 Emma Farden Sharpe Hula Festival to Honor Phyllis Ross and Showcase Maui’s Local Artisans
August 22–23, 2025 | Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows, Kāʻanapali Beach KAHULUI, MAUI – The Emma Farden Sharpe Hula Festival proudly returns to Lahaina August 22–23, 2025, at the beautifully reimagined Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows, bringing together hālau hula, cultural practitioners, artisans, and Hawaiian music in a free, family-friendly celebration of aloha. This year’s festival will shine a spotlight on Phyllis Ross, a lifelong student, dancer, and teacher of hula whose journey has been deeply intertwined with the legacy of Aunty Emma Kapiʻolani Farden Sharpe while also featuring a vibrant mākeke where Maui small businesses and artisans will share their locally made apparel, jewelry, cultural goods, and ono treats. Phyllis began dancing hula at the age of four, later assisting Aunty Emma’s University of Hawaiʻi classes and spending summers immersed in hula and cultural teachings at Aunty’s home. After performing with Nelsen Waikiki and on Hawaiian Airlines promotional tours worldwide, she returned to Lahaina to dance with the Emma Sharpe Entertainers until Aunty’s passing. On June 14, 1975, Phyllis received her Kumu Hula teaching certificate, formally carrying forward the values and traditions instilled in her by Aunty Emma. Today, she is celebrated for her devotion, humility, and aloha that continue to inspire generations of haumāna. A special tribute honoring Phyllis Ross will take place on Friday, August 22, at 11:15 a.m. at The Branches at Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows. Festival HighlightsFriday, August 22
A full day of hālau hula performances featuring:
The mākeke is more than shopping, it is a chance to connect with Maui’s creative community and support local entrepreneurs while taking home a piece of aloha. Festival ExperienceRediscover “the people’s place” at the Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows. Festival guests booking through the exclusive link will enjoy waived resort fees and free self-parking, just steps away from all festivities. Honoring Aunty Emma’s LegacyThe festival continues the mission of Aunty Emma Farden Sharpe, a renowned Kumu Hula and cultural leader who dedicated her life to preserving and sharing Hawaiian culture. Originally an extension of Nā Mele O Maui, the festival today brings new life to Aunty Emma’s vision, celebrating both kahiko and ʻauana styles of hula. Mahalo to Our Generous SponsorsCounty of Maui Office of Economic Development, Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, Kilohana by Hawaiian Council, Lahaina Hawaiian Civic Club, ʻOhana Farden, Pacific Media Group – KPOA 93.5 FM, KS Kaiāulu, and the Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows. For more information, visit: facebook.com/efshf # # # "Hula is the language of the heart, and therefore the heartbeat of the Hawaiian people." - David Kalakaua. The energy that exudes physically and spiritually from the dancer is used to move not just the dancer itself but everything around the dancer. It can change the world – change the world for the better. The energy could be the hula, a visual display, it could be the mele, touching our sense of hearing – that all touch us – its a motivator, a way to connect, not just with the culture, but with each other. About Emma Farden Sharpe “From the 1920s through the late 1980s, this fabulous Farden, as she was known, dominated entertainment in the Hawaiian style. She brought authentic hula to uncounted thousands of visitors as well as dancers who themselves would become leading kumu (teachers) – who joined in her vision to preserve the dances of antiquity. These include the legendary Nina Maxwell and grand niece Kathy Holoaumoku Ralar. All brought or bring these traditions to an even newer generation of dancers. Auntie Emma learned the traditional hula she passed on to thousands from three teachers. Her first, as a young girl, was Kauhai Likua, dancer for Kamehameha IV’s royal court. Another was hula master Joseph Ilala’ole, from whom some 90 percent of hula taught today can be linked. Likua was her true mentor, whose style she passed on to her own dedicated students. Sharpe’s third kumu was Hawaiian scholar Mary Kawena Pukui.”
ABOUT ROYAL LAHAINA RESORT & BUNGALOWS Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows is one of Maui’s first resorts, unfolding across 27 acres of sun-kissed, tropical gardens on the world-renowned Ka’anapali Beach. The intimate property, once the preferred retreat for Hawaiian royalty, remains independently owned and curated by locals who share the values of the islands. With stunning panoramic views of neighboring islands, Lanai and Molokai, and premier access to over a mile of secluded Ka’anapali Beach, the intimate oasis offers 333 guest rooms and 127 private bungalows, exquisite open-air dining, the dazzling Myths of Maui Luau, The Spa at Royal Lahaina, two serene pools, recreational and tennis/pickleball courts, an adjacent golf course, and above all, its hallmark warmth of personalized hospitality with aloha. The resort invites guests to immerse themselves in the natural beauty and rich culture of Maui, offering a restoring and re-energizing blend of relaxation and adventure. For more information, please visit www.royallahaina.com | @royallahainaresort or call 808-661-3611.
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