News Archive

HIMELE Launches Steel Guitar PLAY It Forward™ Campaign

03/21/2023 - HIMELE announces the Steel Guitar PLAY It Forward campaign. The campaign encourages seasoned steel guitar players with unused steel guitars to donate them to Hawaiian steel guitar instructors or schools. These gifted instruments will in turn be awarded to deserving young steel guitar students to reward them for their good work and motivate them to continue their steel guitar studies and take their abilities to the next level.

HIMELE To Resume All Festivals in 2023

01/16/2023 - After coming off a post-pandemic rebuilding year in 2022, HIMELE will present a full complement of steel guitar festivals throughout the State of Hawai‘i in 2023. Resumption of festivals began with the Kaua‘i Steel Guitar Festival in 2022, and included all festivals except the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Ka Makana Ali‘i. HIMELE will also continue with monthly livestream broadcasts that will include the concert portions of steel guitar festivals and stand-alone presentations in the months where no festival is scheduled. Please refer to the Events Page for festival and livestream dates.

Give Aloha to HIMELE During September

09/02/2021 - Foodland's annual Give Aloha program encourages its customers to help Hawai‘i nonprofit organizations by making donations at checkout time. During the month of September customers may make donations in any quantity and amount to HIMELE by specifying Organization 78858 during checkout. Foodland will match a portion of the first $249 of each donor's contribution. With Foodland's contribution, HIMELE received over $1,500 last year.

Monthly Showcases to Continue with Open Stage Showcase Added

01/09/2021 - The Hawaiian Steel Guitar Showcase Livestream Steel Guitar Saturdays presentations will continue on a monthly basis until further notice. An Open Stage showcase featuring video Hawaiian steel guitar submissions from amateur, semi-professional, and professional steel players will be presented periodically, with the first Open Stage showcase scheduled for March, 2021. Video submissions procedures are being developed and will be published when completed.

Social Gathering Restrictions Relaxed; Showcases To Resume

09/30/2020 - The Hawaiian Steel Guitar Showcase live stream presentations will resume with the September 26 Showcase featuring Kapono Lopes and Steve Cheney along with the NextGen steel guitarists. The previous restrictions expired on Wednesday, September 23, and revised guidelines will allow gatherings of five or less.

September is Foodland Give Aloha Month

09/01/2020 - HIMELE is once again participating in Foodland's annual Give Aloha program that encourages its customers to help Hawai‘i nonprofit organizations by making donations at checkout time throughout the month of September. Customers may make donations in any quantity and amount, but only a portion of the first $249 will be matched by Foodland from a pool of about $300,000.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the program has been extended this year to include online orders for store pickup or delivery.

HIMELE Launches Hawaiian Steel Guitar Showcase

07/15/2020 - HIMELE is launching the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Showcase, a series of Hawaiian steel guitar performances livestreamed online. The initial group of performances will feature 2-hour livestream programs beginning on Saturday, July 25 and will be presented on the Showcase's Facebook page, contingent on social gathering protocols imposed by the City and County of Honolulu.

The Showcase was developed as a way of promoting steel guitar awareness and offering Hawaiian steel guitar entertainment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Large assembly restrictions and suspension of music entertainment events have prevented annual Hawaiian steel guitar festivals from being offered since March.

Monthly Showcase events are planned for the last Saturday of each month until further notice.

Nate Goore Elected To HIMELE Board of Directors

04//14/2020 - Nate Goore has been elected to the HIMELE Board of Directors to fill the remaining term of retired director Don Touchi. Nate has been a long-time supporter of HIMELE and has participated in many recent festivals as a parent volunteer and as a backup musician. Nate resides on the Kona Coast of Hawai‘i Island and oversees the Honolulu office of MKThink, an architectural design, strategy, and analytics firm.

Don Touchi Retires From HIMELE Board of Directors

03/16/2020 - HIMELE Director and Board Member Don Touchi has retired from the HIMELE Board of Directors. Don cites potential medical issues that might not allow him "to perform at the level that is required to advance the cause." In addition to serving as a HIMELE Board Member, Don was HIMELE's official event photographer. HIMELE appreciates Don's service for the past four years.

Hear HIMELE Chairman Alan Akaka's message to Don.

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Festival Update

In accordance with recommendations from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH) HIMELE has updated its festival calendar. To comply with national and local directives prohibiting large gatherings HIMELE is pausing live in-person steel guitar festivals until further notice. HIMELE anticipates restarting live festivals in 2022 contingent on pandemic directives and venue approvals.

   Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Ka Makana Ali‘i – CANCELED

   Maui Steel Guitar Festival – CANCELED

   Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Windward Mall – CANCELED

   Waikiki Steel Guitar Week – CANCELED

   Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival – CANCELED

   Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival-Keiki Kine at Kahala Mall – CANCELED

   Hawai‘i Island Steel Guitar Festival – CANCELED

Additional schedule changes may be required depending on directives and recommendations from National, State, and/or Local governmental agencies.