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2026 Events and Festivities
Kauai keeps a slower August calendar than the other islands, and that suits the Garden Isle. The month's two anchors — a Tahitian dance competition on the east side and the county fair — are joined by Kauai's always-on traditions: Friday art nights and morning farmers markets. Here's what's worth planning around.
Heiva I Kauaʻi Iaorana Tahiti
Kauai's signature Tahitian dance and drumming competition fills Kapaʻa Beach Park for a weekend of solo and group ʻōteʻa and aparima, plus cultural workshops and Polynesian food and craft vendors. It's a genuinely fun, low-key way to spend a beachside day. There's a small admission at the gate; kids 12 and under are usually free.
Kauai's biggest annual fair takes over Vidinha Stadium over the Statehood Day weekend — E.K. Fernandez carnival rides, 4-H livestock shows, orchid and produce competitions, food booths, and live entertainment. It's a classic small-town county fair and a fun night out for families. The Farm Bureau hadn't posted official 2026 dates at the time of writing, so confirm before you build a plan around it.
When: Expected August 21st-24th, 2026 (confirm closer to the date)
Every Friday evening, the historic west-side town of Hanapēpē opens its galleries and lines its main street with local artists, food trucks, live music, and craft vendors. It's been running since 1997, costs nothing to wander, and makes a charming, low-pressure evening — well worth the drive west.
The county-run Sunshine Markets are the best place on Kauai to taste the island's farms — produce-only stalls with rock-bottom prices, running year-round in a different town most weekdays (Kōloa on Mondays, Līhuʻe on Tuesdays, Kapaʻa on Wednesdays, and more). Arrive a few minutes early; vendors can't sell until the start whistle, and the best stuff goes fast.
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 mention it as a practical note rather than a celebration. For visitors it mostly means a three-day weekend with state and county offices and public schools closed.
When: Friday, August 21st, 2026
Where: Statewide
August on Kauai is about the small, real things — a Tahitian dance competition on the sand, a county fair, a Friday night of art in Hanapēpē. A few events readers often expect this month actually fall later: the Kauaʻi Mokihana Festival and the Kauai Marathon are both September, Kōloa Plantation Days runs in July, and the island's bon dance season wraps up in July rather than carrying into August like the other islands.
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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