WOW! the hawaiian/poly culture in Arizona is on fire! -thank you to the AMAZING performers who shared their talents & the hosts who introduced each performance!!! -food plates priced right w/enough food for two to share. -drinks pricey at $15 for a 32oz. read more

From a foodie perspective, this is one of my favorite cultural festivals in AZ! The aloha festival puts on such a fun festival with SO MANY yummy food vendors We went on a Saturday and the lines were very long but the food was actually delicious and worth the price! Some of the things we ordered were malasadas, short ribs and garlic shrimp, macadamia nut waffle with coconut chicken, and pulled pork Mac and cheese! There were a ton more food options but some of the lines were just too long to wait in. I would suggest getting their earlier to have more time to visit the booths! There was also plenty of dancers and Polynesian entertainment on the main stage. Overall, I'm sad this is only once a year but glad I got to go this year! read more

Arizona Aloha Festivals - Malasadas and coconut macadamia chicken and waffles - Festivals Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Ugh this year was absolutely insane. They upped up all of the parking fees. Blocked the whole street. Made it impossible to even drop off or pick people up . So much police presence, not necessary! And the prices of food have gone through the roof It's really not worth going anymore . read more

"You don't have to live in Hawaii - or even be Hawaiian - to embrace the Aloha Spirit." - Mark Ellman This is a nice way to spend an hour or two. The vibe is welcoming and friendly. A great chance to learn about different cultures, try unique foods and drinks, and get out in Tempe's gorgeous mid-March weather. The Aloha Festival has been free admission for over 25 years. The non-profit organization behind this works closely with sponsors to keep it that way. For the 2022 edition of the festival (the first in two years as we enter the post-pandemic phase), Hawaiian Airlines and Hawaiian Experience Spa were the main sponsors. Wanna keep things free? Buy something, including simple bottles of water. There are different stages with live performances. Honestly, I expected a much smaller event but this was huge. The number of people and organizations in the region bringing this lifestyle to Arizona was welcome. The dances were especially good. When you arrive, you can get a program that lists the schedule of performances. There is a $5 raffle that includes a trip for $20 to Maui. Festival T-shirts are also available for $20. Besides the vendors selling everything under the sun, a number of food stalls are there. A wonderful chance to sample many different restaurants at once. ATM's are available throughout the site as are restrooms. There is some seating but they are snapped up pretty fast. Yelp reviews from previous years mention long lines at the food and beverage stalls. My best advice? Arrive early. I arrived at 9:30 which was perfect. Even by 11am, things had gotten much busier. There is something for everyone here. From shopping to eating to watching performances, it is a wonderful way to pass a few hours. Having discovered so many new vendors, I look forward to checking out their businesses in the coming weeks. read more

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Even though the Aloha festival isn't a festival that I get super excited to attend in Phoenix but I had a good time this year! It happened to be celebrating its 25th anniversary-the handout said. I was reminded by the Arizona Aloha Festival Inc website (a non-profit/support charities group) that there is no admittance fee but if you purchased a raffle ticket or water, it would help with their costs of operation. Rental of the park, fire, security, rental of tents, tables and clean up are all costs that add up that many of us overlook. There was three entertainment stages, ukulele corner, take home kids activities, paper lei making, 88 merchants and 31 food court vendors. I did spot some familiar food and product vendors that were at the Matsuri festival last month in Heritage square. :) It was a nice few hours spent, learning about South Pacific Islander culture, shopping, eating and stretching those legs! read more

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So glad I got to experience this event while I'm here away from home. Entertainment was entertaining and so beautiful from the outfit, jewelry, dance from the young and older dancers. A wonderful learning about customs in Hawaii. Everything was outstanding! The food options was on point and well spread out so it won't get too congested. Coming early was a great idea since there was not a huge line for food and drinks. Don't forget to drink plenty of water and wear sunscreen! There are plenty of atm machines located around the festival. Everything was great untill I left to the garage to leave and realized I just almost got scammed by the garage attendant at the Hayden Ferry Parking. If anyone parking at the Hayden Ferry Parking, please do not pay cash if the guy at the garage tells you his cc machine is not working to swipe. He was swiping people card ahead of me and when it's my turn, he claims the cc machine is down and asked if I have $10 cash. I reply I only had card so he gave me the ticket from the machine and told me to pay when I leave. Well when I left the garage after the festival, I was charged $15 instead of $10! That garage attended was going to pocket my $10 cash if I was to pay in cash! read more

