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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.
Dry conditions on Oʻahu today, with breezy wind in exposed areas. Drier weather continues through Wednesday as moisture clears out.
A medium-sized northwest swell will bring elevated surf to north and west-facing shores tonight through Sunday morning—conditions may briefly reach advisory levels. East-facing shores stay rough through the weekend. Winds remain breezy through Sunday, easing slightly Monday and Tuesday before picking up again Wednesday. A Small Craft Advisory is active through Monday morning for most coastal waters due to wind and sea state. Scattered showers arrive Thursday into Friday.
South and west shore beaches work well through Sunday for calmer conditions. North shore is worth watching tonight and Sunday morning if you're drawn to bigger waves.
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Skies are drying out across Maui today through Wednesday as moisture clears. Winds will be noticeably breezy, especially in exposed and terrain-favored spots.
North and west-facing shores will see elevated surf tonight into Sunday morning as a medium-sized northwest swell moves in—conditions may briefly reach advisory levels. East-facing shores stay rough through the weekend. A Small Craft Advisory is in effect through Monday morning for coastal waters due to wind and sea conditions. Winds ease slightly late Monday and Tuesday, then strengthen again Wednesday. The next chance of scattered showers arrives Thursday through Friday.
If you're heading to the beach, south and west shores are your best bet through Sunday. North shore is worth watching tonight and Sunday morning if you're into bigger waves.
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Mostly clear and dry today on the Big Island, with noticeably breezy winds in exposed areas and terrain-favored spots. That breeze continues through Sunday.
North and west-facing shores will see elevated surf tonight into Sunday morning as a medium-sized northwest swell arrives—conditions may briefly reach advisory levels. East-facing shores stay rough through the weekend. South shores stay small. A Small Craft Advisory covers most coastal waters through Monday morning due to wind and sea conditions. Winds ease slightly late Monday and Tuesday, then pick up again Wednesday. Scattered showers arrive statewide Thursday to Friday.
Head to the south and west shores for beach and snorkeling through Sunday. If bigger waves interest you, the north shore has surf to watch tonight into Sunday morning.
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Drier air is moving in through Wednesday. Winds will be noticeably breezy, especially in exposed areas.
Tonight into Sunday morning, a medium-sized northwest swell will push elevated surf onto the north and west shores—conditions may briefly reach advisory levels. East-facing shores stay rough through the weekend. A Small Craft Advisory is in effect through Monday morning for coastal waters due to wind and sea state. Winds ease slightly late Monday and Tuesday, then pick up again Wednesday. Scattered showers arrive Thursday or Friday.
Hit the south and west shores for swimming and snorkeling through Sunday. If you want to watch big waves, the north shore is worth a look tonight into Sunday morning.
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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