Redondo Beach, Slack Key Festival

 January 18, 2026, 2 p.m.

 2 p.m. concert

Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center
1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd
Redondo Beach, CA 90278
$34-155, kalakoa.com 

The Biggest Hawaiian Music Event of the Year takes a Hawaiian musical journey showcasing GRAMMY-winning slack key guitarists, award-winning Hula Hālau, special guest performers and a free to the public Island Marketplace.

Taking its name from a finger-picking style of guitar playing indigenous to Hawaii (as heard on the Grammy-nominated soundtrack for "The Descendants"), the Slack Key Festival brings the art of ki ho'alu guitar to Redondo Beach.

This year's Southern California Slack Key Festival's line-up includes Natalie Ai, George Kuo, Sonny Lim, Jeff Peterson, Jim "Kimo" West, Kamuela Kimokeo, Anuhea Lim

• Jeff Peterson - Born on the Island of Maui and grew up on the slopes of Haleakala where he was introduced to the rich heritage of Hawaiian music by his father, a  paniolo  (Hawaiian cowboy), on the Haleakala Ranch. Among Peterson's many awards is Slack Key Album of the Year for "Maui on My Mind".
• Jim "Kimo" West - Regarded as one of the world's foremost Hawaiian slack key guitar artists, Kimo just wrapped up a tour of Europe playing his brand of slack key guitar music. He is a 2021 Grammy Winner.

What is Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Music?
Played from the heart and soul through the fingers and flowing with vivid tropical images, Hawaiian ki ho'alu (slack key) is truly one of the great acoustic guitar traditions of the world. In slack key, some of the strings are "slacked" from the standard guitar tuning, with the thumb playing the bass notes while the other fingers play the melody and improvise in a finger-picked style.
When:

Slack Key Festival Feature

Slack Key Festival performers Kawika Kahiapo (left) and Jim "Kimo" West (right) posed with three time Grammy Award singer-songwriter "Weird Al Yankovic" who came to watch.

By C. MacDonald

REDONDO BEACH, CA--The world needs additional " slack key" musicians to make it a more peaceful, less hectic, enjoyable place. Listening to the recent annual Southern California Slack Key Festival seemed to lower blood pressure, relieve stress, make you more relaxed and gave the packed Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center crowd an afternoon they will never forget.

Slack key, Hawaiian ki ho'alu, is one of the most fantastic acoustical guitar traditions in the world, dating from the 19th Century. It even was used to relax Hawaiian cattle. Some of the strings are slacked from the standard tuning, with the thumb playing bass, while the other fingers play the melody and improvise in a finger-picked style.

The festival featured terrific musicians, including Cyril Pahinui, son of the famous Hawaiian legend, the late Gabby Pahinui, Kawika Kahiapo, Jeff Peterson, Jim " Kimo"  West and Troy Fernandez. They unleashed their beautiful music while sitting on a stage set that made everyone feel they were in a friend's living room, even though hundreds watched and cheered their casual, yet perfect play. They fed off one another, in a joyful, enthusiastic manner. Their talent engulfed the theater. Their heartfelt songs about ancestors, their passion for having fun jamming together, their love of each other, Hawaii and their families, bubbled forth to the delighted crowd, who cheered them on. Even if you can' t speak a word of Hawaiian, you could feel the love in the large room, between the performers and the audience.

"The music really does lower your blood pressure," said Jim " Kimo" West. " I put slap key on in the car when I' m driving. It' s wonderful meditation wherever you listen to it," said the famed guitarist, who' s also known for playing with " Weird Al Yankovic," just one of the celebrities in the house to enjoy the festival. The friendly sound seems to really be played from the heart and soul through the fingers.

Cyril Pahinui and Jeff Peterson performed slack key with other artists in the Grammy-nominated soundtrack for the popular film, " The Descendants."  Some have called the Southern California slack key Festival, " the most prestigious Hawaiian music concert in the mainland United States."  

Numerous volunteers, such as Chris Cole of Huntington Beach and Torie Smith, love helping the festival, produced and directed by Mitchell Chang, continue to prosper. A variety of sponsors and vendors help create the magical atmosphere. I can' t wait until next year's festival rolls around. Check it out, you'll be delighted you did. To find out about other KalaKoa events, visit kalakoa.com

Events are not guaranteed. It is your responsibility to confirm before going.