The community is invited to celebrate King Kamehameha I Day in Hilo on Sunday.
Kapua Francisco, a senior adviser with the Royal Order of Kamehameha I, and a committee have been planning this year’s festivities at the King Kamehameha statue, which the group cleaned earlier this year.
“We want to honor our ali‘i Kamehameha at the statue, because we finally did a statue-cleaning after so many years,” Francisco said. “We invite the community to the park to enjoy the beauty of the day and honor the king together.”
The event will start with the ceremonial ho‘okupu and lei draping beginning at 9 a.m. at the statue on Kamehameha Avenue. The community is welcomed to bring lei and other gifts as offerings.
Afterward, free entertainment will fill the park, with music and hula throughout the day provided by local halau hula and musicians.
“We ask that people joining bring chairs and picnic set-ups for their ‘ohana, so they can enjoy the musicians coming to share their talent,” Francisco said.
Halau Na Pua ‘O Uluhaimalama under kumu hula Emery Aceret, Halau Ke ‘Olu Makani O Mauna Loa under kumu hula Meleana Manuel, and Halau Ha‘a Kea O Kinohi under kumu hula Paul Neves have confirmed that they will dance on Sunday.
The popular Hawaiian band Komakakino from Keaukaha also will perform during the day.
While the event is usually held at Moku Ola, or Coconut Island, the statue will be the meeting place for at least this year.
“We have plans to return to Moku Ola next year, but we’re excited to be in the presence of the statue throughout the day,” Francisco said. “He is the father of uniting the Hawaiian Kingdom, and it feels good to honor him for that. We’re looking forward to having everyone come out to celebrate.”
Across the island in Kailua-Kona, the community will be celebrating the holiday with the annual King Kamehameha Day Celebration Parade at 9 a.m. on Saturday in historic Kailua Village.
The annual parade will travel down Ali‘i Drive and feature more than 100 horseback riders, as well as decorated floats, horse-drawn carriages, marching bands, equestrian units and hula halau.
With the flowers and colors of the Hawaiian Islands, regal pa‘u riders on horseback will represent each of the eight Hawaiian islands, led by their respective princesses and the pa‘u queen.
After the floral parade, there will be a ho‘olaule‘a at Hulihe‘e Palace through the afternoon.
The parade begins near the corner of Palani Road and Kuakini, and passes by Kailua Pier down Ali‘i Drive to Walua Road by Royal Kona Resort.
For more information, visit KonaParade.org.
Email Kelsey Walling at kwalling@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
