-powered amplifier.

• Thursday, 7:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. in the Ballroom Foyer
• Friday, 9:30 P.M. – 11:00 P.M. in the Ballroom

Friday Festival Ho‘olaule‘a Pageant - Ballroom

Friday's ho‘olaule‘a will begin at 3:40 P.M. and will feature eight steel guitar masters in separate programs for your enjoyment. The emcee will be Iaukea Bright.

Featured Steel Guitarists

• Alan Akaka
• Iaukea Bright
• Pomai Brown
• Bobby Ingano
• Kapono Lopes
• Greg Sardinha
• Dwight Tokumoto
• Geronimo "Geri" Valdriz

Workshops

Steel guitar workshops will be conducted on Saturday morning beginning at 9 A.M.

9:00 AM	Alan Akaka - "Want to BE A PLAYER?"
10:15 AM	Bobby Ingano - "More Tips and Tricks"

Open Stage Entertainment - Ballroom

Saturday Open stage sessions are scheduled to begin at 11:45 A.M. and will feature guest artists and performers. These 30-minute playing sessions will showcase steel guitarists and Hawaiian music groups from all over the world. If you are interested in performing on the open stage, please fill out the contact form to sign up.

• Shinichi Kakiuchi
• Laurie Kali
• Troy Keoho
• Ke Kula Mele NextGen Steel Guitarists and Musicians
• Daniel Toft
• Vickie Van Fechtmann

Saturday Twilight at Kalahuipua‘a — Eva Parker Woods Cottage

Each month during the full moon, music lovers bring blankets and folding chairs to the oceanfront lawn at the Eva Parker Woods Cottage. Musicians gather on the lanai (porch) to talk story and play their favorite tunes. The stage is humble but the talent is world-class. For over two decades, the Twilight at Kalahuipua‘a concert series has served as a Who's Who of Hawaiian music.

The festival's Twilight at Kalahuipua‘a program will be hosted by Kahu Danny Akaka, Jr. NextGen steel guitarists and musicians will open the program, followed by steel guitar talk story and performances by your favorite steel guitar artists including Alan Akaka, Bobby Ingano, Greg Sardinha, Kapono Lopes, and Geri Valdriz.

Next Generation Steel Guitarists and Musicians

"Next Generation" Steel Guitar students of Ke Kula Mele Hawai‘i School of Hawaiian Music will perform for festival attendees' enjoyment. These musicians range in age from 11 to 16.

• Pono Fernandez
• Ethan Goore
• Mālie Lyman
• Joey Misailidis
  
• Tai Misailidis

Sunday Brunch Entertainment

Guests of the Mauna Lani's Sunday brunch at the HāLani Restaurant will enjoy music from a kanikapila-stype jam session by participating steel guitar masters and other musicians.

Steel Guitar Exhibit

An exhibit featuring vintage and contemporary lap steel guitars will be presented at the festival in the main ballroom. The instruments are from the instrument collections of Hawai‘i-based steel guitarists appearing at the festival. Come and see this wide assortment of steel guitars. Festival guests will also be offered hands-on opportunities to experience the steel guitar under the guidance of steel guitar experts.

The Festival Poster