Big Island Events in August

Events & Festivals on the Big Island of Hawaii

Tori C. Derrick

06-06-2026

Tori C. Derrick

President & certified Hawaii travel expert with 15+ years of experience in Hawaii tourism.

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2026 Events and Festivities

August is one of the Big Island's busiest months for events. Kona's blue water hosts a legendary marlin tournament, the Kohala Coast holds a major Hawaiian cultural festival at Puʻukoholā Heiau, and Obon dances run every weekend from Hilo to Waimea. Here's what's worth planning around.

A cultural festival on the Big Island of Hawaii

Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament

The HIBT is one of the oldest big-game fishing tournaments in the world, drawing international tag-and-release teams to Kona's legendary billfish grounds each August. You don't need to fish to enjoy it — the daily weigh-ins along the Kailua-Kona waterfront are free to watch and a window into the sport that put Kona on the map.

When: August 1st-9th, 2026

Where: Kailua-Kona (Kona side)

More Info: hibtfishing.com

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Hoʻokuʻikahi Establishment Day Hawaiian Cultural Festival

Held at Puʻukoholā Heiau — the massive war temple King Kamehameha I built on his path to uniting the islands — this free festival draws hula hālau and cultural practitioners from across the state. Expect a hoʻokupu (offering) ceremony, hula performances, and living-practitioner demonstrations of lauhala weaving, kapa, featherwork, and traditional games. Admission and parking are free.

When: August 15th-16th, 2026

Where: Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site, Kawaihae (South Kohala)

More Info: nps.gov/puhe

The lookout above Pololū Valley on the Big Island's Kohala coast

Obon (Bon Dance) Season

The Big Island's plantation-era Buddhist temples host bon dances every Saturday evening through August, from Hilo and the Hāmākua Coast to Kona, Hāwī, and Waimea. They're free, welcoming, and a genuine slice of island community life — taiko, circle dancing around a yagura, lanterns, and homemade food. Confirm individual temple dates, as they shift from year to year.

When: Saturday evenings through August 2026

Where: Buddhist temples islandwide (Hilo, Hāmākua, Kona, Kohala, Waimea)

More Info: 2026 Obon schedule (JCCH)

Statehood Day (State Holiday)

The third Friday of August is a Hawaiʻi state holiday marking the islands' 1959 admission as the 50th U.S. state. It remains a contested anniversary for many Native Hawaiians, so we note it as a practical heads-up rather than a celebration. For visitors it mainly means a three-day weekend with state and county offices and public schools closed.

When: Friday, August 21st, 2026

Where: Statewide

Anaehoʻomalu Bay on the Big Island's Kohala Coast

Looking Ahead: Queen Liliʻuokalani Canoe Race (Early September)

If you're staying into the Labor Day weekend, Kona hosts what organizers bill as the world's largest long-distance outrigger canoe race, with thousands of paddlers racing between Kailua Bay and Hōnaunau in honor of Queen Liliʻuokalani. It technically lands in early September, but it's the natural bookend to a late-August Kona trip.

When: September 3rd-7th, 2026 (Labor Day weekend)

Where: Kailua-Kona

More Info: qlcanoerace.com

August rewards Big Island travelers who plan a little — Puʻukoholā's Establishment Day Festival (Aug 15-16) and the bon dances are the cultural heart of the month, while Kona's billfish tournament brings the ocean-sports energy. A few things readers often expect in August but won't find: the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival is a November event, A Taste of the Hawaiian Range lands in fall, and the Parker Ranch rodeo in Waimea runs over Labor Day weekend in early September.

Tori C. Derrick

Published by: Tori C. Derrick

President & certified Hawai'i travel expert with 15+ years of experience in Hawai'i tourism.

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