2026 Lights for Lahaina returns Sept. 11-12 for two evenings of remembrance, connection and hope

Lights for Lahaina will return Sept. 11-12, bringing the community together to honor Lahaina’s history, resilience and hope for the future. Admission is free.

Presented by Aloha Amplified, the two-day gathering builds on the inaugural Lights for Lahaina event held in 2025.

Our Lahaina Story will take place from 4:30 to 9 p.m. Sept. 11 at Maria Lanakila Catholic Church, 712 Waineʻe St. in Lahaina. The gathering will feature live entertainment by the Kahaialiʻi Brothers, Kevin Brown, Eric Gilliom & Friends, the Wilson Kanakaʻole Trio, Marty Dread and Hammah House Band.

Other highlights will include local food trucks and vendors, cultural practitioners and activities, local community nonprofits, schools and groups, creative activities, ʻohana bingo and opportunities to contribute letters, artwork and reflections to the Lahaina Time Capsule, which will be opened in 10 years.

The Light March will take place from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Sept. 12, beginning at Puʻunoa Beach and continuing through historic Lahaina town to Maria Lanakila Catholic Church. The shared, respectful ka‘i will bring participants together to carry lights through Lahaina, with storytelling, quiet reflection and gentle mele honoring Lahaina’s people, places and moʻolelo. The evening will conclude with a kanikapila gathering at the church featuring music by Lahaina Style Band and ʻono local food.

“As a Lahaina wildfire survivor, I know firsthand that healing does not happen alone,” said Kumu Wilmont Kamaunu Kahaialiʻi, cultural practitioner and board president of Aloha Amplified Inc. “Many of our ʻohana are still healing and finding their own path forward. Lights for Lahaina gives us a place to gather, hoʻomanaʻo those we love, share our moʻolelo and draw strength from one another. As we kaʻi together, the lights remind us that although Lahaina has changed forever, aloha still remains.”

Event sponsors include the Maui Strong Fund of the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, County of Maui Office of Economic Development, Hawai‘i Tourism Authority through the Community Enrichment Program, Maria Lanakila Catholic Church, Sacred Hearts School, Rotary District 5000 Foundation Maui Fires Relief Fund, Pacific Media Group, Polynesian Adventure, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hua Momona Foundation, Roy and Betty Sakamoto, Pasha Hawaiʻi, Nā Kiaʻi O Maui, and The Mark and Debi Rolfing Charitable Foundation.

Sponsorship and volunteer opportunities, as well as opportunities for food trucks and vendors, are available for the 2026 Lights for Lahaina event.

For event information and participation details, visit LightsforLahaina.org.

Aloha Amplified Inc. is a Hawaiʻi-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that strengthens Hawaiʻi’s communities by amplifying voices, empowering cultural values and advancing initiatives that foster connection, economic vitality and long-term resilience. For more information, visit www.AlohaAmplified.org.