LAHAINA – The Emma Farden Sharpe Hula Festival will be held Aug. 11-13 in Lahaina. Free and open to the public, the festival will gather Maui’s illustrious and talented halau all in one place.

The weekend kicks off at the Second Friday Town Party on Aug. 11 from 5 to 8:30 p.m. in Campbell Park with hula and Hawaiian music by Maui Jam and Meheu (Richard Ho’opi’i Falsetto Champions Kamalei Kawa’a and Greg Juan).

On Saturday at 9 a.m. under the Lahaina Banyan Tree, the day opens with Aunty Emma’s halau, Na Pua O Kapi’olani Hula Studio and Napili Kai Foundation, now under the direction of her grand niece, Kathy Holoaumoku Ralar.

Halau hula participating this year include Halau Kamaluokaleihulu, under Kumu Kahulu Maluo; Halau Hula Malani O Kapehe (Mapuana Samonte); Lahaina Honolua Senior Citizens Club; Ka Pa Hula O Maui (Doll Aricayos); Halau Kauluokala (Uluwehi Guerrero); Pukalani Hula Hale (Hi’ilei Maxwell Juan); Halau Ke Ala Ka Hinano O Puna (Joy Salvador); Halau Kekuaokala ‘au ‘ala ‘iliahi (Haunani and Iliahi Paredes); and Halau Hula O Keola Ali’i O Ke Kai (Iola Balubar). To review the schedule, visit www.facebook.com/efshf.

The festival will feature keiki activities, a free hula workshop on Aug. 12 at 1 p.m. in the Pioneer Inn Courtyard with Kumu Hula Holoaumoku Ralar, and a free ukulele workshop on Aug. 12 at 11:30 a.m. with Jason Jerome of Lahaina Music. Space for the workshops is limited; to register, e-mail sfdhawaii@gmail.com.

On Saturday at 10 a.m., an award ceremony will be held to honor kumu for their dedication to hula. Martha Geraldine Ah Heong Kamalamanui Medeiros will be honoring posthumously.

Come here the stories of Aunty Emma and ‘Ohana Farden on Saturday at 2:15 p.m.

Event sponsors include the County of Maui, Lahaina Hawaiian Civic Club, LahainaTown Action Committee, Lahaina Music, Best Western Pioneer Inn, Daryl Fujiwara-Smythe Fujiwara Design, Na Pua O Kapi’olani Hula Studio, Kathy Holoaumoku Ralar and ‘Ohana Farden.

For more information on the festival, check out WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/EFSHF.