1. Hawaii Celebrates Discoverers’ Day on September 30
In Hawaii, September 30 is celebrated as Discoverers’ Day, a day to honor the Polynesian explorers who first discovered the Hawaiian Islands. This holiday commemorates the early voyages across the open ocean that eventually led Polynesians to settle in Hawaii.

2. The First Recorded Sighting of Hawaii From a European Ship Occurred on September 30
On September 30, 1778, British Captain James Cook spotted the Hawaiian Islands from his ship, the HMS Resolution. Cook named the archipelago the Sandwich Islands, in honor of his patron, John Montagu, the Fourth Earl of Sandwich.

3. A Significant Hurricane Struck Hawaii on September 30, 1992
On September 30, 1992, Hurricane Iniki made landfall on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, causing widespread devastation across the island chain. Iniki was the most powerful hurricane to hit Hawaii in over a century and caused over $3 billion in damages.

4. September 30 is Hana Day in Hawaii
In the town of Hana on the eastern coast of Maui, September 30 is celebrated as Hana Day, a day to honor the town’s cultural heritage and natural beauty. The celebration includes live music, food vendors, and cultural demonstrations.

5. The Hawaii Bowl has Been Played on September 30
The Hawaii Bowl is a college football bowl game that is played annually in Honolulu on December 24. The game has been played on September 30 twice, once in 2006 and again in 2017, due to scheduling conflicts with other bowl games.