Maui Arts & Cultural Center presents 33rd Annual Kī Hō‘alu Festival, June 30

The 33rd Annual Kī Hō‘alu Festival returns to the Maui Arts & Cultural Center live and in-person as well as livestreamed on Sunday, June 30.

The free-to-the-public music event is a Maui and MACC tradition, annually enjoyed by residents and visitors alike, with some of Hawaii’s best slack key guitar players performing Hawaiian music. This year’s free event takes place in the MACC’s A&B Amphitheater starting at 3 p.m. Gates for the event open at 2:30 p.m.

The concert will also be livestreamed on the MACC’s website and on its Facebook and YouTube pages. The Kī Hō‘alu Festival is FREE, and a family-friendly event where all generations can appreciate the slack key guitar tradition, with both new music and classic favorites. The 2023 festival line-up of musicians includes Ledward Kaapana, John Cruz, Darrell Aquino, Kevin Brown & Friends, Stephen Inglis, Kamuela Kahoano, Dwight Kanae, Kahiau Lam-Ho, Ian O’Sullivan, Anthony Pfluke, LT Smooth, and Nāmaka Cosma-White. (artist list subject to change)

Slack key has become known as one of the world’s great acoustic guitar methods, especially since the Grammy Awards at one time recognized Hawaiian music as a category all its own. At the MACC, slack key guitar music has been celebrated annually in a laid-back atmosphere in the annual Kī Hō‘alu Festival. The setting is with festival-goers relaxing in the A&B Amphitheater where they can enjoy hours of slack key music as the sun sets behind the West Maui Mountains.

Festival-goers are encouraged to bring their own low back beach chairs, blankets, or lauhala mats and relax on the A&B Amphitheater lawn to fully enjoy the melodious music by the event’s guitarists. Shaded seating for kupuna will be provided. No large duffels/bags, umbrellas, or outside food and beverage can be allowed into the amphitheater.

This year’s Kī Hō‘alu Festival will feature food & beverages available for purchase from Maui food vendors who will serve a variety of snack, lunch and dessert options. No outside food and beverages will be allowed into the venue.

The MACC will be a collecting non-perishable donations for the Maui Food Bank at the event. Concert attendees are requested to bring items for those impacted by the wildfires. Donation bins will be located near the MACC’s main entry gates.

For more information, visit MauiArts.org.

This annual Kī Hō‘alu Festival, now in its 33rd year on Maui, is presented by Maui Arts & Cultural Center, sponsored by the County of Maui and Office of Economic Development, Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, and Kilohana by CNHA with additional support from The Maui News, the Kī Hō‘alu Foundation, Ka-Hoku Productions and KPOA.