Arts & Entertainment

Meet the artists and craftspeople keeping Hawai‘i traditions alive

Hawai‘i is filled with talented, passionate artists and performers. In recent months we’ve featured an ‘ukulele maker, sculptors, hula performers, Native Hawaiian language experts, anime cosplayers, symphony musicians, local filmmakers, Okinawan drummers, musical theatre performers, and more. We’ve covered film festivals, comedy acts, live theater and classical concerts and more. This is where you’ll also find news about TV shows and movies filmed in the Islands or about Hawai‘i, and the actors attached to them. Venues matter, too, and we’ll update readers on improvements such as the recent upgrades to the Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall and the Waikīkī Shell.

Native Hawaiian Convention returns to Honolulu

Following a convention in Washington last year, the Native Hawaiian Convention hosted by Hawaiian Council has returned to Oʻahu. Learn about the speakers, hands-on cultural workshops and panel discussions planned for this year’s event. There will also be special dedicated events to remember the 50th anniversary of the first landing on Kahoʻolawe.

Katie HellandJuly 17, 2026

Hawai‘i's Bretman Rock makes 2026 Time100 Creators list

The list recognizes 100 of the "most influential digital voices" of 2026.

Stephanie SalmonsJuly 16, 2026

Hula, ʻAuana soundtrack, and $1 ice cream: weekend guide for Oʻahu

Looking for ways to celebrate the weekend? Catch the Prince Lot Hula Festival, listen to the ʻAuana soundtrack, eat $1 ice cream and attend Bon Dances. Aloha State Daily shares a list of a dozen ways you can get into weekend mode this Friday, July 17, through Sunday, July, 19.

Katie HellandJuly 15, 2026

Your guide to upcoming theater on Oʻahu

Ready to see a production on stage? From Hawaiʻi premieres to Shakespearean classics, there are lots of shows to catch in Honolulu, Waikīkī, and more this summer and fall.

Katie HellandJuly 14, 2026

And the Nā Hōkū Hanohano winners are ...

The winners of Female Vocalist of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year, as well as many other Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards have been announced. These artists took home the top awards on Saturday, July 11.

Katie HellandJuly 12, 2026

Kamaka ʻUkulele celebrates 110 years

The ʻukulele company which makes instruments played by ʻukulele virtuosos and movie stars is celebrating more than a century of business. The instruments will be featured at the International ʻUkulele Festival of Hawaiʻi, a free event that returns to the Kapiʻolani Park Bandstand, this Sunday, July 12.

Katie HellandJuly 12, 2026

What are the economic impacts of 'Moana' for Hawaiʻi?

When a Disney movie has nine days of filming on Oʻahu and 280 more days of pre-production, there are economic impacts for the state. Georja Skinner, chief officer of the Creative Industries Division for the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, shared some numbers.

Katie HellandJuly 10, 2026

Enter for a chance to win tickets to see Disney’s live action adaptation of the animated film ‘Moana’

Aloha State Daily has partnered with Pacific Media Group to send several of you to a special screening of Disney’s live action adaptation of the animated film, “Moana,” at 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 18 at Consolidated Ward Theaters.

Kady PascualJuly 10, 2026

'Haagua' featured at Honolulu Surf Film Festival

The 15-minute film features Kaliko Kahoonei, who grew up on the Oʻahu's West Side on a paipo board. The short explores Indigenous knowledge of the ocean and surfing and will screen at the Honolulu Surf Film Festival.

Katie HellandJuly 10, 2026

HoMA announces new director and CEO

The Honolulu Museum of Art has announced its next director and CEO, who will assume the role on Sept. 1. Learn more about the executive, who grew up in Kailua.

Katie HellandJuly 09, 2026

Anna O’Brien’s under new management

Learn what will and won't change as this Irish pub — not far from the campus of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa — soft opens under new management on Friday, July 10.