Welcome to Utah’s number one ukulele festival! The Utah Ukulele Festival (UUF) is held annually on the first Saturday of August in Logan, Utah, and focuses on sharing the spirit of Aloha through music, dance, and other cultural expressions.
The festival started in 2013 when Logan residents David Manoa and Jeffery Olsen met and decided to share the beautiful culture, music, and spirit of Hawaii with Cache Valley. Denelle Manoa, David’s wife, joined the trio to help with organization, and the festival began. Many other volunteers and community members came together to share their love of Hawaiian culture and ukulele music.
The UUF ran from 2013 to 2019. Attendance and programs grew and evolved year to year, but, in 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic put an end to the festival. David, Jeffery, and Denelle wanted to bring the festival back but couldn’t dedicate as much time to it as before. In 2026, David partnered with Emma George from the Bear River Heritage Area to put on the festival again. With help from Jeffrey and Denelle, the Utah Ukulele Festival returned!
On August 1, 2026, the Utah Ukulele Festival made its comeback at Willow Park in Logan, Utah. Despite the record-breaking temperatures, ukulele groups and soloists performed for the appreciative crowd. Performers included soloist Sue Schnitzer, Jay Sadang and friends, and the O-Town Ukesters.
In addition to music performances, the festival also offered free activities and entertainment for all ages. Amazing vendors sold everything from Hawaiian print shirts to Uke-Azoos, a kazoo shaped like a ukulele. KSM Music, a local musical instrument store, provided sound equipment and free lessons for beginner and intermediate ukulele players. There was also a ukulele play along and a workshop taught by this year’s headliner Kris Fuchigami. Later in the afternoon, there were open mic contests for ukulele players to show off their skills and win great prizes from the festival sponsors.
Along with incredible music, there were also dance performances. Two hula groups performed at the festival. The first group is from Nibley and is called Halau Hula ‘O Ka’ahumanu. They showcased traditional and modern hula dances. The second hula group is Halau Ku Pono I Kamalani from Davis County, and they performed dances not only from Hawaii but from across the Polynesian islands. They also invited audience members to come up and learn the hula.
The headliner for the 2026 festival was Kris Fuchigami. Kris is from Keaʻau, Hawaii, and has headlined and performed at numerous ukulele festivals worldwide. Kris’s excellence was recognized with Na Hoku Hanohano Awards for Instrumental Composition of the Year in 2019, 2021, and 2023, solidifying his reputation as a trailblazer in the music industry. Kris captivated the audience at the UUF with his incredible speed and technical prowess. You can learn more about Kris and hear his music here.
Kris performing with his mother Keiko at the 2026 festival. Photo by Denelle Manoa.
With around 800 attendees, the festival was a great success! We would like to thank all the performers, volunteers, vendors, and sponsors who helped to make this year’s festival a success. This is truly a community led and community focused event. Thank you for your support, and we look forward to seeing you next year!
If you are interested in helping with next year’s festival, please reach out to Emma George at emmag@brag.utah.gov. To learn more about the festival, you can visit www.utahukefest.com
Special thanks to the 2026 Utah Ukulele Festival Sponsors: America 250, Utah Division of Arts & Museums, Cache County RAPZ & Restaurant Taxes, KSM Music, Misi, Koaloha, Aquila Strings, Kanile’a Ukulele, De Houtwinkel Utah School of Lutherie, Mo’ Bettahs, and the Bear River Association of Governments.
Story and photos by Emma George, the Heritage and Folk Art Coordinator for the Bear River Heritage Area, a program of the Bear River Association of Governments.
Check out these additional photos in the gallery!
