Directory

Events across Hawaii

Community and cultural events worth knowing about across the islands — the gatherings that fill the calendar between market days. We're starting with Hawaii's summer bon dances and adding more kinds of events over time.

By island:Oahu Big Island Maui Kauai Molokai

Bon dances (65)

Summer obon festivals at Hawaii's Buddhist temples — taiko drumming, a dance circle, food booths, and lanterns honoring ancestors. Everyone is welcome.

What to expect at a bon dance

Hawaiʻi’s Plantation Village Bon Dance

Hawaiʻi’s Plantation Village · Waipahu

4 PM – 10 PMFood booths

Puʻunene Nichiren Mission Bon Dance

Puʻunene Nichiren Mission · Kahului

From 7 PMFood booths

OahuJun 12–13

Wāhiawā Hongwanji Bon Dance

Wāhiawā Hongwanji Mission · Wahiawā

KauaiJun 12–13

Waimea Higashi Hongwanji Bon Dance

Waimea Higashi Hongwanji · Waimea

7:30 PM – 10:30 PM

Big IslandJun 13

Honomū Henjoji Bon Dance

Honomū Henjoji · Honomū

KauaiJun 19–20

Līhuʻe Hongwanji Bon Dance

Līhuʻe Hongwanji Mission · Līhuʻe

7:30 PM – 10:30 PM

Wailuku Jodo Mission Bon Dance

Wailuku Jodo Mission · Wailuku

ʻEwa Hongwanji Bon Dance

ʻEwa Hongwanji Mission · ʻEwa Beach

6:30 PM – 9:30 PM

Big IslandJun 20

Pāpaʻikou Hongwanji Bon Dance

Papaikou Hongwanji Mission · Papaikou

6:30 PM – 9:30 PM

OahuJun 26–27

Honpa Hongwanji Hawaiʻi Betsuin Bon Dance

Honpa Hongwanji Hawaiʻi Betsuin · Honolulu

6:30 PM – 10:30 PM

Bon danceJun 26–27

Waimea Shingon Mission Bon Dance

Waimea Shingon Mission · Waimea

7:30 PM – 10:30 PMFood booths

Big IslandJun 27

Puna Hongwanji Bon Dance

Puna Hongwanji Mission · Keaʻau

Kahului Jodo Mission Bon Dance

Kahului Jodo Mission · Kahului

Waipahu Hongwanji Bon Dance

Waipahu Hongwanji Mission · Waipahu

Big IslandJul 4

Kohala Hongwanji Bon Dance

Kohala Hongwanji Mission · Kapaʻau

OahuJul 10–11

Haleʻiwa Shingon Mission Bon Dance

Haleʻiwa Shingon Mission · Haleʻiwa

6:45 PM – 9:45 PM

OahuJul 10–11

Rissho Kosei-kai Hawaiʻi Kyokai Obon

Rissho Kosei-kai Buddhist Church of Hawaiʻi · Pearl City

OahuJul 10–11

Koboji Shingon Mission Obon

Koboji Shingon Mission · Honolulu

OahuJul 10–11

Higashi Hongwanji Hawaiʻi Betsuin Bon Dance

Higashi Hongwanji Mission of Hawaiʻi · Honolulu

KauaiJul 10–11

Kauai Soto Zen Temple Zenshuji Bon Dance

Kauai Soto Zen Temple Zenshuji · Hanapēpē

7:30 PM – 10:30 PM

Windward Buddhist Temple Bon Dance

Windward Buddhist Temple · Kailua

Big IslandJul 11

Kona Daifukuji Soto Mission Bon Dance

Kona Daifukuji Soto Mission · Kealakekua

Big IslandJul 11

Honpa Hongwanji Hilo Betsuin Bon Dance

Honpa Hongwanji Hilo Betsuin · Hilo

Pāʻia Mantokuji Soto Mission Bon Dance

Pāʻia Mantokuji Soto Mission · Pāʻia

OahuJul 17–18

Wāhiawā Ryusenji Soto Mission Bon Dance

Wāhiawā Ryusenji Soto Mission · Wahiawā

7 PM – 10 PMFood booths

OahuJul 17–18

Shinshu Kyokai Mission Bon Dance

Shinshu Kyokai Mission · Honolulu

OahuJul 17–18

Haleʻiwa Jodo Mission Bon Dance

Haleʻiwa Jodo Mission · Haleʻiwa

KauaiJul 17–18

Kapaʻa Hongwanji Bon Dance

Kapaʻa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple · Kapaʻa

7:30 PM – 10:30 PM

MauiJul 17–18

Kahului Hongwanji Bon Dance

Kahului Hongwanji Mission · Kahului

Jikoen Hongwanji Bon Dance

Jikoen Hongwanji Buddhist Temple · Honolulu

From 5 PMFood booths

Big IslandJul 18

Hilo Meisho-in Bon Dance

Hilo Meisho-in · Hilo

Big IslandJul 18

Honomū Hongwanji Bon Dance

Honomu Hongwanji Mission · Honomū

Big IslandJul 18

Honokāʻa Hongwanji Bon Dance

Honokaa Hongwanji Mission · Honokaa

OahuJul 24–25

Pālolo Higashi Hongwanji Bon Dance

Pālolo Higashi Hongwanji Mission · Honolulu

6:30 PM – 9:30 PM

Big IslandJul 24

Hale Anuenue Bon Dance

Hale Anuenue Restorative Care Center · Hilo

6 PM – 7:30 PM

KauaiJul 24–25

West Kauai Hongwanji Hanāpēpē Bon Dance

West Kauai Hongwanji Mission · Hanapēpē

7:30 PM – 10:30 PM

MauiJul 24–25

Makawao Hongwanji Bon Dance

Makawao Hongwanji Mission · Makawao

ʻAiea Hongwanji Bon Dance

ʻAiea Hongwanji Mission · ʻAiea

Big IslandJul 25

Hilo Hooganji Mission Bon Dance