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I love going to the Aloha Festival. I have only lived in AZ for 4 years, and this 2-day festival has grown exponentially since my first visit in 2013. Opening time was 10am, and by 11am on Saturday the crowds were already massive. It was shoulder-to-shoulder walking in some areas, and the lines for food were insane! I returned at 10am on Sunday and it was easy breezy for walking around and for the getting food. I particularly enjoyed the vegan Soba noodles and veggies from Island Noodles. Another vendor sold pineapple coconut smoothies, and they were very refreshing. Some vendors were selling water, but please buy water (they sold sodas as well) from the festival organizer's booths; it's only $1 and the proceeds go straight toward assisting with the expenses for this FREE festival. There were lots of different vendors. Lots of people selling assorted flowers and leis, jewelry, clothing, bags, oils and lotions, etc. Prices were reasonable at most vendors. I really love how some of the Hawaiian female vendors referred to me as "sister." They would say, "Hello, sister," or "Thank you, sister." It felt very welcoming. A free festival held during beautiful weather, experiencing beautiful cultures and beautiful people. (If you're a fan of man-buns (as am I) they are in abundance at this festival!) I am looking forward to next year. read more

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I've been coming to the Aloha Festival with my wife for the past six years and we've loved every one! Each stage has its share of Pacific Island dances and cultural experiences. Representing countries/cultures include Hawai'i, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Philippines, Guam, New Zealand, Tahiti, and Cook Islands. There are vendors selling all different kinds of island goodies (candles in a coconut, clothing, jewelry, and home decor). But the main event of this festival is the food. I mean cmon, who doesn't love some island eats!? I always go for the kalua pork plate lunch with a side of poi. Nothing beats watching amazing cultural dance performances while munching on some delicious food. Be warned: the weekend they usually hold this festival (mid-March) is usually the weekend on which the temps begin to soar, so stay hydrated and leave the pets at home! If you don't remember to bring water, bottles are sold at the festival for $1. Also: parking can be a hassle and costly. We always park at ASU and walk along Mill to the park. read more

Arizona Aloha Festivals - Kalua pork plate lunch with side of poi - Festivals Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

This is my 1st year attending this event. I LOVE IT! TON of stages, activities, entertainment, food, drinks, products, and love the people. So glad we were there early (10am), it was getting super crowded around 12:45pm when we were leaving. I miss Hawaii!!! read more

Arizona Aloha Festivals - We heart shave ice! - Festivals Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

What a great way to spend the day! We were looking for something to do Saturday and read about the Aloha Festival on the Yelp website. Got there Saturday around 11am. Lots of people already, but not super crowded. A large stage featured music and dancers. There were booths with jewelry and other merchandise. Hawaiian food available. Lots of open areas for walking around. A great view of Tempe town lake. We shared one of the plate specials available. It came with chicken, pork, rice, macaroni salad and coleslaw for $10. We sat on the grass and ate while we watched the performers on the main stage. After that, we walked around checking out the booths. Next up, time to sample more food. This time we had the Spam Musubi. It looked like a sushi roll, but was a slice of spam surrounded by rice and wrapped in a sheet of seaweed. It was delicious! Okay, so by now the crowd is bigger and it's getting pretty warm. Almost time to go. We walked around some more then headed for the booth with shaved ice. These were huge with many flavors to choose from! What a great way to cool off and end our day! Definitely going back next year! read more

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Some Aloha on a cold, wet March afternoon Very much enjoyed the festival. Lots of vendors to sate the yearn for island food-- manapua, lau lau, katsu, lomi lomi salmon, POG, haupia, kalua pork, huli huli chicken, and all the staples were available. Also had some interesting new items like mac + white chocolate cookie ice cream sandwiches with coconut ice cream and a teriyaki/katsu chicken stick. (Spell check is going to make me go through all of that, isn't it?) Dancers are a mix of very good to average, but still very fun. Our daughter was enthralled. And the spirit was there to make it a warm event despite the weather. Make you miss home if you're from Hawai'i. Location is also family friendly. Downtown Tempe is a great location for walking, eating, and spending time with each other. We will be back! read more

