Welcome to Seattle Center
SEATTLE, WA— Experience the warmth, music, and traditions of Hawaiʻi at the Live Aloha Hawaiian Cultural Festival from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, September 7, at Seattle Center Armory Food & Event Hall, Mural Amphitheatre, and Fisher Pavilion Rooftop.
The free, family-oriented event — part of the Seattle Center Festál year-round series of cultural festivals — showcases the richness of Hawaiian heritage through live music, hula, and an expansive marketplace. With more than 70 vendors, attendees can enjoy authentic Hawaiian cuisine, handcrafted jewelry, island-inspired clothing, home décor, books, and more.
This year’s marketplace features a wide variety of food and drink vendors, including Pac Island Grill, Sam Choy’s Poke to the Max, Seattle Poi Company, Mike’s Shave Ice, and others.
Additional vendors and community booths include Happy Wahine, Lei of Aloha, 808 Clothing Company, Bishop Museum, Hawaiian Diaspora, and MANAOLA Hawaiʻi, alongside dozens more representing the spirit of Hawaiʻi.
Festival highlights include:
• Live Music & Dance: Local performers and cultural groups bring the sounds and rhythms of the islands to Seattle Center stages.
• Cultural Connections: Workshops and presentations share the history, language, and practices of Hawaiʻi.
• Keiki Korner: fun, family-focused activities that focus on the Native Hawaiian culture.
The festival’s 2025 headliner is Kamalei Kawaʻa, a Grammy-nominated artist, four-time Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winner, and top 20 contestant on season 25 of The Voice. A proud Native Hawaiian from Maui, Kawaʻa is celebrated for sharing stories of love, family, and aloha through his music. Festivalgoers are invited to join him and his band for a can’t-miss performance at 4:45 p.m. on the Mural Amphitheatre Stage.
“We’re thrilled to host the Live Aloha Hawaiian Cultural Festival at Seattle Center each year,” said Heidi Jackson, Seattle Center’s managing artistic director of cultural programs. “The festival not only celebrates Native Hawaiian culture, providing a point of connection for Washington’s growing Kānaka Maoli community, but also invites everyone to experience the warmth and richness of their heritage and traditions.”
This festival is part of the Festál series of 25 cultural festivals presented by community groups and hosted by Seattle Center throughout the year.
About Live Aloha Hawaiian Cultural Festival
Live Aloha Hawaiian Cultural Festival serves to promote and celebrate the arts and culture of Hawai’i’. As the Native Hawaiian diaspora continues to grow, the festival aims to create a “home away from home” for the more than 70,000 Native Hawaiians living in the Pacific Northwest. In 2018, Live Aloha Hawaiian Cultural Festival became a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
About Seattle Center Festál
Seattle Center Festál is a unique public program series of 25 free cultural festivals, each offering its own celebration of heritage and identity. These events provide a range of engaging programs and activities to cultivate a deeper understanding of the diversity of our region. Seattle Center Festál is produced in partnership with community groups, presented on weekends from January to November and supported by City of Seattle, Seattle Center Foundation, and 4Culture.
About Seattle Center — The Cultural Heart of the Pacific Northwest
Seattle Center is a 74-acre civic, arts, and cultural gathering place in the heart of the city. It is home to more than 30 partner organizations—including Climate Pledge Arena, KEXP, MOPOP, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Seattle Opera, Pacific Science Center, SIFF, and many others—alongside world-class attractions, historic venues, public art, and a dynamic calendar of free and affordable events for all ages, centered around the iconic International Fountain.
As a department of the City of Seattle and anchor of the Uptown Arts & Cultural District, Seattle Center serves as a hub for creative expression, cultural diversity, and civic life. It also manages the City’s new Waterfront Park in partnership with Friends of Waterfront Seattle, delivering cultural programming, operations, and civic care on Seattle’s revitalized downtown waterfront.
In 2025, Seattle Center is projected to generate over $900 million in visitor spending, contribute more than $2 billion in total regional economic impact, and support more than 18,600 jobs. With the support of our Official Partners—Alaska Airlines, The Climate Pledge, Coors Light, Pepsi, Symetra, T-Mobile, and WaFd Bank— Seattle Center is the #1 most-visited arts and cultural destination in the Pacific Northwest.
Contact
Madison Miller, Why for Good
madison@whyforgood.com 425-246-5468
