In the Southern Sun at Queen’s Surf Beach

Aloha Festivals, presented by Hawai‘i Tourism, introduces a new event for 2019: In The Southern Sun – a free concert sponsored by Hele Gas at Queen’s Surf Beach to celebrate the spirit of aloha in the community. The inaugural event, produced in partnership with NMG Network’s 10th Anniversary, expands the 2019 Aloha Festivals events lineup and featured performances from local artists and a headline appearance by Grammy-nominated Common Kings.

Music at In The Southern Sun honored Hawaii’s past while carrying these traditions into the future. The concert opened with cultural protocol and hula, and featured performances by Taimane Gardner, Na Hoa, Jasmin Nicole and Fia. Topping off the evening, audiences rocked and swayed with Common Kings. The band, last seen in Hawai‘i opening for Bruno Mars in November 2018, returend with their island-style hits like “Wade in your Water,” “24/7” and songs from their newest EP “One Day.”

Hawaii-based brand FITTED developed the concept for In The Southern Sun in collaboration with Aloha Festivals. FITTED sold exclusive merchandise at the event in line with their mission to teach youth the importance of embracing culture and history, while maintaining a high standard of quality, functionality, and aesthetics.

The event name is a nod to a line from “Island Rose,” a poem about Princess Ka‘iulani by the famed novelist Robert Louis Stevenson. While recovering from a bout of tuberculosis, Stevenson stayed as a guest of the princess in her family’s cottage at Sans Souci. Moved by her gracious hospitality and spirit of aloha, he penned “Island Rose,” which speaks of Ka‘iulani’s journey to Scotland, away from her beloved islands “in Southern sun.” Moreover, In The Southern Sun celebrates the rich history of the South Shore of O‘ahu, from the uplands of Mānoa and Pālolo to the lowlands of Kāneloa and Kapua. It is in this spirit of aloha and in celebration of the cultural significance of Waikīkī that Aloha Festivals offers this free mahalo concert to kama‘āina, and invites malihini to participate in the celebration.