One of the nicest festivals in the Phoenix area! Admission was free, and Tempe Beach Park was the perfect venue for this event. There was a very wide selection of food stands, including some more exotic cuisines from Guam, and even a delectable food stand that just sold malasadas (Hawaiian doughnuts). There were also a lot of vendors selling wares from jewelry, to clothes, and even the Hawaiian Experience Spa was here selling gift certificates for lomi-lomi massages. There were also a lot of informational booths with lots of activities for kids to do, and various entertainment on the stage (Mainly a lot of various types of dance). Unlike other festivals, where you can feel a bit suffocated by the lack of space as you walk around if there are a lot of people around, Tempe Beach Park is spacious enough (And the set up of the festival is spaced out enough) that you can walk freely without feeling confined. It was a cloudy, dreary, slightly rainy day, but that didn't deter us from having a good time! Since it was so rainy the day before, it did make the ground very muddy and wet in certain areas, so those that are coming to the festival this year should be prepared and wear shoes they don't mind getting mud on! I tried a lot of different foods, such as loco moco from Island Loco (Normally a food truck), a plate of food from the Guam stand, and some Japanese takoyaki from Toh Zan. In total we spent a little over 20 dollars on food and beverage, and left with satisfied stomachs. If you are driving here, a handy little tip- park across from Tempe City Hall in the garage for free parking! It's a short walk to the festival through scenic downtown Tempe. Otherwise, event parking is in various uncovered lots and is $10. read more

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This is one of the better festivals I have been to here in AZ. The selection for food is HUGE! So much to choose from. I went with full intentions to satisfy my plate lunch craving and that's what I got. Delicious chicken teriyaki with rice & mac salad. Besides that there was every kind of meat imaginable, kahlua pig, shrimp, lomi lomi salmon, banana egg rolls, malasadas, kona coffee, the list goes on. There are lots of booths with interesting crafts. I loved the Hawaiian snacks tents where you could find every kind of dried fruit and lots of authentic Hawaiian and Asian inspired candies. The entertainment was great too - there were dance acts, bands, and more on stages throughout the festival. And on a hot day what's better than a real shave ice? So refreshing and love the little ice cream surprise on the bottom. read more

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This was my first time at the Arizona Aloha Festival. Parking was easy. There are several lots and parking areas by Tempe beach park. I suggest getting there early once they open. The crowd and the heat are the worst in the middle of the day. This event is free to get in so that was great! They had a good amount of vendors there. Mostly jewelry and clothing booths. There is music and performances on the stage. Plenty of activities for children i noticed. I came for the food so that's where I spent most of my time. I ordered a Kalua pork plate which was amazing. The meat was very moist and flavorful. I also ordered the spam masubi, if your a fan of spam its a must. Don't leave without a shaved ice from Kilauea Ice. Shaved ice with a maximum of 3 flavors and vanilla ice cream at the bottom and they have several toppings you can choose from to put on top. I will definitely be back next year! Only negative thing I noticed were there were no designated areas with tents to eat. You have to sit on the ground if you weren't lucky enough to snag a bench. read more

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Don't get me wrong - the food and drink, entertainment, the vibe - it's great! the problem? The attendee to booth/space ratio is way out of whack! We attended a couple of years ago - and had a fantastic time. I think folks have found out about this great gem of a festival, and the hoards of people attending took the charm out this year. The lines at each one of the food/drink booths were legendary. One friend said it took her 45 minutes just to order. One booth had bags of dried tropical fruit - we were planning to buy three - but when we saw the cashier line snake around the inside of the booth out to the walkway outside... we just set our bags down and walked away. I don't know what other than a bigger venue and more vendors they can do. I love it, but not sure I'll go back. read more

Arizona Aloha Festivals - Line to one of the food booths at the Aloha Festival ... all lines were like this. - Festivals Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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For Arizona this festival is great. it was a lot fun and there were plenty of prices that were not too high. We enjoyed the selection of products and the amazing shaved ice. Can't wait for it to return next year! read more

