HONOLULU – Ola ka Hula i ka Po‘e Hula, Hula lives through hula people, the 46th Annual Prince Lot Hula Festival, takes place at the Frank F. Fasi Civic Grounds (Skygate) on Saturday, July 15, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., announced Moanalua Gardens Foundation, festival producer. Admission is free and open to the public and visitors.

“We are excited to be returning to our first live in-person Prince Lot Hula Festival in four years and invite the entire community and visitors to join us for day of beautiful hula, cultural demonstrations, good food and more,” said Leilani Williams-Solomon, President of MGF’s Board of Directors.

The largest non-competitive hula celebration in Hawai‘i, the festival honors Prince Lot Kapuāiwa, who helped reprise hula in the 1850s and reigned as Kamehameha V from 1863 to 1872.

Founded in 1978 by MGF as a gift to the community, the festival now attracts thousands of residents and visitors each year. Opening ceremonies on Saturday will include the Royal Order of Kamehameha, presentation of MGF’s tenth Annual Malia Kau Award to renown Kumu Hula Pohai Souza, followed by an impressive line-up of premier hālau hula (hula groups) who will perform both kāhiko (ancient) and ‘auana (contemporary) hula.

Twelve Hālau Hula from O‘ahu, Maui and Hawai‘i islands have been invited and their kumu have been encouraged to include dancers from their out-of-state branches.

Featured hālau from O‘ahu are: Nā Pualei o Likolehua – Kumu Hula Niuli‘i Heine; Pua Ali‘i ‘Ilima – Kumu Hula Vicky Holt Takamine; Ka Hale I o Kāhala – Kumu Hula Leimomi I Maldonado; Hālau Hula Ka No‘eau – Kumu Hula Michael Pili Pang; Hālau Hula O Kaleipuaimilia – Kumu Hula Makalapua Bernard; Hālau Hula Nā Lei Lehua – Nā Kumu Hula Liko Cooke and Sky Gora; Keali‘ika‘apunihonua Ke‘ena A‘o Hula- Kumu Hula Leimomi Ho; Ka Pā Nani ‘O Lilinoe – Kumu Hula Lilinoe Lindsey; Hālau Hula Kamamolikolehua – Kumu Hula Pohai Souza and Kekaiulu Hula Studio Hawai‘i – Kumu Hula Blaine Ikaika Dutro.

Neighbor Island hālau hula include Hālau Hula Maunalei from Kona, Hawai‘i – Kumu Hula Lelehua Bray, and Hālau Hula Kauluokalā from Kahului, Maui – Kumu Hula Uluwehi Guerrero.

This year’s new hybrid festival will be filmed for a two-hour television special in the Fall.

The festival will also feature a Hawaiian-inspired craft fair. Demonstrations will include poi pounding, lei making, lauhala weaving, feather lei making, and Kapa stamping by noted cultural practitioners. The Royal Hawaiian Band will perform at noon.

Food and refreshments will be available for purchase throughout the day, along with limited edition t-shirts, posters, and souvenir kōkua buttons. Proceeds from the merchandise sales will help cover some of the costs of the festival.

The public is encouraged to bring their low beach chairs and mats. No commercial photography is allowed. Free parking is available in the Frank F. Fasi Municipal Building, Board of Water Supply and Kalanimoku lots.

7-Eleven Hawai’i is this year’s Presenting Sponsor. Other sponsors include Kamehameha Schools, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Bank of Hawai’i, Accel Events and Rentals, The Queen’s Health System, Hawaiian Airlines, Matson Navigation, CARE Hawai‘i, Royal Hawaiian Center, Pasha Hawaii and American Savings Bank. Funders include Department of the Interior, Office of Native Hawaiian Relations; National Endowment for the Arts, Hawai‘i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, Kennedy Center Arts Across America, and the City and County of Honolulu. Media partners include KHON2, Honolulu Star-Advertiser and MidWeek.

MGF depends upon grants and donations to cover festival costs. For more information or to make a donation, please visit MGF’s website at www.moanaluagardensfoundation.org or call 808.839.5334.

A non-profit organization founded in 1970, Moanalua Gardens Foundation (MGF) is committed to preserving and perpetuating the history, native culture and environment of Hawai’i through education and stewardship of Kamananui (Moanalua) Valley and celebration of the Prince Lot Hula Festival

Media Contact
Company Name: Moanalua Gardens Foundation
Contact Person: Pauline Worsham, Managing Director
Email: Send Email
Phone: 808.497.4084
Country: United States
Website: www.moanaluagardensfoundation.org