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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.
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Dry conditions on Oʻahu today, with breezy wind in exposed areas. Drier weather continues through Wednesday as moisture clears out.
A medium-sized northwest swell will bring elevated surf to north and west-facing shores tonight through Sunday morning—conditions may briefly reach advisory levels. East-facing shores stay rough through the weekend. Winds remain breezy through Sunday, easing slightly Monday and Tuesday before picking up again Wednesday. A Small Craft Advisory is active through Monday morning for most coastal waters due to wind and sea state. Scattered showers arrive Thursday into Friday.
South and west shore beaches work well through Sunday for calmer conditions. North shore is worth watching tonight and Sunday morning if you're drawn to bigger waves.
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Skies are drying out across Maui today through Wednesday as moisture clears. Winds will be noticeably breezy, especially in exposed and terrain-favored spots.
North and west-facing shores will see elevated surf tonight into Sunday morning as a medium-sized northwest swell moves in—conditions may briefly reach advisory levels. East-facing shores stay rough through the weekend. A Small Craft Advisory is in effect through Monday morning for coastal waters due to wind and sea conditions. Winds ease slightly late Monday and Tuesday, then strengthen again Wednesday. The next chance of scattered showers arrives Thursday through Friday.
If you're heading to the beach, south and west shores are your best bet through Sunday. North shore is worth watching tonight and Sunday morning if you're into bigger waves.
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Mostly clear and dry today on the Big Island, with noticeably breezy winds in exposed areas and terrain-favored spots. That breeze continues through Sunday.
North and west-facing shores will see elevated surf tonight into Sunday morning as a medium-sized northwest swell arrives—conditions may briefly reach advisory levels. East-facing shores stay rough through the weekend. South shores stay small. A Small Craft Advisory covers most coastal waters through Monday morning due to wind and sea conditions. Winds ease slightly late Monday and Tuesday, then pick up again Wednesday. Scattered showers arrive statewide Thursday to Friday.
Head to the south and west shores for beach and snorkeling through Sunday. If bigger waves interest you, the north shore has surf to watch tonight into Sunday morning.
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Drier air is moving in through Wednesday. Winds will be noticeably breezy, especially in exposed areas.
Tonight into Sunday morning, a medium-sized northwest swell will push elevated surf onto the north and west shores—conditions may briefly reach advisory levels. East-facing shores stay rough through the weekend. A Small Craft Advisory is in effect through Monday morning for coastal waters due to wind and sea state. Winds ease slightly late Monday and Tuesday, then pick up again Wednesday. Scattered showers arrive Thursday or Friday.
Hit the south and west shores for swimming and snorkeling through Sunday. If you want to watch big waves, the north shore is worth a look tonight into Sunday morning.
Created with AI from the official NWS forecast discussion · verify with NWS before heading out