The Kauaʻi Marathon & Half Marathon

Kauai's biggest road race steps off at 6 AM HST on Sunday, September 6, 2026, in front of Poʻipū Shopping Village on the south shore. Marathon and half-marathon options run the same scenic, hilly course. The planning catch is packet pickup — the official FAQ spells it out: no race-day packet pickup, period. If you land late Saturday, use the posted late-pickup window at the Grand Hyatt rather than banking on Sunday morning.

The two-day Wilcox Health Sports & Fitness Expo runs Friday, September 4, 10 AM to 6 PM, and Saturday, September 5, 9 AM to 4 PM, in the Grand Ballroom at Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa. If you are not racing, expect Poʻipū traffic, restaurants, and South Shore lodging to feel the crush all weekend.

When: Sunday, September 6, 2026, 6 AM start; expo September 4-5

Where: Poʻipū/Kōloa area; expo at Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa

More Info: thekauaimarathon.com

Kauaʻi Mokihana Festival

The Garden Isle's signature Hawaiian cultural celebration is a weeklong Mālie Foundation event. The 2026 dates on the festival's page are September 21-27, covering a Hawaiian-language composers contest and concert, lectures and workshops, a craft fair, and hula competition nights. The overall window is set, but the detailed day-by-day schedule is the piece to confirm before you book a nonrefundable trip around one specific concert, workshop, or hula night.

Our Kauaʻi Mokihana Festival guide covers how to plan the week, where the festival usually centers in Līhuʻe and Kapaʻa, and why it is different from a one-night visitor show.

When: September 21-27, 2026; confirm the final daily schedule

Where: Līhuʻe

More Info: maliefoundation.org

McMaster Slack Key & ʻUkulele Concerts

Award-winning traditional Hawaiian slack key and ʻukulele played by Doug and Sandy McMaster — small, family-friendly weekly concerts running year-round. Their current concert calendar lists Sundays 2:30-4 PM at Princeville Community Center and Thursdays 4-5:30 PM at All Saints' Church in Kapaʻa. The calendar only posts a rolling schedule and will flag cancellations, so check it before driving across the island.

When: Weekly — Sundays (Princeville) and Thursdays (Kapaʻa)

Where: Princeville & Kapaʻa

More Info: mcmasterslackkey.com

Hanapēpē Friday Art Night

Every Friday evening, the historic west-side town of Hanapēpē opens its galleries and lines the main street with artists, food, music, and vendors. The Hanapepe Economic Alliance lists Friday hours from 5 to 8 PM. Free to walk through, and an easy Friday plan if you are staying in Poʻipū, Waimea, or Līhuʻe.

When: Every Friday in September 2026, 5-8 PM

Where: Hanapēpē town (west side)

More Info: hanapepe.org/art-night

Kauaʻi Sunshine Markets

The county-run Sunshine Markets are a simple way to taste the island's farms. Kauai County's current Sunshine Market page lists Kapaʻa Ball Park on Wednesdays from 3 to 4:30 PM and Hanapēpē Park on Thursdays from 3 to 4 PM, and tells you to show up early for the best pick. Other farmers markets operate around the island, but those are separate from the county Sunshine Market program.

When: Weekly, year-round — Wednesdays in Kapaʻa and Thursdays in Hanapēpē

Where: Kapaʻa Ball Park (Wed) and Hanapēpē Park (Thu)

More Info: kauai.gov Sunshine Markets

September on Kauai is a runner's month and a culture-lover's month — the Marathon and the Mokihana Festival bookend it nicely, with Labor Day (Monday, Sept 7) kicking things off. Two events readers often expect this month actually fall in October: the Kauaʻi Coconut Festival and the Kauaʻi Chocolate & Coffee Festival are both early-to-mid October, not September.