Hula festival · Lahaina, Maui · 10 AM – 9 PM
Emma Farden Sharpe Hula Festival 2026
Hosted by Emma Farden Sharpe Hula Festival / Lahaina Hawaiian Civic Club
The festival honors Emma Kapiʻolani Farden Sharpe (1904–1991), a kumu hula born in Puʻukōliʻi, Lahaina, who taught at King Kamehameha III Elementary School for forty years beginning in 1923. She studied hula under Kauhai Likua (a dancer in King Kamehameha IV's court), Joseph Ilalaʻole, and Hawaiian scholar Mary Kawena Pukui. She established Nā Mele O Maui, a choir competition for Maui County schoolchildren, and the hula festival originated alongside it before ceasing in the early 1990s. The Lahaina Hawaiian Civic Club revived the event in 2014 under its current name and remains a major sponsor and partner.
Held at Royal Lahaina Resort, the all-day festival presents invited hālau hula groups performing both kahiko (traditional) and ʻauana (contemporary) hula. Free keiki activities, cultural workshops in ukulele and hula, a marketplace of local Maui artisans, and an annual lifetime achievement award honoring a figure in the hula community are central features of the program.
- Honors kumu hula Emma Farden Sharpe (1904–1991), born in Lahaina
- Revived 2014 after hiatus since early 1990s; Lahaina Hawaiian Civic Club is lead organizer
- Invited hālau perform both kahiko and ʻauana hula styles
- Annual lifetime achievement award presented to a hula community figure
Food & vendors: Local Maui artisan marketplace with apparel, jewelry, cultural goods, and food
Parking & access: Festival guests booking through the resort's exclusive link receive waived resort fees and complimentary self-parking at Royal Lahaina Resort
Plan your weekend on Maui
While you’re out for Emma Farden Sharpe Hula Festival, see who else is open — and meet the makers and farmers behind Hawai‘i’s markets.
Farmers markets this weekend
Get this weekend’s lineup
One email a week: Hawai‘i events, market lineups, and who’s selling where.
Good to know
When is Emma Farden Sharpe Hula Festival?
Emma Farden Sharpe Hula Festival is scheduled for Saturday, August 22, 2026, 10 AM – 9 PM.
Where is Emma Farden Sharpe Hula Festival?
You'll find Emma Farden Sharpe Hula Festival at Emma Farden Sharpe Hula Festival / Lahaina Hawaiian Civic Club, Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows, 2780 Keka'a Dr, Lahaina, HI 96761 in Lahaina, Maui.
Will there be food at Emma Farden Sharpe Hula Festival?
Local Maui artisan marketplace with apparel, jewelry, cultural goods, and food
What should I know about parking or access?
Festival guests booking through the resort's exclusive link receive waived resort fees and complimentary self-parking at Royal Lahaina Resort
Should I confirm Emma Farden Sharpe Hula Festival before going?
Yes. Our listing is based on https://mauinow.com/2025/08/06/emma-farden-sharpe-hula-festival-returns-to-west-maui-aug-22-23/; https://www.gohawaii.com/islands/maui/events/emma-farden-sharpe-hula-festival; https://www.hawaii-guide.com/blog/maui-events-in-august; https://www.festivalsofaloha.org/updates/emma-farden-sharpe-hula-festival. Event dates and times can change, so confirm with the host before you go.
About hula festivals
Hula festivals bring together hālau (hula schools) for performance, competition, and celebration of Hawaiian culture.
Read the full hula festival guideSources: source; source. Dates and times can change — confirm with the organizer before you go.