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2026 Events and Festivities
August is one of the Big Island's busiest months for events. Kona's blue water hosts a legendary marlin tournament, the Kohala Coast holds a major Hawaiian cultural festival at Puʻukoholā Heiau, and Obon dances run every weekend from Hilo to Waimea. Here's what's worth planning around.
Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament
The HIBT is one of the oldest big-game fishing tournaments in the world, drawing international tag-and-release teams to Kona's legendary billfish grounds each August. You don't need to fish to enjoy it — the daily weigh-ins along the Kailua-Kona waterfront are free to watch and a window into the sport that put Kona on the map.
Hoʻokuʻikahi Establishment Day Hawaiian Cultural Festival
Held at Puʻukoholā Heiau — the massive war temple King Kamehameha I built on his path to uniting the islands — this free festival draws hula hālau and cultural practitioners from across the state. Expect a hoʻokupu (offering) ceremony, hula performances, and living-practitioner demonstrations of lauhala weaving, kapa, featherwork, and traditional games. Admission and parking are free.
When: August 15th-16th, 2026
Where: Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site, Kawaihae (South Kohala)
The Big Island's plantation-era Buddhist temples host bon dances every Saturday evening through August, from Hilo and the Hāmākua Coast to Kona, Hāwī, and Waimea. They're free, welcoming, and a genuine slice of island community life — taiko, circle dancing around a yagura, lanterns, and homemade food. Confirm individual temple dates, as they shift from year to year.
When: Saturday evenings through August 2026
Where: Buddhist temples islandwide (Hilo, Hāmākua, Kona, Kohala, Waimea)
The third Friday of August is a Hawaiʻi state holiday marking the islands' 1959 admission as the 50th U.S. state. It remains a contested anniversary for many Native Hawaiians, so we note it as a practical heads-up rather than a celebration. For visitors it mainly means a three-day weekend with state and county offices and public schools closed.
If you're staying into the Labor Day weekend, Kona hosts what organizers bill as the world's largest long-distance outrigger canoe race, with thousands of paddlers racing between Kailua Bay and Hōnaunau in honor of Queen Liliʻuokalani. It technically lands in early September, but it's the natural bookend to a late-August Kona trip.
August rewards Big Island travelers who plan a little — Puʻukoholā's Establishment Day Festival (Aug 15-16) and the bon dances are the cultural heart of the month, while Kona's billfish tournament brings the ocean-sports energy. A few things readers often expect in August but won't find: the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival is a November event, A Taste of the Hawaiian Range lands in fall, and the Parker Ranch rodeo in Waimea runs over Labor Day weekend in early September.
Trade winds are strong right now, with high surf hitting the south shore today. Windward areas are seeing frequent showers through the weekend.
South-facing beaches have dangerous surf today through Sunday—stay out of the water unless you're an experienced swimmer. East-facing shores will build rough water by Sunday or Monday. The bigger picture is a tropical system, Fausto, heading our way. It's weakening but should arrive near the islands by Tuesday or Wednesday as a tropical storm or weaker system, bringing strong winds, rough seas, and heavy rain. The exact track is still uncertain, so check the forecast daily.
Get your beach time and water activities in today through early next week on the leeward side, where conditions stay calmer. Be ready to shift plans by midweek when conditions turn rough.
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Windy conditions across Maui right now, with trade winds gusting strong. South-facing shores have high surf today and will see another big swell Saturday and Sunday—the water's dangerous unless you're an experienced ocean swimmer.
Through the weekend, windward areas will get frequent showers while trade winds stay gusty. The bigger picture arrives midweek: Hurricane Fausto is weakening as it moves toward the islands and should reach Maui as a tropical storm or weaker system Tuesday or Wednesday. That'll bring rough seas, strong winds, and heavy rain. Track and timing are still uncertain, so check updates daily.
Hit the leeward beaches and snorkel south Maui coasts today through early next week, but stay out of windward and south-facing waters through Sunday.
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Windy conditions dominate right now with strong trade winds pushing across the island. South-facing shores have high surf today—dangerous water if you're not an experienced swimmer.
Through the weekend, those south shores see another big swell Saturday and Sunday, and east-facing shores will build dangerous conditions by Sunday or Monday. Windward areas get frequent showers. A tropical system—the remnants of Hurricane Fausto—is weakening and headed toward the islands as a tropical storm or weaker system by Tuesday or Wednesday, bringing rough seas, strong winds, and heavy rain midweek. Timing and track are still uncertain, so check updates daily.
Leeward beaches on the Kona side stay your best bet today through early next week, but avoid the water on the windward and south shores through Sunday.
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Strong trade winds are pushing showers across windward areas through the weekend. On Kauaʻi, expect frequent showers on the windward side.
High surf is running on south-facing shores today and will build again Saturday and Sunday—stay out of the water unless you're an experienced swimmer. East-facing shores will also see dangerous swell by Sunday or Monday. Hurricane Fausto is weakening as it moves toward Hawaii. By Tuesday or Wednesday it should reach the islands as a tropical storm or weaker system, bringing rough seas, strong winds, and heavy rain. Track and timing are still uncertain, so check updates daily through midweek.
Beach time on leeward shores works through early next week. Plan water activities for today, but be ready to shift if Fausto's track becomes clearer—conditions will deteriorate by midweek.
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Created with AI from this HawaiiGuide page and read by a computer-generated voice. Double-check fees, hours, and reservations on the full page before you head out. Hawaiian pronunciation is tricky for synthesized speech and a few words may land slightly off; mahalo for your patience as we keep refining.
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