This year’s Kōloa Plantation Days begins in just a couple of weeks, and the 2026 festival will include two flavorful events at The Shops at Kukuiʻula.
A special edition of the weekly Kaua‘i Culinary Market is planned during this year’s festival from 3:30 to 6 p.m. July 22, featuring plantation foods and dishes from diverse cultures that were brought to Kaua‘i during the sugar plantation days and continue to be enjoyed by residents and visitors today.
Palm Court will join the market at 5 p.m. for a special chef demonstration by Kauaʻi Diner Kōloa, which will illustrate the different flavors and cultural influences on local foods.
Kaua‘i Culinary Market is a one-of-a-kind farmers market boasting more than 25 participating local farmers, artisanal product producers and vendors offering fresh vegetables, fruits and other unique delicacies. It is enhanced by live Hawaiian music from local artists and a wine and beer garden at Palm Court.
Flavors of Kukuiʻula — the largest family-friendly pau hana party honoring the island’s rich plantation heritage — is slated for 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. July 24.
Festivalgoers will enjoy live music by Kaua‘i’s premier kachi-kachi band Wally Rita Y Los Kauaianos and savor a variety of plantation-inspired treats, local delicacies and refreshing beverages.
Kōloa Plantation Days is hosted every year in July on Kaua‘i’s south shore. The 2026 installment is planned for July 17-26 with the theme “The Last Harvest” and grand marshal Ada Henne Koene.
The many ethnic groups that came to work on sugar plantations in Hawai‘i — and the Hawaiians who welcomed them — are celebrated during the 10-day festival through music, dance, costumes and food.
Kōloa Plantation Days comprises a lively, family-oriented slate of events showcasing the social history, natural history and diverse cultural traditions of the area where Hawai‘i’s first sugar plantation was founded in 1835.
The festival also celebrates immigrants who came from the Philippines, Europe, the Azores, Japan, Korea, China and elsewhere who contributed traditions, music, dances and foods to the rich melting pot that is Hawai‘i.
“You’ll experience these cultures throughout the week from the first walk down Hapa Trail and a rodeo weekend featuring paniolo culture through a variety of live music events and cultural performances, a historic exhibit and film night, craft fairs, culinary demonstrations and tasting events, Polynesian revue and the historic parade and park celebration which brings all these elements together,” says the Kōloa Plantation Days website.
There are nature walks that reveal the unique flora, fauna, geology and archaeology of the south shore, hosted talk stories including a guided view of Kāhua O Kāneiolouma — an important cultural site with sacred heiau and an ancient Hawaiian village located in the heart of Po‘ipū — and a watercolor painting workshop in a pristine part of the coastline.
Kōloa Plantation Days also celebrates the present-day vitality of Kōloa and Po‘ipū.
Courtesy Photo: The Shops at Kukuiʻula website- Courtesy Photo: The Shops at Kukuiʻula website
Resorts and businesses welcome visitors and residents to enjoy guided walks and talk stories, outdoor sports and a variety of themed keiki activities, live music and celebrations.
Visit the Kōloa Plantation Days website for a full lineup of this year’s events and additional information about the festival.
