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2026 Events and Festivities
September 2026 update: The Kauai Marathon and Half Marathon was cancelled. The remaining event listings below were checked in August, before Hurricane Lowell, and are not confirmation that each event will proceed after the storm. Reconfirm directly with the organizer and check Travel Alerts before making plans.
The Kauaʻi Marathon & Half Marathon — Cancelled
The organizer announced on September 5 that the race scheduled for Sunday, September 6, 2026 was cancelled. Its cancellation notice cites community storm preparations and public-safety needs as Hurricane Lowell approached. Older start-time and race-road-closure instructions are not current travel guidance.
The Garden Isle's signature Hawaiian cultural celebration is a weeklong Mālie Foundation event. The current Kauaʻi Festivals listing runs September 20-26 and now includes the daily program: the composers concert is September 21, the craft fair and hula sessions run September 24-26, and the final awards are September 26.
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 20-26, 2026; recheck the current listing for any program change
Award-winning traditional Hawaiian slack key and ʻukulele played by Doug and Sandy McMaster — small, family-friendly concerts offered on a rolling schedule. Check the current concert calendar for that week's venue, time, and any cancellation before driving across the island.
When: Check the current weekly calendar
Where: Confirm the current venue on the concert calendar
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.
The county-run market is 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 advises arriving early for the best produce selection. Verify the listing before going because farmers-market schedules can change.
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.
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.
0:000:58
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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