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Kauai events in October 2026 line up around a few anchors. I plan around the Kilohana chocolate-and-coffee festival, the Līhuʻe night market, Halloween, and — if the trip runs into early November — the Eo e Emalani i Alakaʻi festival in Kōkeʻe.
I treat this as a planning page, not a complete community calendar. Smaller markets, craft fairs, and hotel events fill in closer to October, so recheck the organizer pages before you book anything nonrefundable.
2026 Events and Festivities
Kauaʻi Chocolate & Coffee Festival
The sweetest day on Kauaʻi's fall calendar. The 11th Kauaʻi Chocolate & Coffee Festival is posted for Sunday, October 18, 2026, from 10 AM to 4 PM at Kilohana Plantation in Līhuʻe. The organizer describes it as a celebration of Kauaʻi chocolate and coffee, with entertainment, demonstrations, artists, crafters, and local chocolate and coffee vendors.
Entry is free, but the tasting passport is the purchase that gets you samples, and the organizer says passport tickets are sold in advance. If tastings are the reason you are going, check the ticket page before you fly rather than treating this as a walk-up decision.
Every second Saturday of the month, Kress Street in downtown Līhuʻe turns into a free block party with local food, music, and island-made goods. October's edition lands on Saturday, October 10, 2026. It is an easy evening: no ticketed seating, no big production, just show up hungry and keep the day loose.
When: October 10, 2026, 4 - 8 PM (every 2nd Saturday)
Where: Kress Street, downtown Līhuʻe
More Info: downtownlihue.com
Halloween on the Garden Isle
Halloween on Kauaʻi spreads across resort events, merchant trick-or-treating, and costume nights around the island. If you want a fuller picture of how the holiday shows up across Hawaiʻi, our Halloween in Hawaii guide breaks it down island by island and covers the cultural notes most visitor guides skip.
When: October 31, 2026 (Saturday)
Where: Resort and town events island-wide
More Info: Halloween in Hawaii Guide
Eo e Emalani i Alakaʻi — the Weekend After
Technically a November event, but if your October trip runs long, this is the one I make room for. The 38th annual Eo e Emalani i Alakaʻi Festival is posted for Saturday, November 7, 2026, in Kōkeʻe State Park. The public day runs 9 AM to 4 PM, with Queen Emma's horseback arrival scheduled for 10 AM and cultural exhibits, food, music, and hula around the performance area.
The rhythm of a Kauaʻi October, then: hit the Līhuʻe night market if you're on-island the second Saturday, plan the Chocolate & Coffee Festival into the third weekend, and let Halloween stay flexible. If the calendar allows, stretching into the Eo e Emalani weekend adds a cultural stop to a beach trip.
Pro tip: buy the Chocolate & Coffee tasting passport before you fly. Everything else here is flexible, but Kauaʻi pays off when you check the calendar again near arrival. Small county fairs, hotel Halloween events, and pop-up markets can post late and still be worth folding into the trip.
Founder & certified Hawai'i travel expert with 20+ years in Hawai'i tourism, University of South Carolina climate-research training, and NOAA weather-station experience.
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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