Kauai Events in September 2026

Events & Festivals on the island of Kauai

06-06-2026

Tori C. Derrick

President & certified Hawaii travel expert with 15+ years of experience in Hawaii tourism.

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.

A community festival on Kauai

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.

See the Kauai Marathon status page for the correction and links to current visitor guidance.

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Kauaʻi Mokihana Festival

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

Where: Līhuʻe

More Info: Kauaʻi Festivals current listing

Nāwiliwili Harbor near Līhuʻe on Kauai

McMaster Slack Key & ʻUkulele Concerts

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

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

A river and green cliffs in Kauai's lush interior

Kapaʻa Sunshine Market

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.

When: Wednesdays, 3-4:30 PM

Where: Kapaʻa Ball Park

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.

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