Saturday Ho‘olaule‘a Part 2

The 1^st Annual Hilo Steel Guitar Festival was presented on Saturday, March 7 at Hilo's Prince Kuhio Plaza. The festival featured steel guitarists Alan Akaka, Kapono Lopes, Mālie Lyman, Pōmaika‘i Brown, Ken Emerson, Bobby Ingano, and Dwight Tokumoto with Mark Yamanaka as Dwight's special guest. NextGEN Steel Guitarists Hi‘ipoi Lindsey, and Isaac Woodward, and Charlie Ahuna with his classmates also performed.

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• Featured steel guitarist Pōmaikaʻi Brown and Kaipo Lindsey.
• Pōmaikaʻi Brown with Helene Woodward, Kaipo Lindsey, and David Woodward.
• Pōmaikaʻi Brown.
• Pōmaikaʻi Brown with Kaipo Lindsey and David Woodward.
• Hula by Toni Alvarico Brown.
• Toni Alvarico Brown.
• Alan Akaka playing Pōmaikaʻi's steel guitar with Helene Woodward, Pōmaikaʻi Brown, Kaipo Lindsey, and David Woodward.
• Pōmaikaʻi Brown switching to guitar.
• The hands-on table was very popular with guests of all ages.
• A festival guest plays a guitar converted to a replica acoustical steel guitar.
• NextGEN steel guitarist Isaac Woodward with Alan Akaka.
• Alan Akaka, Isaac Woodward, and Kaipo Lindsey.
• Isaac Woodward with aunt Helene Woodward, Alan Akaka, Kaipo Lindsey, and dad David Woodward.
• Alan Akaka, Isaac Woodward, and Kaipo Lindsey.
• Another guest tries out the steel guitar.
• Featured steel guitarist Ken Emerson.
• Ken Emerson with Helene Woodward, Kaipo Lindsey, and David Woodward.
• Ken Emerson.
• Helene, Ken, Kaipo, and David.
• Helene Woodward, Ken Emerson, Kaipo Lindsey, and David Woodward.
• More interest at the hands-on table.
• Ken Emerson, Kaipo Lindsey, and David Woodward.
• Featured steel guitarist Bobby Ingano.
• Bobby Ingano with Helene Woodward, Kaipo Lindsey, and David Woodward.
• Helene, Bobby, Kaipo, and David.
• Kaipo Lindsey and David Woodward.
• Helene Woodward, Bobby Ingano, Kaipo Lindsey, and David Woodward.
• Another shot of the audience.
• NextGEN steel guitarist Charlie Ahuna with the Keaʻau Middle Schoiol Band.
• Charlie Ahuna and members of the Keaʻau Middle School Band.
• Charlie Ahuna with the Keaʻau Middle School Band and J. J. Ahuna on the cajón.
• Featured steel guitarist Dwight Tokumoto with Sean Naleimaile and Mark Yamanaka.
• Dwight Tokumoto and Sean Naleimaile.
• Mark Yamanaka.

Back to Gallery: 2026 Festival

Photography by Don Rostow ©2026 by Don Rostow and HIMELE.