About

Our hearts go out to those affected by the catastrophic wildfires on Maui. Leihoku Fest and Marcus Mariota’s Motiv8 Foundation are teaming up in support of Maui relief efforts. A donation on behalf of Leihoku Fest is matching up to $25,000 of every dollar donated from now until September 30, 2023. All donations will go to Hawaii Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund. For more info about the Maui Strong Fund visit www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/maui-strong and for info on Motiv8 Foundation, please visit https://motiv8foundation.com/.

In response to the devastating wildfires on Maui, the Hawaii Community Foundation has activated the Maui Strong Fund to provide flexible resources to support Maui residents. Funding will address evolving needs, including shelter, food, financial assistance and other services as they are identified by on-the-ground partners doing critical work on Maui. HCF will not be collecting a fee for donations to the Maui Strong Fund; 100 percent of the funds will be distributed for community needs.

Concert King LLC is a live-entertainment event organizer, promoter and management company based in Hawaii. For Concert King, music, sports and cultural appreciation-preservation-exchange and the practice of hospitality “is life”—evidenced by the company’s motto, “World Peace Through Events”.

Brenden Clement, Concert King’s founder, has been a die-hard Oregon Ducks fan since age 3 and grew up going to Ducks games while living in Eugene as a child before moving back to Honolulu to attend St. Louis High School on the slopes of Kalaepōhaku – the alma mater of Marcus Mariota and may other great ambassadors of the “brotherhood”.

The last time University of Hawaii played at Oregon was 31 years ago and Brenden was at Autzen stadium for that defeat. A rematch has been a long time coming, so an opportunity to combine his love of Duck football with that of his Hawaii home felt serendipitous, thus the vision of “Leihokou Fest” was born.

The Hawaiian word “Leihoku” means “A Lei (or Wreath) Of Stars” and represents how people work together to strive in pursuit of high aspirations. The festival name was chosen to celebrate the courageous spirit and amazing ingenuity of Polynesian voyagers who, in ancient times, navigated thousands of miles over the Pacific Ocean using a “lei of stars” in the sky to guide them to distant islands.

This epic third weekend in September delivers a trifecta of world-class events. Kicking off the weekend is Leihoku Fest at the Cuthbert Amphitheater on September 15^th, headlined by Polynesian reggae band Common Kings and island reggae artist Sammy Johnson with special guest 2023 American Idol winner Iam Tongi and opener Jacobs Castle. Other events in Eugene include the long-awaited University of Hawaii versus University of Oregon football game at Autzen Stadium on September 16^th, and the Prefontaine Classic at storied Hayward Field on the U of O campus on September 16^th – 17th. Promoting the concert, football game and international track and field competition as an entertainment and sports festival weekend embodies the motto of “Think Global. Act Local.”

Leihoku Fest Eugene endeavors to celebrate the thousands of miles and high aspirations that Athletes, Entertainers, Fans and Supporting Institutions, as “Voyagers”, will travel to Eugene as ‘ohana (extended family) in a spirit “lokahi” (of one mind, in unison, to bring about unity, to make peace) at The Cuthbert Amphitheater, in Autzen Stadium, and historic Hayward Field.