Hilo Hooganji Mission · Hilo

6:30 PM – 9:30 PM

Big IslandJul 25

Kona Hongwanji Bon Dance

Kona Hongwanji Mission · Kealakekua

Guzeiji Soto Mission of Molokaʻi Bon Dance

Guzeiji Soto Mission of Molokaʻi · Kaunakakai

OahuJul 31 – Aug 1

Waipahu Soto Zen Temple Taiyoji Obon

Waipahu Soto Zen Temple Taiyoji · Waipahu

MauiJul 31 – Aug 1

Wailuku Hongwanji Bon Dance

Wailuku Hongwanji Mission · Wailuku

Bon danceAug 1Saturday

Pāʻauilo Hongwanji Bon Dance

Paauilo Hongwanji Mission · Paʻauilo

Big IslandAug 1

Kurtistown Jodo Mission Bon Dance

Kurtistown Jodo Mission · Kurtistown

Soto Mission of ʻAiea Obon

Soto Mission of ʻAiea Taiheiji · ʻAiea

Bon danceAug 7Friday

Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home Bon Dance

Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home · Hilo

6 PM – 7:30 PM

Hale Makua Kahului Bon Dance

Hale Makua Kahului · Kahului

Pearl City Hongwanji Bon Dance

Pearl City Hongwanji Mission · Pearl City

Big IslandAug 8

Hāmākua Jodo Mission Bon Dance

Hāmākua Jodo Mission · Honokaa

Big IslandAug 8

Hilo Higashi Hongwanji Bon Dance

Hilo Higashi Hongwanji Mission · Hilo

7 PM – 9:30 PM

OahuAug 14–15

Soto Mission of Hawaiʻi Bon Dance

Soto Mission of Hawaiʻi Shoboji · Honolulu

Big IslandAug 14

Life Care Center Bon Dance

Life Care Center of Hilo · Hilo

Big IslandAug 15

Hākalau Jodo Mission Bon Dance

Hākalau Jodo Mission · Hākalau

6:30 PM – 9:30 PM

Big IslandAug 15

Hāwī Jodo Mission Bon Dance

Hāwī Jodo Mission · Hāwī

Big IslandAug 15

Kamuela Hongwanji Bon Dance

Kamuela Hongwanji Mission · Kamuela / Waimea

OahuAug 21–22

Mililani Hongwanji Bon Dance

Mililani Hongwanji Mission · Mililani

Jodo Mission of Hawaiʻi Bon Dance

Jodo Mission of Hawaiʻi · Honolulu

5 PM – 9:30 PM

Big IslandAug 22

Honohina-Papaaloa Hongwanji Bon Dance

Honohina-Papaaloa Hongwanji Mission · Ninole

Pāʻia Rinzai Zen Mission Bon Dance

Pāʻia Rinzai Zen Mission · Pāʻia

Bon danceSep 2Wednesday

Kohala Jodo Mission Bon Dance

Kohala Jodo Mission · Kapaʻau

MegaBon

JCI Honolulu / Todaiji Hawaiʻi · Pearl City

3:45 PM – 9 PMFood booths

Autumn Okinawa Dance Festival

Hawaiʻi United Okinawa Association · Waipahu

Big IslandSep 19

Pāhala & Nālehu Hongwanji Combined Bon Dance

Pāhala and Nālehu Hongwanji · Nāʻālehu

Windward Mall Bon Dance

Windward Mall · Kāneʻohe

3:45 PM – 8:30 PM

Cultural festivals (3)

Multi-day cultural festivals blending food, music, dance, and craft — from Pacific Rim exchanges to Okinawan and pan-Pacific celebrations.

What to expect at a cultural festival

Cultural festivalMar 13–15

Honolulu Festival

Honolulu Festival Foundation · Honolulu

10 AM – 6 PMFood booths

Cultural festival

OahuJun 12–14

Pan-Pacific Festival

Pan-Pacific Festival Foundation · Waikīkī, Honolulu

Cultural festivalSep 5–6

Okinawan Festival

Hawaii United Okinawa Association (HUOA) · Honolulu

10 AM – 5 PMFood booths

Lantern floatings (1)

Ceremonies where lanterns are set adrift to honor loved ones.

What to expect at a lantern floating

Lantern floatingMay 25Monday

Lantern Floating Hawaiʻi

Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawaiʻi (Nā Lei Aloha Foundation) · Honolulu

From 6:30 PMFood booths

Hula festivals (2)

Gatherings celebrating hula and Hawaiian culture.

What to expect at a hula festival

Hula festivalApr 5–11

Merrie Monarch Festival

Merrie Monarch Festival · Hilo

From 6 PMFood booths

Hula festivalJul 17–18

Prince Lot Hula Festival

Moanalua Gardens Foundation · Waikīkī, Honolulu

9 AM – 4 PMFood booths

Food festivals (3)

Harvest and food festivals celebrating a single crop or local specialty — Kona coffee, Maui onions, lychee, even SPAM.

What to expect at a food festival

Food festivalApr 25Saturday

Waikīkī SPAM JAM

Waikīkī SPAM JAM (community fundraiser) · Waikīkī, Honolulu

4 PM – 10 PMFood booths

Food festivalMay 25Monday

Big Island Lychee Festival

Pepeʻekeo Mill Farmers Market · Pepeʻekeo

10 AM – 5 PMFood booths

Food festivalNov 6–15

Kona Coffee Cultural Festival

Kona Coffee Cultural Festival · Kailua-Kona