San Diego’s annual Hawaiian celebration is bringing two days of hula, live music, island food and shaved ice to Liberty Station later this month — and admission won’t cost a cent. The family-friendly Ho‘olaule‘a is set for Aug. 22-23 at NTC Park, giving locals a full weekend of culture, shopping and stage-side audience participation.
According to KPBS, the festival will run from 9 AM to 5 PM both days and is free and open to all ages. The lineup includes performances by various Hawaiian dance groups, audience participation, stage prizes and a weekend’s worth of activities.
Hula, History And A Lot Of Shaved Ice
The festival’s cultural village will explore Hawaiian history, contemporary island life and the culture’s influence beyond the islands. There will also be gift vendors, local island food and shaved ice trucks, according to the official festival site.
The event is built around live Hawaiian music and hula, including both kahiko, or traditional dance, and ‘auana, the modern style. The Hālau Hula O Makalani Nā Pilialoha, a traditional hula school with locations in Vista and Chula Vista, is supporting the festival and focuses on Hawaiian language, song, chant and dance.
A Revived San Diego Tradition
Ho‘olaule‘a is not a brand-new addition to San Diego’s summer calendar. The festival’s organizers say the event began in 2011, ran annually through 2021 and was revived in 2024 with Hālau Hula O Makalani Nā Pilialoha taking over as host…