Don’t Miss These 18 Spring Festivals Showcasing Hawaiʻi’s Diverse Cultures and Foods
From beer festivals to art exhibits to an event devoted to Spam, there’s lots to do in Hawaiʻi this spring.
Hawai’i offers a delightful variety of opportunities for displays of culture, creativity, and community. Whether you’re a Hawai’i resident or a visitor to the Islands, these festivals showcasing culture and food are worth putting on your calendar.
For more of the latest activities and festivals in Hawaiʻi, check out HAWAIʻI Magazine’s calendar page.
All the events below are free unless otherwise indicated.
32nd annual Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival
Feb. 1, 2025, multple locations, Waimea, Hawai‘i Island
Photo: Courtesy of Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival
You don’t have to go all the way to Japan for a taste of the gorgeous swaths of pink that dot the trees and put a smile on everyone’s faces – you can find, and celebrate, them at Church Row Park in Waimea. This annual festival of flowers includes craft vendors, cultural demonstrations, plenty of local food, live entertainment, and a traditional tea ceremony.
Waimea Cherry Blossom Festival
23rd annual Art of Aloha
Feb. 2, 2025, Lahaina Galleries, Maui
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The largest annual art show on Maui returns for another year at Lahaina Galleries at the Shops at Wailea. This intimate event features ten artists from around the world (including four from Maui) who will be showcasing art created specifically for the event. Meet the artists and talk story about their creations.
Art of Aloha at Lahaina Galleries
Kauaʻi Quilt Show & Boutique
Feb. 7-19, 2025, Kukui Grove Center, Kaua‘i
The Kaua‘i Quilt Show highlights more than 70 locally-crafted quilts and the artisans who make them. Many of the quilts are available for purchase, and though admission to the quilt show is free, proceeds from sales at the event support a Kaua‘i nonprofit of each quilt buyer’s choice. The festival also includes quilting workshops, and a special Meet the Quilters Reception on February 7.
14th annual Wiliwili Festival
Feb,. 8, 2025, Waikōloa Dry Forest Preserve, Hawai’i Island
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Spend some time immersed in nature at the 14th annual Wiliwili Festival at the Waikōloa Dry Forest Preserve in west Hawaii. This festival celebrates the native wiliwili tree and other native species through workshops, exhibits, guided hikes provided by Hawai’i Forest and Trail, seed and plant giveaways, and more. To round out the day there will be live music, food vendors, a pop-up thrift shop, and more.
Pana‘ewa Stampede Rodeo
Feb. 15-16, 2025, Pana‘ewa Equestrian Center, Hawai’i Island
Get to know the paniolo, the cowboys of the Pacific, over Presidents’ Day in Hilo. The event showcases the hard work and skills of local cowboys and cowgirls. Be wowed and thrilled at the demonstrations of traditional rodeo events including cattle roping, barrel riding, novelty events, bull riding, and double mugging, as well as other exciting competitions.$15/day, children 12 and under free.
48th annual Waimea Town Celebration
Feb. 15-22, 2025, multiple locations, Waimea, Kaua‘i
Kaua‘i’s longest-running festival celebrates its 48th anniversary with an intensive slate of amazing activities held over nine days. Events include concerts, eating contests, a cocktails and cuisine event, a lū‘au and show, rodeo, basketball tournament, 5K run, and more. Many of the events are ticketed, but some are free! The celebration culminates with a free two-day ho‘olaule‘a event featuring live music, vendors, and a beer garden from Paradise Beverages/Koloa Rum. Guests are encouraged to bring a donation for Hawai’i Food Bank Kaua‘i.
Hawaiʻi Triennial 2025
Feb. 15-May 4, 2025, multiple venues, O‘ahu, Maui, Hawai’i Island
Lieko Shiga, RASEN KAIGAN [The Spiral Shore], 2012, Sendai Mediatheque, Miyagi, Japan.
Photo: Courtesy of the Hawaiʻi Triennial 2025
Kona Steel Guitar Festival
Feb. 27-March 1, 2025, Outrigger Resort and Spa, Hawai’i Island
This fairly new music festival on Hawai’i Island brings together master players to celebrate kī hō‘alu, (Hawaiian slack-key) guitar music. In addition to performances by these renowned steel guitarists, the festival will include an exhibition of vintage guitars, workshops, and open kanikapila jam sessions. The event will also be streamed online – visit the festival website for more information. This may be your last time to check out this festival for a while, as it plans to go on hiatus after the 2025 edition.
Honolulu Festival
March 7-9, 2025, multiple locations, Waikīkī, O‘ahu
Honolulu Festival is an explosion of activity that starts and ends with a bang—literally; the festival concludes with the Nagaoka Fireworks show off Waikīkī’s beaches. This display comes at the end of three days of celebrating Hawai’i and the Pacific’s cultures through performances, a sake and food festival, educational programs, a genki ball drop, and a grand parade down Kalakaua Avenue.
