Kailua Village is named 2026 IFEA World Festival & Event City

The International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) announced and recognized historic Kailua Village as a 2026 IFEA World Festival & Event City during the 71st Annual IFEA Convention & Expo last week.

The prestigious IFEA World Festival & Event City Award was created to encourage, support, and recognize positive local environments for festivals and events worldwide. Festivals and events generate tremendous cultural, social, and economic value for the communities they serve, but their long-term success depends on strong partnerships and support at every level.

Nestled along the storied Kona Coast of Hawaiʻi Island, historic Kailua Village was once the seat of Hawaiian royalty and home to iconic landmarks such as Huliheʻe Palace and Mokuaikaua Church. It now serves as a dynamic gathering place for residents and visitors alike.

Whether its internationally recognized events such as the Ironman World Championship and Kona Coffee Cultural Festival or beloved community traditions, including Independence Day and Christmas parades, Kailua Village embraces the power of festivals and events to connect people.

Kailua Village demonstrates authentic Hawaiian spirit and commitment to community-driven celebrations, which enrich place and people.

“Through this program, we aim to strengthen the dialogue between events and cities around the globe, at a time when that connection has never been more important,” said IFEA President and CEO Steven Wood Schmader, CFEE, during the award presentations. “The high caliber of this year’s entries highlights the powerful role that festivals and events play in shaping vibrant, sustainable communities. The cities being honored in 2026 are setting strong examples we hope others will follow.”

Entries were reviewed by an international panel of industry experts, making this recognition the only global honor of its kind. Each city’s submission was evaluated on a comprehensive range of criteria, including:

• Community Overview: Providing judges with a deeper understanding of each community and the infrastructure in place to host and support those producing and attending festivals and events.
• Community Festivals and Events: Illustrating the diversity and success of current festivals and events serving each market’s residents and visitors.
• City/Government Support of Festivals and Events: Demonstrating the strength and depth of support from each applicant city and other governmental bodies, including county, state, and taxing districts, as it pertains to festivals and events.
• Non-Governmental Community Support of Festivals and Events: Highlighting the commitment and direct support provided by community individuals, businesses, and organizations. These partnerships play an important role in helping festivals and events achieve long-term success.
• Market Leveraging of the “Community Capital” Created by Festivals and Events: Demonstrating how the city and its partners maximize the branding and marketing opportunities created by festivals and events to generate additional benefits for the community.
• Extra Credit: Providing each city with an opportunity to highlight additional programs, services, and event-related resources not covered in the other categories, such as local university event management programs, certified professionals, and shared event-resource programs.

The IFEA World Festival & Event City Award provides an international platform for communities to recognize the success of their ongoing efforts, encourage continued enhancement of festival and event infrastructure, policies, and processes, and showcase their communities as welcoming destinations for festivals and events.

For more information about the 2026 IFEA World Festival & Event City Award recipients, including recipient videos and award presentation photos, visit the IFEA World Festival & Event City Award website.