The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority is putting $1 million on the table to keep some of the islands' biggest festivals and sports showpieces humming through the end of 2026. Ten "signature" events are getting a share of the pot, including the Nā Hōkū Hanohano music awards, the Hawaiʻi International Film Festival, legendary ocean canoe races Na Wahine O Ke Kai and the Molokaʻi Hoe, plus the Southwest Maui Invitational and the Hawaiʻi Bowl. HTA says the cash is meant to pull in visitors while backing community participation and Hawaiian cultural programming.
HTA’s Statewide Lineup And $1 Million Package
According to the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, the ten chosen festivals and sports events were selected for their ability to draw travelers and burnish Hawaiʻi’s image abroad. "These world-class festivals and sports events draw visitors from around the world," interim president and CEO Caroline Anderson said in the announcement, underscoring HTA’s view of the events as marquee tourism drivers.
Dates, Islands And Marquee Moments
As reported by Maui Now, the 2026 calendar features the 3rd International ʻUkulele Festival of Hawaiʻi on Oʻahu from July 10 to 13, the 49th Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards on July 11, and Kōloa Plantation Days on Kauaʻi from July 17 to 26. Also in the mix are Duke Kahanamoku OceanFest in Waikīkī, the Na Wahine O Ke Kai world championship canoe race on September 27, the Molokaʻi Hoe on October 11, the 46th Hawaiʻi International Film Festival running October 22 through November 11, plus the Southwest Maui Invitational and the Hawaiʻi Bowl.
How The Signature Events Program Operates
HTA’s Signature Events program is run through a partnership with Kilohana, a division of the Hawaiian Council, which handles applications and awards using the ʻUmeke portal. As outlined by Kilohana, Signature Events funding comes in set award amounts, requires registration in the portal, and includes matching fund requirements along with reporting obligations for organizers that receive support.
Sports Spotlight Brings National Eyeballs
Per the tournament site, the Maui Invitational is slated to return to the Lahaina Civic Center from November 23 to 25, 2026, with an eight-team field that typically draws national attention to Maui. The Sheraton Hawaiʻi Bowl is scheduled for December 24 and will be televised on ESPN, giving the islands a national audience, according to ESPN.
Part Of A Bigger Reinvestment Pattern
This latest move fits into a broader trend of HTA putting money back into local events. According to the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, the agency invested nearly $2 million in 2025 to support 21 signature and community events across the state. Officials say these funding rounds are designed to back local organizers, sustain cultural programming and market Hawaiʻi in ways that line up with community priorities.
Organizers have welcomed the latest infusion as a boost for promotion and planning budgets, and HTA says awardees will work with local partners to meet deliverables and reporting requirements. For residents, the grants are being framed as a way to keep cultural programming alive while bringing visitors into island communities at times and places that can be planned for and managed.
