UXHICon 2026

UXHICon 2026 runs Saturday, October 17, 2026 from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM at Entrepreneurs Sandbox, 643 Ilalo St in Kakaako. The conference theme is Moolelo and Meaning, framed as Hawaii's design community day for culturally grounded keynotes, panels, and workshops. Doors open at 8:00 with coffee and light breakfast; the keynote MO'O: Stories Shaping Tomorrow features Reuben Chock, VP and Principal at WCIT Architecture. Givebutter ticket inventory for the main conference has listed around $85 after early bird; a Luma RSVP does not replace a paid Givebutter ticket. An optional Thursday, October 15 pre-event pau hana at OurSpace, 1052 Waimanu St, is drinks and storytelling and does not require a conference badge.

UX Hawaii's annual conference is a named Oahu design and UX franchise with HTDC and Sandbox as recurring ecosystem anchors, which clears Circuit for diaspora creatives and product people who work local digital experiences. Purple Maia Foundation appears on the Givebutter ticket path as the payment host, so treat that cart as the official checkout even if you start on uxhiconference.com. Parallel afternoon rooms mean you build your own session path; open session pages for full descriptions before you arrive. Kakaako Saturday parking near Ilalo Street still needs a plan.

This is right for Hawaii-based designers, UX researchers, product managers, and allied creatives who want peer density with local speakers rather than a mainland conference flight. Skip it if you need the Chamber YP Cost of Living Summit's policy day or a defense IT expo. Bring one portfolio or research question so workshop and hallway time stay concrete. If you only want the Thursday pau hana, buy that ticket separately and do not assume it includes Saturday Sandbox access.

If you are choosing between UXHICon and the YP Cost of Living Summit two days earlier, use the Chamber day for housing and wages policy and Saturday for design craft. Start on uxhiconference.com, complete Givebutter checkout, and re-check the agenda if speaker rooms shift closer to October 17.