Published: June 16, 2024 | Last Updated: June 16, 2024, 2:30 PM HST
Location: Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
The 13th Festival of Pacific Arts (FestPAC 2024) concludes tonight, June 16, at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa's Les Murakami Stadium, with closing ceremonies scheduled to begin at 6:00 PM HST. The quadrennial gathering, which opened June 6, brought together approximately 2,500 artists and cultural practitioners from 27 Pacific nations and territories—including Aotearoa (New Zealand), Tahiti, Sāmoa, Tonga, Fiji, Palau, Guam, and Hawaiʻi.
What to Expect at Tonight's Closing Ceremonies
The finale will feature a collaborative performance by the Hālau o Kekuhi and Te Vaka, uniting Native Hawaiian hula and contemporary Pacific fusion music. Delegations will present traditional farewell protocols, including the Hawaiian haʻa and the Sāmoan faʻaaloalo ceremony. The evening concludes with the symbolic passing of the festival banner to the 2028 host, the Republic of Palau.
Festival Highlights: What You Missed
Master Carvers Preserve Living Traditions
The Wākea Carving Pavilion at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center hosted daily demonstrations by master carvers including Fatu Feuʻu (Sāmoa), Lyonel Grant (Aotearoa), and Palaku Kaʻalele (Hawaiʻi). Over 150 apprentice carvers participated in intensive workshops, producing ceremonial tiki, whakairo (Māori carved panels), and navigational figureheads.
"These aren't museum pieces—we're training the next generation to keep these practices alive in their home communities," said Kaʻalele during a June 12 demonstration.
Friday's Standout Programming
June 14 emerged as the festival's busiest day, with concurrent events across five Honolulu venues:
| Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 AM | Wayfinding Navigation Symposium | Bishop Museum |
| 11:00 AM | Tatau Traditions panel with Suluʻape Keone Nunes | Hawaiʻi Theatre |
| 2:00 PM | Tahitian ʻōteʻa by Temaeva | Waikīkī Shell |
| 5:00 PM | Climate displacement multimedia installation by Kathy Jetn̄il-Kijiner (Marshall Islands) | Foster Botanical Garden |
| 8:00 PM | Pacific Underground hip-hop fusion concert | The Republik |
Critical Reception: "A Beautiful, Chaotic Mess"
In a June 13 review for Honolulu Civil Beat, arts critic Nadine Kam described FestPAC as "a beautiful, chaotic mess"—referencing the logistical complexity of coordinating 27 delegations across 12 days and multiple venues, while praising the "ungovernable energy that mirrors the Pacific itself: interconnected, unruly, and impossible to contain within a single schedule."
How to Watch Tonight's Closing Ceremonies
In Person: Gates open at 4:30 PM HST at Les Murakami Stadium (1337 Lower Campus Road). Free admission; first-come seating. ADA access via Gate 3.
Livestream:
- ʻŌlelo Community Media (Channel 53, Oʻahu): Broadcast begins 5:45 PM HST
- Online: olelo.org/festpac2024 or FestPAC Hawaiʻi Facebook Live
- Pacific regional broadcast: PNG EM TV, Fiji TV, Cook Islands Television (delayed 24 hours)
Replay: Full ceremony archived at festpac2024.hawaii.gov within 48 hours.
Looking Ahead: Palau 2028
Tonight's ceremonies will officially transfer hosting duties to Palau, whose delegation has previewed plans for ocean-focused programming at the 14th Festival of Pacific Arts. The 2028 dates will be confirmed by the Pacific Community (SPC) by December 2024.
Follow @FestPACHawaii on Instagram and X for real-time updates from tonight's finale.
