The Best Ukulele Festivals of Summer 2022

Are you ready for some serious summer ukulele fun? It’s definitely not too late to make plans to attend some of the best ukulele festivals of summer 2022! There’s something that’s just pure magic about being in the company of other ukulele lovers and making music together. Spending time at a ukulele festival is a way of transcending all of the challenges that life throws at us sometimes, and it’s an amazing way to reconnect with old friends and make new ones while we’re at it!

Attending a ukulele festival this summer is also a great way to learn new skills and new songs from some of the best ukulele teachers out there! And there’s so much more to do at a good ukulele festival. You can shop for new instruments and gear, pick up new sheet music, attend or perform at an open mic, and hear some fabulous performances from some of the best ukulele artists around. 

No matter where you live, chances are there’s a ukulele festival happening near you. So pack your bags and tune up your favorite ukes while you check out our list of the best ukulele festivals for summer 2022!

Best Ukulele festivals for 2022:

Uke-Con Summer Festival 2022: August 27th is a special date. We will be enjoying the best of the best that comes from the ukulele world. From top ukulele artists’ performances to workshops, special prizes, and more. The fun will be guaranteed at the UkeLikeThePros UKE-CON Summer Festival. From 12:00 p.m. to 08:00 p.m, you will be listening to top ukulele performers, participating in several activities, and having some fun while on it. Not to brag, but here’s the list of the artists already confirmed:

• Daniel Ho (6 TIMES GRAMMY WINNER)
• Larry Mitchell (GRAMMY WINNER)
• Aldrine Guerrero
• Kris Fuchigami
• Andrew Molina
• Bernadette Plazola @Plazi
• Anthony Stanley & Keahi & Hawaiian Dancers
• Dani Usero
• Victoria Kolasinski @jiggywithviggy
• Bryce Ava Wettstein
• Timmy Cruz
• Victoria Vox
• Abby Lyons
• Terry Carter
• PLUS Surprise Guests

An EXPERIENCE full of music and entertainment that will have amazing LIVE Performances, Ukulele Workshops, Ukulele Store / Exhibitions, Ukulele brands Booths, and In-House luthiers for Instruments Setups.  If you are a musician, you will have the best time getting together with other ukulele lovers from around the world! But that’s not all, the event will have food trucks, raffles, and more Special Surprises! This is going to be the event of the year!  We have 7 different tickets (in-person and virtual) for you to select the perfect one for you. SAVE YOUR SEAT NOW!

Ukulele Festival Hawaii: After more than fifty years, 2022 will mark the last Ukulele Festival in Hawaii. Since 2020, the Ukulele Festival Hawaii has been exclusively online, and this year’s festival will also happen online so you can participate no matter where in the world you are. You can sign up and stream live performances online from Jake Shimabukuro, Herb Ohata Jr., Danny Kaleikini, and more. This year’s event takes place on July 17, 2022 and will include a silent auction that begins on July 8.

Mighty Uke Day: Held in Lansing, Michigan, Mighty Uke Day organizers are gearing up for an in-person event for the first time since 2020! Mighty Uke Day is coming up soon on June 24-26, 2022, and there’s a full schedule of workshops, community events, live performances, and even general merriment. This is the biggest and best ukulele festival in the midwestern United States, so definitely, not one to miss!

Midwest Uke & Harmonica Camp: Another great event in Michigan, the Midwest Uke & Harmonica Camp takes place on August 5-7 and offers over 40 different workshops for ukulele players of all levels, ages, and abilities! You can stay on-campus at Hope College where the camp is held or bring your RV/camper and choose your own adventure. Workshop offerings include baritone-friendly options as well as classical ukulele – truly something for everyone!

Nutmeg Ukulele Festival: This weekend ukulele festival held in Simsbury, Connecticut takes place at the end of summer on September 9-11. Workshop offerings include teachers and performers like Marcy Marxer and Cynthia Kinnunen! For anyone in the northeast U.S., this is a great opportunity to explore your love of ukulele in a laid-back low-key atmosphere. The Nutmeg Ukulele Festival is the brainchild of the Kinetic Ukes, a local all-inclusive ukulele performance group that welcomes performers between the ages of 10 and 110! 

NJ Uke Fest: This weekend festival takes place from August 26 – 28 in Rockaway, New Jersey. Registration is limited to 50 participants, so this is sure to be an incredible and intimate experience of music and ukulele. The NJ Uke Fest is sponsored by The Folk Project, New Jersey’s premiere acoustic music and dance organization and is part of their incredible summer line up of events. You can also find lots of great live music events and workshops that take place all year long on their website.

Strathmore Uke Fest: August 13-17 marks the fourteenth annual Strathmore Uke Festival in North Bethesda, Maryland. Workshops and performances are held at three different locations around the city and include teachers like Daniel Ward, Herb Ohata Jr., and Marcy Marxer. What makes this ukulele festival one of the best? They offer an advanced track of workshops to help you level up your ukulele skills! There are baritone-friendly class options as well as drop-in classes that don’t require registration.

Ashokan Ukulele Camp: Also at the time of this writing, the annual Ashokan Ukulele Camp has ended, but it takes place over Memorial Day weekend every year. What makes this ukulele festival unique is its beautiful setting in the Catskills of upstate New York. Each year, ukulele players and artists come from all over the world to gather at this historic location nestled in the forest to retreat from daily life and make music. This festival offers lots of options for meals and lodging, including camping on the property or commuting from nearby campgrounds and hotels. 

Attending a ukulele festival can be a positive experience in so many ways: helping you build new skills, making new friends and building a sense of community long after the festival ends, and even inspiring the next generation of ukulele musicians with kid-friendly options! 

And of course, remember the Uke Like the Pros Uke-Con Festo, happening on August 27, 2022! This star-studded event will feature performances by Grammy winners Daniel Ho and Larry Mitchell, Aldrine Guerrero, Bernadette Plazola, and Victoria Vox! And even though it takes place in San Diego, CA, you can also attend the event virtually so you don’t miss out on the performances and workshops! Get your tickets now at https://ticketly.events/e/420/ukelikethepros-uke-con-summer-festival and attend either in person or online and be part of this incredible community of ukulele players and musicians!