Arizona Aloha Festivals - Festivals Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

This my 2nd year attending the aloha festival w/ the kiddies @ the Tempe Town Lake. This is a free event & the place gets packed with people, food vendors, Hawaiian products & entertainments. This time we decided to park across the lake & ride over with our bikes. There's plenty of parking for this festival but we just wanted to get some exercise in. Our favorite (and a must have) is the huli-huli chicken & smoked turkey leg from the Hawaiian Vilovilo Chicken booth. The line is long but it's worth it!!! There's not really an eating area so everyone just sits in the grass area & relax. The good: - large array of food vendors (prices are reasonable) - kids activities (lei making, Hawaiian name label, etc) - they keep the park public restroom open so it's a alternative to the potty johns - 2 different areas for endless stage performances The bad: - malasadas are really oily - if it's a hot weekend it gets muggy out here (luckily, Hawaiian shave ice booths are not too far away. read more

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What fun we had at the Arizona Aloha Festival! We arrived around 1:30 and parked in the structure for $10. The event is free and very welcoming from the moment you arrive and see all the vendors, lovley dancers of all ages and hear the beautiful Island music. I regretted wearing jeans and sneakers - definitely will dress lighter next time and wear a hat. Even though there are a lot of people attending I never felt like it was overwhelming; their set up flowed nicely for large crowds. Unfortunately, I can't remember the name of the stir fried food I tried but it was filled with vegetables and a little chicken in a cup, very tasty! Can't wait to go back again next year. read more

Arizona Aloha Festivals - Live music even in some shops - Festivals Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Ugh. Massive crowds, LONG lines for food, no where close to park, no shade paired with the blazing heat makes this festival not so fun. We had to sit under the Mill Avenue bridge with the rest of the people there so we wouldn't burn to death while trying to eat our food that we waited in line forever for. I love the concept of having these outdoor festivals, but man, it's just too overwhelming. read more

This is a great festival for anyone that loves Hawaiian or Polynesian cultures. The entertainment was varied and well-done. There were quite a few food tents but most of them sold the same products. I would have loved to see some more options - especially chicken or fish musubi! Even though the area was packed, people were friendly and lines didn't take too long. I'll definitely be returning next year! read more

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This was our first Aloha Festival in AZ and I will say it's much better than the one in Seattle. Tons of vendors and way more food vendors. I believe there were 2 main stages with music and tons of activities. We did not realize that there were more than one area for food and stopped at the first section. Wish we went to the other side though. My girls enjoyed the ramen from one stand but the rice that was with the teriyaki chicken plate was mushy. We got malasadas and it definitely was not made from scratch. It was ok, but I could've made pilsbury malasadas at home. We got plate lunches from Moki's and while the flavor was good the portion size was very small for the price, disappointing. The laulau plate was a joke, no Mac salad and the cutest scoop of rice this local girl has ever seen. I mean maybe for a baby?! Come on, if your going to do Hawaiian plates and charge and arm and leg at least give enough food. read more

Arizona Aloha Festivals - Laulau from Moki's with the cutest scoop of rice (sigh) - Festivals Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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There was no shade, seating, or tables. Every festival with food had eating areas. Picnic tables or standing tables. This made the beautiful Hawaiian culture look like a trashy block party. It should have been pay to attend and tickets for food and drinks. Will not return without better amenities and organization. read more

One of the best festivals in the Valley! Lots of varieties of food, shopping, and entertainment. Fresh flower leis, raffles for trips to Hawaii, hula and other native dancing performances from Hawaii and island nations across the South Pacific, and mouth-watering malasadas...all at Tempe Beach Park. And, it's free admission! Don't miss this one! read more

Sorry, a disappointment this year. Entertainment was marginal, tons of food choices (not so many healthy) and lots of vendors selling stuff from HI.. read more

If you're super hungry for fast foods, this is the place. I was disappointed due to the lack of entertainment. The festival has defiantly changed over the last few years. Mostly food and clothing/nick nack vendors. I made a once around and left. Not worth the drive and parking. read more

