If this is your first tequila festival — or your first time at the Aloha Tequila & Arts Festival specifically — here's a complete walkthrough of what your night will look like, what's included with your ticket, and a few pro tips for getting the most out of June 20, 2026 in Waikiki.

The basics

The festival runs from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM at International Market Place, 2330 Kalakaua Ave in the heart of Waikiki. It's a 21+ event — bring a valid government-issued ID. Tickets are sold via TicketSpice and include access to all tasting sections, live entertainment, and the food and art zones.

What you get at the door

  • •A wristband confirming you're 21+ (so you can drink anywhere on-site)
  • •A festival tasting glass for tequila, mezcal and agave spirits pours
  • •Full access to all tasting sections, food vendors, the flea market, and the live entertainment areas

How to taste like a pro (without getting wrecked)

Pours are 1/2 oz, but they add up fast. Here's the rhythm experienced tasters use: start with one or two Blancos to calibrate your palate, move into Reposados, then sip a Mezcal or two for contrast. Drink one bottle of water per 3 pours. Eat tacos between sections — the food is part of the ticket. Skip the cocktails until the back half of the night so you can taste the spirits clean first.

The sections you don't want to miss

  • •Additive-Free Alliance — pure agave, no glycerin or caramel coloring (cleaner finish, less hangover)
  • •Big Name Brands — the household tequilas tasted side-by-side with their premium expressions
  • •Mezcal/Sotol/Bacanora — smokier, wilder, more obscure. The category every serious agave drinker explores
  • •VIP Section — limited-pour rare bottles you almost never see at retail

What to bring (and what not to)

  • •Bring: ID, comfortable shoes, a phone charger or battery, light layer for after sunset
  • •Skip: backpacks (they slow you down at security), heels (Kalakaua is uneven in spots), expectations of a quiet night

Getting there & getting home

International Market Place is dead-center in Waikiki — most hotels along Kalakaua and Kuhio are a 5–10 minute walk. If you're not staying in walking distance, take a rideshare. Don't drive. Trade-wind evenings + tequila tasting + Kalakaua traffic is not a combination that ends well.

A reminder about why you're here

Partial proceeds from the festival benefit the Aloha Cancer Project — a Honolulu 501(c)(3) supporting cancer patients across Hawaii. So while you're tasting world-class agave spirits and dancing to a DJ set under palm trees, you're also funding patient services and community outreach. Aloha indeed.