The Annual Ukulele Festival was held each July in Hawaii from 1971 to 2022. It was founded in 1971 by Roy Sakuma with the support of the Waikiki Department of Parks. The event drew large crowds to listen to free concerts by both amateur and top ukulele musicians.
Origins In 1970, Roy Sakuma was working as a groundskeeper for the Waikiki Department of Parks. At lunch one day, Sakuma and his colleagues envisioned an ukulele concert. With the support of his supervisor, Sakuma worked with the department and the Hawaii International Ukulele Club to put together the first festival at the Kapiolani Park Bandstand in Waikiki in 1971.
Ukulele Festival Hawaii organization Ukulele Festival Hawaii is a non-profit charitable organization established in 2004 by Roy and Kathy Sakuma. The organization’s mission is to bring laughter, love and hope to children and adults throughout Hawaii and the world through the music of the ukulele. Ukulele Festival Hawaii produces, promotes and arranges ukulele festivals free to the public, encourages interest in Hawaii’s arts and culture through education and scholarships, and promotes local and international interest in the ukulele as an instrument of virtuoso quality. The Ukulele Festival, the first and original ‘ukulele festival begun in 1971, is held every July in Kapiolani Park, O‘ahu.
Key performers In 1985, Sakuma went looking for the man who had created two ukulele jazz records 25 years earlier that had become classics to the Hawaiian ukulele players, How About Uke? and 50th State Jazz. Sakuma located Lyle Ritz in California and convinced him to pick up the ukulele again and come play at the festival that year. Ritz then moved to Hawaii and performed at many of the following festivals as well.
In 1994, James Ingram, the Grammy Award-winning pop artist, met Sakuma while they were exercising on the tracks of the University of Hawaii. Ten years later the two composed “Come and Join Us” which has become the theme song for Ukulele Festival Hawaii organization. The 2004 Hawaii Music Awards awarded the “Single of the Year" to the composition.
Master of Ceremonies Danny Kaleikini served as the festival’s official emcee for over 45 years, first appearing in 1972. Kaleikini often serves as emcee at the other ukulele festivals as well.Berger, Ukulele fest strums along, Honolulu Star Bulletin, Friday, July 23, 2004
Festival Dates and Headliners
Festival Date Known Performers 15th 27 July 1985 Lyle Ritz 16th July 1986 Lyle Ritz 17th July 1987 Lyle Ritz 18th July 1988 Lyle Ritz 24th July 1994 James IngramThe 27th Annual Ukulele Festival Report 26th July 1996 Jim Beloff 27th July 27, 1997 James Ingram, Lyle Ritz and his daughter Emily, The Langley Ukulele Ensemble 30th July 2000 James Ingram 31st July 29, 2001 Jake Shimabukuro 34th July 25, 2004 After 125 years, the ukulele still keeps people smiling James Ingram, Troy Fernandez, Canadian virtuoso James Hill, Japan's Yuji Igarashi, the Keale Ohana and Daniel Ho. 36th July 30, 2006 Danny Kaleikini, James Hill, Ohta-SanThe `Ukulele 37th July 22, 2007 Jake Shimabukuro, Holunape and Ohta-SanUkulele Festival set for Sunday in Waikiki 38th July 27, 2008 Herb Ohta, Sr. (Ohta-san), Kelly Boy Delima, Michael Keale, Paula Fuga, Bryan Tolentino, Canadian James Hill played ukulele with chopsticks. 39th July 19, 2009 Danny Kaleikini, Taimane Gardner, Holunape, Natalie Ai Kamauu, Langley Ukulele Ensemble, Ken Makuakane, Ohata-san, Palolo, Bill Tapia, Sunset Strummers, Yuji Igarashi & “Kolohe” Imamura, George Matsushita, LeaLea Ukulele Garden, Ukulele 4 Ladies 40th July 18, 2010 Jake ShimabukuroPRI's The World 41st July 29, 2011 Jake Shimabukuro,The Syracuse Post Standard, July 18, 2011 Aldrine Guerrero, Kalei Gamiao Roy Sakuma’s Ukulele Festival 2011 42nd July 22, 2012 43rd July 21, 2013Ukulele Festival Hawaii 2013Jake Shimabukuro, Ohta San, Herb Ohta, Jr., Dukes of Surf, Paula Fuga 50th 18 July 2021 TBD; no 2020 festival.
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