I've been to at least a half dozen and overall, I think it's the best of the "cultural" festivals AZ has to offer. Usually in March, the Aloha Festival is jam-packed with heaps of food booths (plate lunches, yakisoba, ramen, Chinese, Huli-huli style chicken, malasadas, shave ice), souvenir stands (jewelry, art, automotive accessories, clothes, mu'us, pareos, crack seed), activities (stuff for the kids, martial arts demonstrations), and entertainment (Taiko, Hula, Tahitian dancing). There's a lot. And a lot of people. It's one of the better-attended festivals. Unfortunately you have to wait a year if you haven't been yet, but mark your calendar and grab some friends when the time comes. It's very worth it. read more

This event was amazing! The only down side no liquor I really enjoyed the Vegan Islands Noodles I was shocked to find a Vegan option here. The music by kush county was awesome too! There were some amazing vendors. While I didn't buy anything I wish I had! Cant wait to go again next year read more

Unless you are family friendly and love dodging strollers all day long, stay away from the Aloha Festival. Tempe always puts on a great festival, but not sure what genius decided that selling alcohol or beer would be a bad idea. I think this is the first festival in modern times that didn't let us have a cold beer to walk around the grounds with. Hmm, I recall the Oktoberfest had a huge number of kids there too and their dads were drinking beer and pushing strollers. Lines for almost any food (at noon only on Sunday) were several car lengths long and of course, all vendors were too cheap to buy chicken breasts for the plate lunch, so only dark meat was available. There was a decent show involving karate folks breaking bricks, but massive crowds meant you needed to be tall to see over everyone else to watch the action. We spent about an hour here. Festival pricing also in effect as somehow the sweet, innocent rice and mac salad plate costs 10 bucks, but ice water and soda were great deals at only a buck. Props on that. read more

Having a great time out here at the Aloha Festival. Some great music and dancing. Was able to get some Aloha kitchen and watching the show. Lots of stuff to do and see. Definitely worth checking out. I give this 5 pineapples. You heard me right 5 pineapples. read more

Arizona Aloha Festivals - Festivals Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

So much fun. Non stop entertainment on all 3 stages. So much food. Definitely worth going. read more

Arizona Aloha Festivals - Shaved Ice, the best! - Festivals Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

We attended the festival for some Hawaiian food and music. It was ok for something to do on a weekend in nice weather but it was very very crowded. If you don't like bring jam packed in with a few thousand people, stay away. read more

Stood in line 15 minutes for vilovilo chicken.... only to find out I was standing in the turkey leg line instead. So now I've been in line for 20 minutes for the chicken and the line hasn't moved. I no longer like chicken. ; read more

Arizona Aloha Festivals - This is the chicken gathering. It's not called a line because lines actually move. - Festivals Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Way too many people!!! It's so crowded they need to find a new venue. We didn't even eat cuz the food lines were way too long. Good entertainment but hard to see with so much people. read more

Arizona Aloha Festivals - Backstage - Festivals Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

This was a terrific event. Free admission, tons of entertainment options, super kid friendly. My only complaint is that some of the lines for vendors were pretty long, so I hope next year they will attract more vendors. All in all, my daughter and I had a perfect day at this festival. read more

I absolutely enjoy this festival. It reminds me so much of Hawaii's outdoor marketplace sans the beach. Clearly, Tempe Beach Park is just a name. We head on to Island Noodles right when we got there. "I just want noodles and vegetables. No chicken!", my son exclaimed. It's a little on the salty side. As long as its not greasy, it's all good. Then, hubby wanted a plate lunch. Okay, I don't get why Aloha Kitchen can't get efficiency down with their service at this festival. Love their food, but the line is outrageous! Off we try this new Paradise Hawaiian who's got two fast line going. He ordered the BBQ chicken and Mandoo (pot sticker) plate. For something sweet, my cutie pie wanted some malasadas (Portuguese doughnuts) covered with cinnamon sugar as well as my son being covered after eating them. It doesn't have the custardy flavor I expected. I picked up an undercooked rice spam musubi. Yuck! We all shared the food as we sat on a retaining wall with no shade. We browsed around the different vendors of shirts, jewelry, pottery, Hawaiian art and artifacts, to island cookies. Saturday-elaborate entertainment with the biggest crowd. Sunday-less entertainment with less crowd. Pick your day and you'll enjoy this free festival. Aloha! read more

