The 13th annual Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC) is just over two weeks away, landing in Hawaii from June 6 through June 16. About 2,500 delegates from 28 Pacific island nations will soon arrive, prepared to represent Pacific culture. Locals should take advantage of the event to gain new knowledge, and perhaps a work of art or artisanry created by our neighboring Pacific nations and territories.

FestPAC, first launched in 1972, is the world’s largest celebration of indigenous Pacific island culture. It will be the first time that Hawaii has hosted the festival — providing an unmatched opportunity for Hawaii residents to participate, engage and gain a broader perspective on the range of societies that are represented.

This year’s FestPAC is themed “Ho‘oulu Lahui: Regenerating Oceania,” in keeping with the festival’s overarching purpose of nurturing traditions and facilitating cultural exchange, and also looking ahead at challenges including sustainability and climate change. Hawaii has sent delegates to each festival in the Pacific since 1976.

“This is our opportunity to give back to countries that have just given everything that they are to us when we have been with them,” FestPAC festival director Aaron Sala told the Star-Advertiser. With an an estimated budget of $24 million, Hawaii FestPAC is supported by Hawaii’s state government, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Hawaii Community Foundation, many other institutional and individual donors and hundreds of volunteers.

One simple way to help: Join in. Residents can help advance the goal of cultural exchange by visiting art and artisan exhibits, observing performances and demonstrations, and perusing the festival’s marketplace.

Venues include the state art museum, Capitol Modern, Bishop Museum, the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Hawaii Convention Center and Kualoa Regional Park. Live festival events will also be held at UH West Oahu, Windward Mall and the Palama Settlement in Kalihi.

The festival begins with pageantry and ritual, with a Canoe Arrival Ceremony at Kualoa Regional Park, performances, speeches and a Parade of Nations, an ideal opportunity to see participants in traditional finery.

Kualoa park, a locus for Polynesian Voyaging Society training, will also host the public Wa‘a Festival, a canoeing festival, on Saturday, June 8, sharing and demonstrating traditional voyaging techniques, navigation and craftsmanship with canoe tours and interactive workshops.

The Hawaii Convention Center is FestPAC’s primary venue, hosting displays, performers, artists and cultural practitioners at a Festival Village designed in partnership with Architects Hawaii Unlimited. Vendors from throughout the Pacific will have wares on display at Expo for FestPAC 2024 here, showcasing local and indigenous businesses and traditional craftsmanship.

Hawaii Rep. Richard Onishi, the House designee on the FestPAC Commission, observed that this year, for the first time, FestPAC is expanding to provide “opportunities for countries to have a discussion” on climate and international relationships, and touts the festival for providing Hawaii and the United States with an opportunity to host the disparate nations. In his view, FestPAC is the state’s most significant international gathering since 2011’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders summit or the 2016 World Conservation Congress — both of which attracted visitor spending and tax revenue and led to the creation of spinoff enterprises that created opportunities for Hawaii.

Participate in the adventure. Find a calendar of events and a full list of locations at festpachawaii.org.