For over 30 years, locals and visitors have gathered for a beach party and concert at Duke’s Waikiki on Sundays just before sunset. 

Under a blue sky, with views of Leahi (aka Diamond Head) and the long, bustling stretch of Waikiki Beach, guitarist and singer Henry Kapono and his band take to the outdoor stage. Almost immediately, the dance floor is consumed. The crowd holds their beers in the air while swaying to the rock music.

“People from all over the world make it their bucket list to come into Duke’s on Sunday,” Henry Kapono told SFGATE. A lot of people “will come in for the first time and they go, ‘Wow, I’m glad I came here,’ because this was the best part of the whole trip.” 

A Native Hawaiian musician, Kapono rose to popularity in the 1970s and ’80s, when he was part of the musical group Cecilio & Kapono with Cecilio Rodriguez. Later, Kapono launched a solo career, and he’s won 21 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards (Hawaii’s music awards) since then. His album “Wild Hawaiian” was also nominated for a Grammy.

Duke’s on Sunday started in 1993. The late Rob Thibaut, co-founder of TS Restaurants, approached Kapono, who was a friend of his, about the idea. Thibaut’s vision when he opened Duke’s Waikiki was exactly what it is today: Diamond Head, Waikiki Beach, people surfing, Henry Kapono jamming away and people having a good time.

At first, Kapono was unsure about hosting the party. He was living in LA and on a busy touring schedule. “The next time I came home, I went to Makapuu Point and looked at the ocean, and it was a beautiful day, and I said, ‘What am I doing?’” he said. “I would rather wake up here and still play music instead of waking up in LA and kind of trudging along to whatever the day brings.”

When he started playing at Duke’s on Sunday, he said, it took off: “I’ve been fortunate to really be able to make people feel good. You know, it’s really the choices of music that I pick and that I love and taking it to heart. Songs that I grew up with and also songs that I’ve written. It’s been a really great time and experience and I love it. I look forward to it.”

The band plays a mix of music from Cecilio & Kapono’s archive, original Henry Kapono songs and cover tunes, such as “Brown Eyed Girl,” “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Mustang Sally” and “Stairway to Heaven.” Kapono will study the crowd to decide what songs to pick and how long to play them. The event is also livestreamed every week. 

“I always wanted to be in an environment where the locals and the visitors can be together and enjoy each other and enjoy the music, have fun together. And that’s pretty much the environment that I’ve created,” Kapono said. The event inspired him to make two live albums named “Duke’s on Sunday”; a third 30-year “Duke’s on Sunday” celebration album is out this fall.

Duke’s Waikiki and its staff are also what make the weekly concert a success. At Duke’s Waikiki, people can just walk right in from the beach and bypass the sign-in stand. No reservations are necessary to go to the bar or to the outdoor concert. 

While live music is a staple at all of Duke’s restaurants, which has five other locations, there’s “nothing like Duke’s on Sunday with Henry,” Drew Crocker, general manager of Duke’s Waikiki, told SFGATE. 

Crocker attributes it to the open flow and design of Duke’s Waikiki.

“There’s plenty of walls and perimeter areas where people can just come in and grab a drink, kind of find their spot and listen to Henry,” he said. 

Kapono and Duke’s Waikiki have developed a following, and visitors even plan vacations around the event.

“There’s this Canadian group that’s been coming for the last three years and there’s like 30 of them, and they’re there,” said Crocker. They’ll spend three weeks in Hawaii, going to Duke’s every Sunday to see Kapono play.

“He’s such a genuine person, and has a love for Hawaii, and has a love for his community and loves his fans,” Crocker added. He wants this tradition to continue for as long as possible.

“I don’t see any end,” Kapono said.

“Me neither,” Crocker said. “It will never end, in my mind.”