Festivals
Queen Liliuokalani Festival
Annual, ALL celebration in Hilo honoring the achievements
on Queen Lilioukalani Held in the Queen Liliuokalani
Park and Gardens in the East Hawaii Island town of Hilo.
Taste of the Hawaii Range
Annual tasting gala event and agricultural fair
organized jointly by the Big Island Farm Bureau,
the Hawaii Cattlemen's Association, and the
College of Tropical Agriculture at the University
of Hawaii. Also known as Mealani's Taste of the Hawaiian Range.
Hawaii Food and Wine Festival
The Big Island edition of the Hawaii=wide Hawaii
Food and Wine Festival is usually held in September or October.
Big Island Style Slack Key Guitar Festival
Breadfruit Festival
He Halia Aloha No Ka Queen Liliuokalani Festival
Sports Events
Queen Liliuokalani Canoe Race
Kona Classic Fishing Tournament
After not being held for a few years,
the event returned September 80-11, 2016.
2008 was the 12th annual event.
Holidays
Hawaii Statehood Day
State of Hawaii holiday observed on the
third Friday in August.
Labor Day on the Big Island
State and federal holiday observed on the first
Monday in September.
U.N. International Day of Peace Parade and Festival
More About September Events
Hawaii Island Festival
The Big Island events organized under the umbrella
of Aloha Festivals Hawaii until 2007 have been
produced independent of that organization since
2008. The locally organized event is called
the "Hawaii Island Festival". 2009 Hawaii Island
Festival events will include a Royal Court Investiture
Ceremony, the Ms. Aloha Nui "Big Woman" Pageant,
a poke making contest, the Kindy Sproat Falsetto
Contest, the Waimea Paniolo Parade, and appearances
of the Royal Court at the Hula Palua,
the Kupuna Hula Festival, and the Queen Liliuokalani
Festival. The 2009 Hawaii Island Festival took
place August 29 through September 27, 2009.
Waikoloa Hawaiian Cultural Weekend
An annual weekend of events at the Waikoloa Resort
highlighting traditional Hawaiian culture. These
events are also part of the above Hawaii Island Festival.
The 2009 Waikoloa Hawaiian Cultural Weekend took place
the first week in September and it included the
Miss Aloha Nui Pageant on September 4, 2009 the
Great Waikoloa Poke Contest and the Holoku Ball
on Saturday, September 5, 2009, and the Clyde Kindy Sproat
Falsetto Contest on Sunday, September 6, 2009.
Big Island Farm Fair
This annual fair is held at Old Kona Airport State Park
and it features agriculture exhibits and carnival rides.
The 2009 Big Island Farm Fair will take
place September 6-9, 2009.
Waimea Hoolaulea and Paniolo Parade
The 2009 Waimea Paniolo Parade and
Hoolaulea took place on September 19, 2009
in Kamuela Town (aka Waimea). The parade began at 10:00 .am.
and the Hoolaulea began at 11:00 a.m.
The Waimea Hoolaulea and Paniolo Parade is
one of the events in the Hawaii Island Festival.
Labor Day Up Country Fair
Family fair held every year at the Christ
Episcopal Church of Kona on Konawaena School
Road in Kealakekua.
The 8th Annual Up Country Fair will take place
in Kealakekua on Monday, September 7, 2009
from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
For more information about this event
call the church office at 808-323-3429.
Hawaiian Music Events in September on the Big Island
Clyde Kindy Sproat Falsetto Contest
This annual male falsetto singing contest was
part of the Hawaii Aloha Festivals until 2007,
but since 2008 it has been part of the Hawaii Island Festival.
The 2009 Kindy Sproat Falsetto Contest took place
on Sunday, September 6, 2009 at the Waikoloa Beach
Marriott Hotel.
Kona Style Slack Key Guitar Festival
Annual slack key guitar festival produced
by Milton Lau. The 17th Annual "Kona Style" Slack Key Guitar
Festival on the Big Island of Hawaii will
take place September 6, 2009 at the Sheraton
Keauhou Bay Resort in West Hawaii, from
12:00 noon to 6:00 p.m.
Hula Events in September on the Big Island
Queen Liliuokalani Music Festival
All day festival in Hilo's Queen Liliuokalani
Park featuring ore then 300 hula dancers,
multi-ethnic dancing, music, food, and
a flower drop. Parking and a shuttle
service is usually available at the
Civic Auditorium.
