Friends of HIMELE

Monte McComber

Prior to this position, he served as the Director of Educational Services for the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association (NaHHA). He serves as a board member for the Aloha Festivals, Hawaiian Civic Club of Honolulu, Hale O Na Alii O Hawaii, Kamehameha Schools Alumni Association - Oahu Region, Moanalua Garden's Foundation, NaHHA, and Ulu A‘e Learning Center.

Monte was responsible for bringing the Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival to the Royal Hawaiian Center in 2016. Prior to that, the festival was located at the Plaza Stage on Waikiki Beach Walk, and affiliated with the Outrigger Group.

The following year Monte was responsible for launching Waikīkīi Steel Guitar Week, expanding the one-day Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival to a week-long celebration of the Hawaiian steel guitar with nightly one-hour concerts Monday through Thursday, and a two-day festival on Friday and Saturday with 3½ hour concerts on each day and featuring different artists each night.

Thanks to his guidance and support, Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week has evolved into a mega steel guitar celebration that now includes the Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival on Friday and the Waikīkī Steel Guitar Festival on Saturday, complete with livestreamed coverage of the concerts. The 2025 Week is expanded even further with the launch of a Steel Guitar Sundays program by Hula Grill Waikiki to kick off the weeklong celebration and the addition of members from the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association performing on the Royal Grove stage as a part of their Waikiki Festival '25 which they have planned to coincide with the 2025 Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week.

In addition to advocating for the Hawaiian Steel Guitar, Monte also serves as festival emcee for various festivals including those on Kaua‘i and Maui, and for the nightly Monday-Thursday evening concerts during Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week.

Slideshow photo credits: Don Touchi-1,2; Larry Holu-3,4,5

HIMELE is very appreciative of the support that Monte, the Royal Hawaiian Center and the Festival Companies have given to HIMELE throughout the years and takes this opportunity to designate Monte as official Friend of HIMELE.