49th Annual Waimea Town Celebration Ho‘olaule‘a Opens at Old Waimea Mill

Large crowds are arriving at the Old Waimea Mill in Waimea as the 49th Annual Waimea Town Celebration Ho‘olaule‘a opens for a two-day run on Feb. 20–21, offering free admission and island-style food booths staffed by local families, non-profits and small businesses. Organizers list live music, performances by hula halau, handmade craft vendors, fun Keiki rides and the Island Distributing and Koloa Rum Beer Garden among the festival’s highlights.

Promotional materials circulating on Kaua‘i event listings bill the weekend as a major free attraction: “Enjoy 22 hours of FREE admission & entertainment, plus delicious food booths, unique craft vendors, fun Keiki rides, and the Island Distributing and Koloa Rum Beer Garden!” At the same time, a Gohawaii event page specifies nightly hours of 5:00 pm–11:45 pm on Feb. 20 and Feb. 21; those two windows total 13.5 hours. The discrepancy between the 22-hour marketing claim and the Gohawaii schedule is present in multiple listings and has not been reconciled in published event copy.

Venue naming and address details also vary across listings. Several event pages refer to the site as the Old Waimea Mill and list the street address as 9691 Kaumuali‘i Hwy, Waimea, HI 96796. Other calendars label the location Waimea Old Sugar Mill at 9630 Kaumualii Hwy, Waimea, HI 96796. The Historic Waimea Theater and Cultural Arts Center is listed as the event organizer on Kauaifestivals, Pikoconcierge and Gohawaii, and Gohawaii names Thomas Nizo as a contact.

Programming specifics on event pages include Hawaiian plate lunches, shave ice, fresh seafood and sweet treats at food booths, plus live music from local musicians and performances by hula halau. Craft offerings advertised include handmade jewelry, art, clothing and cultural items, while keiki activities are described as “fun Keiki rides.” The Island Distributing and Koloa Rum Beer Garden is named explicitly on multiple listings as the festival’s beverage partner.

The Ho‘olaule‘a is presented as the centerpiece weekend of a larger Waimea Town Celebration program. Some listings describe a broader multi-day program running roughly mid-February; Jamsworld and other calendars list festival ranges such as Feb. 14–22 or Feb. 15–23, while the original compilation refers to a nine-day program. Kauaifestivals notes that related community events included a free ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi session on Feb. 19 at noon and a Free Hula Show & Craft Fair with Tamatea Nui O Kaua’i on Feb. 19 from 4:00 pm–7:00 pm.

Support and promotional partners cited on event pages include the Kauai Visitors Bureau, the Hawaii Tourism Authority and the County of Kauai. For media or visitor inquiries, the Historic Waimea Theater and Cultural Arts Center is listed as the contact organization with phone 808-645-0996 and email historicwaimeatheater@gmail.com on multiple listings; Gohawaii additionally shows the contact name Thomas Nizo. Attendees can find “Add to Calendar” and “Get Directions” links on Gohawaii’s event page, though prospective visitors should note the address and schedule discrepancies in public listings and confirm details with the organizer where needed.