Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea will host three days of complimentary Hawaiian cultural celebrations from 23–25 October 2026. Festivals of Aloha 2026 will welcome resort guests, residents and visiting travellers for music, hula, storytelling and local craftsmanship.
Highlights include Mākaha Sons, four Maui hula schools, a Hawaiian falsetto contest and a presentation celebrating traditional ocean voyaging. A market featuring 22 local vendors will extend the programme beyond performances.
The resort returns as host for its fifth year. Complimentary off-site parking and return shuttles will help attendees access the celebrations throughout the weekend.
Community Access Shapes the Celebration
The Wailea programme forms part of the wider Festivals of Aloha celebrations across Maui Nui. Aunty Mopsie Tuivaioge, the resort’s Director of Hawaiian Programs, is curating the gathering.
Cultural practitioners, musicians and artisans will share traditions through performances, discussions and personal encounters. The announced activities will remain free for community members and hotel guests alike.
For travellers, that access creates an opportunity to experience Hawaiian culture within an established resort setting. Residents can participate without needing an overnight booking.
The programme also gives visitors several ways to engage, from watching hula to hearing discussions about cultural preservation. Its emphasis connects the destination’s heritage with the people who continue practising and sharing it.
Friday Opens With Ceremony and Song
A traditional opening ceremony will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, 23 October. Cultural activities will continue through the day.
The Carmen Hulu Lindsey Leo Haʻihaʻi Falsetto Contest will provide a musical highlight. The competition places a distinctive Hawaiian vocal tradition at the centre of the opening programme.
For visitors unfamiliar with the style, the event offers an introduction through live performance. It also draws attention to the continued practice of Hawaiian singing traditions.
Travellers planning to attend the ceremony can use the complimentary shuttle service, which begins operating at 9 a.m. on Friday.
Saturday Pairs Hula With Musical Legacy
Saturday’s Hula is the Heartbeat programme will feature a special appearance by Mākaha Sons. The group is celebrating 50 years of musical legacy.
Four Maui hula hālau, or hula schools, will join the evening celebration. Miss Aloha Hula 2026 will also make a guest appearance.
Together, the performances will highlight the relationship between Hawaiian music and dance. They will bring established performers and local cultural schools into the same programme.
The gathering gives travellers an opportunity to encounter several expressions of living heritage during one evening. It also places intergenerational participation at the heart of the festival experience.
Historic Voyaging Adds Another Perspective
A separate Saturday presentation will commemorate 50 years since Hōkūleʻa’s first voyage to Tahiti and back.
Penny Martin, one of two women who participated in that journey, is scheduled to speak. Her appearance will bring a participant’s perspective to the anniversary.
The presentation broadens the festival beyond music and dance. It introduces ocean voyaging as another important strand of the weekend’s cultural storytelling.
For visitors, hearing that history alongside contemporary performances can deepen their understanding of the traditions represented throughout the celebration.
Markets and Garden Tours Broaden Participation
The Live Aloha Market will feature 22 local vendors throughout the weekend. Hawaiian lifestyle brand MANAOLA will also operate a shopping pop-up.
These activities give attendees opportunities to discover local products alongside the performance programme. Purchases can connect visitor spending directly with participating businesses.
Meanwhile, guided tours will introduce The Queen’s Garden: Uluahaimalama. The newly unveiled space honours Hawaii’s last reigning monarch.
The garden adds a quieter heritage experience to the schedule. Visitors can combine performances, shopping and guided exploration according to their interests.
Although announced festival activities are complimentary, shopping purchases remain separate from free admission.
Sunday Closes With Hula Discussion and Music
Sunday’s Kumu Hula Panel will examine the preservation of Hawaiian hula lineages. The discussion will add context to the dance performances presented during the weekend.
Sounds of the Sea will conclude the programme with Kuikawā. The performance will celebrate the group’s third album release in the Mele and Moʻolelo series.
Complimentary parking will be available at Wailea Event Parking, across from Monkeypod off Wailea Ike Drive.
Friday shuttles will run from 9 a.m.–10 p.m.; Saturday services will operate from 9:30 a.m.–midnight.
Sunday shuttles will run from 8 a.m.–3 p.m. and resume from 4–10 p.m.
Beyond the festival, the resort offers complimentary lei making, outrigger canoe excursions and hula lessons throughout the year. These experiences provide further opportunities for guests to engage with Hawaiian culture during their Maui stay.
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