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2026 Events and Festivities
September on the Big Island has two big planning anchors. Labor Day weekend belongs to the Queen Liliʻuokalani Canoe Race in Kailua-Kona. Mid-September belongs to Waimea for Paniolo Festival Week. Both now have official 2026 dates posted, so check lodging and rental-car availability before you finalize flights.
Queen Liliʻuokalani Canoe Race
Held over Labor Day weekend, this is billed by organizers as the world's largest outrigger canoe race — several days of paddling in Kailua-Kona honoring Hawaiʻi's last reigning monarch. If you're staying Kona-side, treat the race as a real travel factor. Waterfront rooms, restaurant tables, and rental cars all get tight once crews and families arrive. Our Queen Liliʻuokalani Canoe Race visitor guide covers the spectator side in more detail.
The Big Island's flagship Aloha Festivals event runs a full week in Waimea in September. The Saturday parade brings pāʻū riders, floats, equestrian units, and community groups through town before the day continues with a hoʻolauleʻa at Kalani Schutte Waimea District Park. The official 2026 festival page lists Paniolo Festival Week for September 14-19, with the parade on Saturday, September 19. If the parade weekend matters to you, this is the reason to plan a Waimea day into your itinerary.
When: September 14-19, 2026; parade on Saturday, September 19
One of the island's quieter cultural events. Kūpuna (elders) perform hula at the Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa in Kailua-Kona, often paired with a daytime craft fair. Hawaiʻi County Parks & Recreation now lists the 2026 festival for September 9-10, so this is a midweek cultural option if you are already staying on the Kona side after Labor Day weekend.
When: September 9-10, 2026
Where: Kailua-Kona
More Info: Hawaiʻi County Parks & Recreation
Labor Day (Federal Holiday)
Labor Day falls on Monday, September 7 in 2026, and the long weekend is the busiest stretch of the Big Island's September calendar. Expect heavy demand around Kailua-Kona for the canoe race, and check Waimea road and parking conditions if the rodeo schedule overlaps your plans.
When: Monday, September 7, 2026
Where: Statewide
Pick your anchor first. Kona over Labor Day if you want paddling energy and waterfront crowds. Waimea for the Paniolo parade if the cultural celebration is the point of the trip. A couple of things readers ask about that aren't September options: the Hawaiʻi County Fair in Hilo hasn't been held since 2019, and the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival is a November event, not a September one.
Trades are breezy right now with scattered showers on the windward side and mountains; the leeward coast stays mostly dry. Tomorrow stays breezy with the same pattern.
A tropical disturbance southeast of the islands is likely to become a tropical storm by mid-week and approach the state Thursday through Saturday. The exact track is still uncertain. If it comes closer, expect heavier rain over a longer stretch; if it stays farther out, impacts will be shorter and lighter. Winds will increase late this week, with potential gusts over 70 miles per hour on the highest summits.
Plan your leeward beach time and snorkeling for today through Tuesday. Save summit drives and offshore water sports for after Saturday, and check updates daily as this develops.
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Trade winds are pushing across Maui right now and staying breezy through tomorrow. Windward slopes and peaks will see scattered showers; the leeward side stays mostly dry. Rough seas mean a Small Craft Advisory is in effect through Tuesday evening.
A tropical disturbance southeast of the islands is likely to become a tropical storm by mid-week and approach the state Thursday through Saturday. The track remains uncertain. Late this week, winds will increase across Maui, with summit gusts potentially exceeding 70 mph on Haleakala. The Big Island—especially Hilo and Puna—faces the highest risk of heavy rain and flooding if the storm tracks close.
Leeward beaches and snorkeling work best today through Tuesday. Avoid summit hikes and offshore water sports Thursday through Saturday.
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Trades are kicking today with moderate wind and rough seas. Windward slopes will see scattered showers; the leeward side stays mostly dry. A Small Craft Advisory is in effect through Tuesday evening.
A tropical disturbance southeast of the islands is likely to become a tropical storm by mid-week and approach the state Thursday through Saturday. The track remains uncertain, but the Big Island faces the highest risk of heavy rain and flooding, especially in the Hilo and Puna areas. Summit winds could exceed 70 mph late in the week. Check forecasts daily as the situation develops.
Leeward snorkeling and beach time work well through Tuesday. Save summit drives and windward hikes for today or tomorrow, and avoid offshore water sports and high elevations Thursday through Saturday.
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Voice
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Trades are steady now with scattered showers on the windward side and ridges; the leeward coast stays mostly dry. Through Tuesday it stays breezy with rough seas around Maui and the Big Island, where a Small Craft Advisory is in effect through Tuesday evening.
A tropical disturbance southeast of the islands is likely to become a tropical storm by mid-week and approach the state Thursday through Saturday. The exact track is uncertain. Winds will increase across the eastern islands late this week, with potential for summit gusts over 70 mph on Maui and the Big Island if the storm intensifies.
Get your beach and snorkel time in today and tomorrow on the leeward coast. Avoid summit hikes and offshore water sports Thursday through Saturday as conditions deteriorate. The track could shift significantly—check updates daily.
Created with AI from the official NWS forecast discussion · verify with NWS before heading out
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.
Mele and Kani are computer-generated voice options chosen for clarity and warmth.
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