By Staff Reports
(Oahu)– Ocean-goers of all skill levels are once again invited to venture out to Kualoa Regional Park to experience Polynesian voyaging culture during the 17th Annual Kualoa/Hakipu‘u Canoe Festival!
This ocean-going event is scheduled for Saturday, March 7, 2026 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., rain or shine, near the park’s Campground A. The event will launch with a commencement ceremony and oli (chant), with activities and booths opening around 11 a.m.
The Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation, along with numerous voyaging & educational organizations, are proud to organize this annual event. The event is free and open to navigators of all ages and skill levels. The public is invited to come and enjoy this immersive Hawaiian cultural experience which includes: a variety of paddling & sailing activities, educational booths, navigation lessons, and so much more. Food booths are also available.
Of the many event highlights, attendees can interact with numerous wa‘a (canoes) and their experienced crew from around the Hawaiian Islands, weather and safety conditions permitting.
Mahalo to the many participating organizations taking part in this festival! Confirmed attendees include:
- Hakipuʻu Learning Center /Hakipuʻu ‘Ohana
- Puakea Foundation
- Polynesian Voyaging Society
- Kamehameha Schools- Wa’a Honua
- Lahui o Ko’olauloa
- Friends of Hōkūleʻa & Hawai’iloa
- Kulaniakea – Kaʻikekauila Sailing Canoe
- Hawaiian Sailing Canoe Association
- Wounded Warriors & Navy Single Sailors
- Pulse Oceania
- Punahou School – Kamaola Sailing Canoe
- Kānehūnāmoku Voyaging Academy
- PCC – Ka Uhane Holokai Sailing Canoe
- HoʻĀla ʻĀina Kūpono- Kalaiahiu Sailing Canoe
- Mana Moana Institute
- I Nui Ke Aho
- Kaihekauila
- Huli
- Nā Kama Kai- Kūmau
As a result of the festival, Kualoa Regional Park Campground A will be closed for camping from Friday, March 6 through Monday, March 9, 2026. Campground B will remain open, however campers should be aware that there will be a significant increase in pedestrian and vehicular traffic within the park.
For over a decade, this festival has sought to highlight and continue Hawai‘i’s oceangoing traditions, and is frequently blessed with a visit from the Hōkūleʻa and numerous other voyaging organizations and their vessels, such as the Kānehūnāmoku. The event also serves as a birthday celebration for the Hōkūleʻa, commemorating her initial launch from the sacred shores of Kualoa/Hakipuʻu in Kāneʻohe Bay, Oʻahu, on March 8, 1975.
For more information, visit Kualoa Regional Park’s dedicated website at: bit.ly/kualoapark
We hope to see you at the Canoe Fest!
If you need an auxiliary aid/service, other accommodations due to a disability, or an interpreter for a language other than English in reference to this announcement, please contact the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation at (808) 768-3003 on weekdays from 7:45 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. or email parks@honolulu.gov at least three business days before the scheduled event. Without sufficient advanced notice, it may not be possible to fulfill requests.