Lahaina O-Bon Festival, an evening of remembrance, tradition and community, Aug. 14

The Lahaina O-Bon Festival will bring the community together for an evening of remembrance, tradition and celebration on Friday, Aug. 14, 2026, from 5 to 9 p.m. at Lahaina Jodo Mission, 12 Ala Moana Street.

Presented by the West Maui Buddhist Council, representing Lahaina Hongwanji Mission, Lahaina Shingon Mission and Lahaina Jodo Mission, with support from Festivals of Aloha, the festival welcomes residents and visitors of all backgrounds to honor ancestors, reconnect with community and celebrate Lahaina’s enduring cultural heritage.

O-Bon is a Japanese Buddhist tradition rooted in remembrance and gratitude for those who came before us. Through music, dance and fellowship, families and communities gather to honor their ancestors and carry traditions forward from one generation to the next.

In Lahaina, all three of the town’s Buddhist temples were lost in the August 2023 fires. In the three years since, their congregations have come together to ensure that Lahaina’s beloved summer O-Bon tradition continues, joining as one community for a combined bon dance.

“The O-Bon Festival allows us to honor our ancestors, connect with our heritage and share this treasured tradition with others,” said Yayoi Hara of Lahaina Jodo Mission. “After everything our community has experienced, being together is especially meaningful. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has helped make this celebration possible.”

Local Food, Crafts and Family Activities

Festivalgoers can look forward to chow fun from Aloha Mixed Plate, poke bowls, fried saimin and root beer floats from Coco Deck, shave ice from Aloha Made Shave Ice Co., and Chinese pretzels by Aunty Sally.

Craft offerings will include happi coats by Made by Baachan along with handcrafted items created by members of the participating temples.

The evening will also offer activities for keiki and families. Lahainaluna High School clubs will host games, while the Japanese Cultural Society of Maui and Hui No‘eau will offer hands-on crafts and memorial-lantern activities, giving festivalgoers opportunities to participate in traditions of creativity, remembrance and connection.

“I had hoped that, three years later, the three temples would be in a place where they could once again hold their own O-Bon celebrations, but they still need our aloha and support,” said Daryl Fujiwara, executive director of Festivals of Aloha. “It was a powerful reminder that these temples are among Maui’s oldest nonprofit organizations and have long been at the heart of our communities. It’s important that we continue to stand with them and help keep these traditions alive.”

Music, Taiko and Bon Dancing Under the Stars

Special performances by Yumi Takedayasu and Maui Taiko will set the stage for the evening’s bon dancing, as dancers gather under the Lahaina night sky to celebrate through music and movement.

Experienced dancers and first-timers alike are encouraged to join the circle. Bon dancing is a community tradition meant to be shared, and everyone is welcome to participate.

Whether O-Bon has been part of your family’s traditions for generations or this will be your very first bon dance, the West Maui Buddhist Council invites you to come together in Lahaina for an evening of remembrance, gratitude, fellowship and joy.

Sponsors include: County of Maui, Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, Kilohana by the Hawaiian Council, KPOA 93.5 FM and Pacific Media Group, and Akamai Broadcasting.