Islanders represent! I love the Aloha Festival!! Came here with my man, my sister and her man and some friends, local and from out of town. The ambiance is amazing, I felt like I was in Hawaii or something (I absolutely LOVE Hawaii!) . All around me I see my fellow islanders from all over: Filipinos, Samoans, Hawaiians, Tongans, Micronesians, and many more! First of all, it's free (awesome,right? I would pay to get in this event!). Second, the performances are always awesome to watch while munching on amazing food! Don't even get me started on the food. DAMN. That's all I gotta say. You can tell the really great food vendors based on the lines, but the lines don't lie. You can't go wrong with the Loco Moco from Island Loco. For those that are unfamiliar, a Loco Moco consists of a bed of white rice with a burger patty and fried egg, smothered in Hawaiian brown gravy. I used to make these all the time growing up but I've been slacking. On the side I got an order of Spam Musubi that I dipped in sriracha, which was a little overpriced but hey it was worth it for the instant satisfaction. The fiance got an order of some shredded pork with a side of salmon tomato salad (kind of like a Hawaiian pico de gallo). That was pretty darn good but it could have been a little less salty. I was thirsty and a sign the said "island thai tea" caught my eye. It tasted a little different that the usual Thai iced tea but it was in no way any less delicious! To top everything off we finished our day with a Hawaiian shave ice with too many flavors to list (we also topped it with a ton of cream!). We enjoyed the food so much we came back the next day to try the Island Noodles, the line is super long but it moves fast and it's completely worth it! We shared one and devoured it to fullness. Then got more shave ice. :) I even wore my hair super big and wavy to be more "islandy". FUN TIMES AS ALWAYS! I even met some cool people that are from the same town I'm from in CA and we talked about her kid's coach that I had in high school! (small world!) read more

Arizona Aloha Festivals - Loco moco & spam musubi :) - Festivals Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Nice venue for a weekend afternoon. Right by the lake so it's a nice view. Lots of awesome Hawaiian food. Hula dancing. The weather was pretty good as long as you weren't directly in the sun. Got some barbecue chicken, noodles, and rice. To top it off some Hawaiian shaved ice with some sweet cream. Guava, passion fruit, and blue raspberry flavor it was nice. read more

I had a great time at the Aloha festival. It was a lot bigger than I expected it to be. I went on the 2nd day. I went on a trip to Maui a year ago and have been missing the islands ever since, and this was a fun way to bring that experience back home. I shared some delicious teryaki chicken and rice with my friend, had a shaved ice, and walked around looking at all of the booths. Saw a lot of orchids, coconut candles, ukuleles, and shell necklaces. There was different music and entertainment on different stages. I liked it a lot. read more

This was maybe not the most fun festival I have been to in the Phoenix area but I think it was because this year was not so pleasant due to the weather. It was cloudy and muddy. Very muddy. But overall, I was really impressed. I was expecting something a little cheesy... sort of like the luaus they do at the resorts in Maui. Instead the festival had a surprising amount of authenticity. It is obviously that many different cultural groups in the city, people from all different island nations or of native Hawaiian or Polynesian decent come together in Phoenix for this annual event and I think that is really cool. There was a wide variety of food vendors around ranging from typical festival fare like bbq and turkey legs, to Hawaiian dishes like steamed pork and plate lunches, to a variety of Asian and even a few Caribbean options. There were also a lot of different vendors selling all types of island style clothing and accessories. We had a lot of fun walking around looking at these. But the best part is the dance shows. So many different hula performance groups, each with different music and costumes. I recommend coming early and getting a seat to enjoy the show. I will definitely be here next year and hopefully the weather will be better. read more

Arizona Aloha Festivals - Festivals Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

I am from the beautiful island of GUAM and being away from home is hard so this will be the first year we will be able to attend. My family has never been to Guam so I am going to take them to show them a bit of our Island life...The Polynesian culture is a part of their blood and this is a great way to teach them! Hafa Adai! :) read more