Frommer's Kauai - Jeanette Foster [36]
Obon Dance and Festival, Waimea, Kapaa, Hanapepe, and Lihue. This traditional Japanese cultural festival honors the dead (see “Honoring the Dead: Obon Festival,” above). West Kauai Hongwanji, 4675 Menehune Rd., Waimea, 80 8/338-1537; Kapaa Jodo Mission, 4524 Hauaala Rd., Kapaa, 80 8/338-1847; Waimea Higashi Hongwanji Mission, 9554-C Kaumualii Hwy., Waimea, 80 8/338-1847; West Kaukai Hongwanji,1-3860 Kaumualii Hwy., Hanapepe, 80 8/338-1537; Lihue Hongwanji, Lihue, 80 8/245-6262. Late July or early August.
AUGUST
Kauai Music Festival, Lihue. A 4-day celebration of the art of songwriting. Hilton Kauai Beach Resort, 4331 Kauai Beach Dr., Lihue. Late July or early August. 80 8/634-6237.
9th Annual Kauai Polynesian Festival: Heiva I Kauai Ia Orana Tahiti, Kapaa. This 2-day event features the dances of Tahiti, New Zealand, and Samoa in a competition, as well as exhibitions and educational cultural workshops plus local foods, arts, and crafts. Kapaa Beach Park. Early August. Call 80 8/822-9447.
Kauai County Farm Bureau Fair, Lihue. This family-oriented fair, held at the Vidinha Stadium in Lihue, features a petting zoo, a livestock show, floral demonstrations and exhibits, food booths, and arts and crafts, along with amusement park rides. Call 80 8/639-8432 or visit www.kauaifarmfair.com. Late August.
SEPTEMBER
All Woman’s Koloa Rodeo, Poipu. The only all-female rodeo in the state features women competing in roping, barrel racing, pole bending, and goat tying. CJM Country Stables, a mile past the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, Poipu Rd. Call 80 8/639-0091. End of August or early September.
Aloha Festivals, several locations. Parades and other events celebrate Hawaiian culture and friendliness throughout the island. Call 80 0/852-7690, or visit www.alohafestivals.com for a schedule of events.
Kauai Mokihana Festival, several locations. This weeklong festival includes local and ethnic demonstrations, concerts, and competitions, among them a Kauai composers’ contest, a hula competition, and a workshop on Kauai’s heritage. Call 80 8/822-2166.
OCTOBER
Annual Coconut Festival, several locations. Where would Hawaii be without coconuts? This annual event highlights the cultural, social, and historical importance of the coconut with unusual coconut foods, coconut crafts, games with coconuts, and contests. Call 80 8/651-3273.
Hawaiiana Festival, Poipu. This 4-day event is centered on teaching the customs, crafts, and culture of Hawaii. Held at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, it includes entertainment and a luau. For information call 80 8/240-6369.
Eo E Emalani Festival, Kokee State Park. This festival honors Her Majesty Queen Emma, an inveterate gardener and Hawaii’s first environmental queen, who made a forest trek to Kokee with 100 friends in 1871. Call 80 8/335-9975.
NOVEMBER
Note: Daylight saving time ends on the Mainland, but not in Hawaii (which does not go on daylight saving time). Be sure to adjust the time, on the first Sunday in November. Hawaii will be 2 hours behind the Pacific coast and 5 hours behind the Atlantic coast (5pm in New York is noon in Hawaii).
Hawaiian Slack-Key Guitar Festival, Lihue. The best of Hawaii’s folk music is performed by the best musicians in Hawaii. The show, held at the Hilton Kauai Beach Resort, is 5 hours long and absolutely free. For more information call 80 8/226-2697 or visit www.slackkeyfestival.com. Mid-November.
Hawaii International Film Festival, several locations. This cinema festival with a cross-cultural spin features filmmakers from Asia, the Pacific Islands, and the United States. Call 80 8/528-FILM, or visit www.hiff.org. First 2 weeks in November.
DECEMBER
Annual Festival of Lights, Lihue. The lighting of the Christmas decorations on the grounds of Kauai’s historic county building in Lihue is accompanied by local entertainment, Christmas caroling, and