The 2009 Queen Liliuokalani Festival
will take place September 27, 2009 at Queen
Liliuokalani Park in Hilo, EAst Hawaii,
beginning at 10:00 a.m. For more information
call 808-961-8706.
Kupuna Hula Festival
Hula competition for elders that was held
for many years at the King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel.
The 2009 Kupuna Hula Festival will take place
September 17, 2009 at the Sheraton Keauhou
Bay Resort in West Hawaii, beginning at
5:30 p.m. For more information call
808-961-8592 or 808-322-1812.
Hula Palua
The 2009 Hula Palua took place at the
Keauhou Beach Resort Hotel on September 11, 2009
beginning at 6:00 p.m.
Sports Events in September on the Big Island
Parker Ranch Round Up Club Rodeo
This two day rodeo at the Parker Ranch Rodeo Arena has been held in
Waimea for many years. It is a scholarship fundraiser for
the young children of Parker Ranch employees.
Event takes place every year in August or September.
The 35th Annual Parker Ranch Rodeo will take place
September 5-6, 2009 at the Parker Ranch Arena
beginning at 12:00 noon.
Queen Liliuokalani Long Distance Canoe Race
Annual canoe race on Hawaii Island that was
founded in 1972 as a training event to prepare
for the Na Wahine O Ke Kai and Molokai Hoe canoe
races. The race was named in honor of Hawaii's
Queen Liliuokalani and it is held every September,
on or near the anniversary of her birth.
The 38th Annual Liliuokalani Long Distance Canoe Races
took place on Saturday and Sunday, September 5-6, 2009,
Lavaman Triathlon (moved to March in 2010)
The Lavaman Triathlon took place
on September 13, 2009 but in 2010
the event is being moved to March.
The 2010 Lavaman Triathlon will
take place on March 28, 2010.
Run for Hope
(PDF)
Annual 10K running and walking event held at the Four
Seasons Hualalai Resort that also includes a 5K
running and walking event.
The 13th Annual "Run for Hope" was held on
September 5, 2009 beginning at 7:00 a.m.
For more information about this event call
808-325-8036.
Hualalai Tennis and Golf Tournament
(PDF)
The annual Taste of Hawaii Island event at the
Four Seasons Hualalai Resort is a fund raiser
for cancer research that includes the
Hualalai Golf Scramble and the Hualalai Tennis
Tournament. In 2009, both events were held
on Saturday, September 5, the 2009 Hualalai Golf
Scramble at 1:00 p.m. and the 2009
Hualalai Tennis Tournament from 2:00 p.m.
to 5:00 p.m.
Other September Big Island Events
Miss Aloha Nui Pageant
The Miss Aloha Nui Pageant is held every September.
It has been part of the Hawaii Island Festival
since 2008 and before that it was part of the
Hawaii Aloha Festivals event. The Miss Aloha Nui
Pageant is a "big beautiful woman" beauty pageant for
women weighing 200 pounds or more. The 2009 Miss Aloha Nui
Pageant will take place at the Waikoloa Beach
Marriott Hotel on Friday, September 4, 2009 beginning
at 6:00 p.m.
Great Waikoloa Poke Contest
Amateur and professional chefs compete to make the best version
of this raw fish snack. In the past this event has been
known as the Sam Choy Poke Festival and the Big Island
Poke Festival. The 2009 Great Waikoloa Poke Contest took
place at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Hotel on September
5, 2009 at 11:00 a.m.
Taste of Hawaii Island
(PDF)
Annual two-day event held at the Four Seasons
Hualalai Resort to benefit cancer research.
Includes an evening gala featuring food
prepared by Hawaii Island Chefs, a golf tournament,
and a tennis tournament. The 13th Annual
Taste of Hawaii Island event was held
on Friday and Saturday, September 4-5, 2009. The
dining event took place at the Hoku Amphitheatre
from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Friday, September 4, 2009.
The Hualalai Golf Scramble and the Hualalai Tennis Tournament
both took place on Saturday, September 5,, 2009.
For more information about this event call
808-325-8052.
More About Events on the Big Island
Big Island of Hawaii Travel Guide
Other Islands of Hawaii
Hawaii for Visitors