30th annual Kona Brewers Festival
March 8, 2025, King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Resort, Hawai’i Island
This community celebration of beer, food, people, and music highlights the unique culture of Kailua-Kona while raising funds for local organizations. This year’s celebration marks the 30th year of the festival, one that has grown to almost feel more like a family reunion than a fundraising event. Tickets go for $100 and include unlimited food tastes, a commemorative mug, 10 beer tasting tokens, and a trash fashion show that highlights the festival’s commitment to sustainability.
Kawaii Kon
March 14-16, 2025, Hawai’i Convention Center, O‘ahu
Japanese culture comes alive at this three-day celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, and everything Japanese culture. Activities include cosplay contests, workshops and panels, a song contest, tabletop gaming, and more, with special guests including voice actors and artists. The event is held at the Hawai’i Convention Center, where every nook and cranny is jam packed with all things Kawaii. Admission is $83 for a multi-day pass.
Big Island Chocolate Festival
April 10-12, 2025, Waikōloa Beach Marriott, various farms, Hawai’i Island
Photo: Courtesy of the Big Island Chocolate Festival
The Big Island Chocolate Festival highlights everything from the bean to the bar in this showcase of tastes and techniques from some truly high-caliber chef talent both from Hawai’i and around the world. Those who want to dive deep into the world of cacao can participate in workshops that include tastings and demonstrations, farm tours, and farm workshops. The festival culminates with a grand gala with jaw dropping amounts of chocolate to taste; this year’s gala theme is ‘Cirque de Chocolate.’ Individual event ticket prices include gala tickets ($109-$179), farm seminars ($40 for three), farm tours, and tasting demonstrations ($89 for three).
33rd annual Celebration of the Arts
April 18-19, 2025, Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, Maui
This intimate celebration and gathering of more than 125 of Hawai‘i’s top cultural practitioners, educators, artisans, entertainers, and other allows guests to gain a deeper understanding of Hawaiian culture and the spirit of aloha. This opportunity to share and perpetuate Hawaiian culture is a true treasure and should not be missed by anyone who wants to gain a stronger connection to culture. The weekend-long event includes performances, workshops, a craft fair, and opportunities to give back.
Kapalua Celebration of the Arts
Kaua‘i Brewers Festival
April 20, 2025, Kaua‘i Phillipine Cultural Center, Kaua‘i
Kaua‘i Brewers Festival celebrates everything about the backyard beer experience with beer tastings (more than 30 different local beers highlighted), food from 10 Kaua‘i restaurants, live music, and yard game tournaments. Ambitious players can sign up to compete in Portuguese horseshoe, beer pong, and cornhole tournaments. Ticket sales have not yet started, but there is a charge for this event.
Merrie Monarch Festival
April 20-26, 2025, Hilo, Hawai’i Island
Nobody does hula like Merrie Monarch, the world’s premier hula festival and competition. While getting tickets to the official events may be a challenge, there are so many additional performances, activities, and celebrations around Hilo town that you’ll have no problem immersing yourself in the beautiful culture of hula. And don’t forget the world class shopping! You’ll find some of the best Hawai’i-made wares during this weeklong celebration of all things hula.
Waikīkī Spam Jam
April 26, 2025, Waikīkī, O‘ahu
Photo: Courtesy of Waikīkī Spam Jam
For one of Hawai’i’s most unique and outrageous festivals, you don’t want to miss the annual Waikīkī SPAM JAM®. This celebration of Hawai‘i’s love for SPAM® centers on a huge block party with music, shopping with local retailers and crafters, and plenty of food and drink booths featuring everyone’s favorite canned meat. This event benefits the Hawai’i Foodbank, and guests are encouraged to bring nonperishable food donations.
29th East Maui Taro Festival
April 26, 2025, Hāna Ballpark, Maui
As one of Hawai’i’s most beloved staple foods, taro holds a particularly special place with the people of the land. The East Maui Taro Festival gives guests the chance to immerse themselves in Hawaiian culture and area agriculture through live demonstrations, hula, music, a local craft fair, poi pounding, activities, and a chance to taste some wonderful foods while getting to know the unique culture of Hāna and East Maui. Though the primary activities happen on Saturday, while at the festival guests can sign up for a free tour at Kahanu Botanical Gardens the following day.
Lei Day Celebration
May 1, 2025, Kapiʻolani Park, O‘ahu
Lei Day at Kapiʻolani Park on Oʻahu.
Photo: Courtesy of Honolulu Deptartment of Parks & Recreation
Appropriately closing out the spring with even more flowers is the annual Lei Day Celebration at Kapi‘olani Park in Waikīkī. The lei, their crafting, and the artisans who make them are all celebrated at this event that includes pageants and competitions for Lei Queen, lei making contests, and workshops. The theme material for this year’s celebration is hau; now in its 97th year, the celebration’s overall theme is Ho‘okahi ka ‘ilau like ‘ana – “Wield the paddles together.”
Note that Lei Day is celebrated across the Islands, and events and activities can be found in a variety of places including parks, shopping centers, resorts, and more.
