Hāena to Hanalei race returns June 6, benefits Hanalei Canoe Club

The 44th Hāena to Hanalei run will send runners and walkers from Kee Beach in Hāena to Hanalei Pier on Saturday, June 6, adding movement along Kūhiō Highway and the North Shore’s one-lane bridges for much of the morning. Registration stays open until June 5 at 6 a.m., and the course also includes a 5K, a keiki run and a half marathon.

For Hanalei, the race is more than a springtime fitness challenge. Hanalei Canoe Club says the event is one of its three major fundraisers, helping cover operating costs, annual insurance dues, and the upkeep of its facility and equipment. The club says proceeds also help maintain canoes, send youth paddlers to state, and support programs that perpetuate Hawaiian outrigger canoe paddling.

That mission reaches back to 1973, when the Hanalei Canoe Club was founded as a Hanalei Hawaiian Civic Club community outreach program. The club’s roots in civic organizing still shape the race today, tying a North Shore road event to the work of preserving canoe culture and supporting young paddlers who carry it forward.

The event has also grown into one of Kauai’s signature North Shore gatherings. Kauai Now said the race drew thousands of participants from across the islands and the mainland, underscoring how deeply the event now fits into the island’s calendar. Mary Mair, secretary of the Hanalei Canoe Club, said in 2025, “This race really kicks off the summer and continues to grow each year.”

That mix of local identity, athletic draw and fundraising explains why the race matters well beyond the finish line at Hanalei Pier. It brings together runners, families and canoe club supporters while generating direct benefit for a community institution that keeps youth paddling programs afloat and helps sustain Hawaiian cultural practice on the North Shore.