Slack Key 'Ohana

Slack Key 'Ohana play the La Jolla Open Aire Farmers Market on Sunday, October 11, as part of the La Jolla Art and Wine Festival 2026. They're a San Diego island-music trio that blends Hawaiian slack key guitar with Americana and country.

The band is a family affair: lead vocalist and guitarist Brian Witkin, ukulele and vocals Carol Witkin, and keyboard, bass and vocals Joe Witkin. Joe has a deep history in music—he performed at the original Woodstock as a founding member of Sha Na Na. They formed here in Southern California in 2021 and have picked up two World Entertainment Awards and two San Diego Music Awards since then, along with two Nā Hōkū Hanohano nominations, the Hawaiian equivalent of the GRAMMYs.

Their 2024 album Hawaiian Cowboy debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes World Music chart and featured George Kahumoku Jr., Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top and Brittni Paiva. Their self-titled 2021 debut landed at No. 2 on the same chart. Live, they often round out their set with guest musicians and cultural elements like hula and fire dancers.

The show starts at 12:30 PM, and admission is free.