“May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii,” so the song tells us.
The Hilo Lei Day Festival returns today to Kalakaua Park for its 19th annual event.
The festival is free and open to the public.
Ho‘opuka ceremony is at 9:45 a.m., when oli and ho‘okupu will be presented by Halau LeiManu; official opening with blessing at 10 a.m.
Celebrate lei culture with MC Christy Leina‘ala Lassiter; live Hawaiian music by Ben Kaili &Friends; hula from Ke ‘Olu Makani O Mauna Loa, Halau Hula Ka Makani Hali ‘ala O Puna, and the YMCA Hula Hui; lei-making demonstrations; and a lei contest.
“The theme for our Lei Day festival is ‘He Mo‘olelo ko ka Lei,’ a Story of the Lei,” said co-founder Leilehua Yuen. “This theme was selected to help us to remember that each lei tells a story, perhaps of farewell, of return or a job well-done — but always, the story is of love.”
The festival ends at 2 p.m. with a group hula to “May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii,” “Hilo My Hometown,” and singing “Hawaii Aloha.”
“He Mo‘olelo Ko ka Lei” was co-founded in 2005 by kupuna Winona “Aunty Nona” Beamer and Leilehua Yuen. It depicts the story of the lei from different perspectives, incorporating storytelling, Hawaiian astronomy, the huaka‘i of Hi‘iakaikapua‘ena‘ena, goddess of lei making, and many other aspects not usually presented today.
In 2007, Mayor Harry Kim reinstituted the Hilo Lei Day Festival proclamation.
A proclamation has been issued by Hilo’s mayor each year since, declaring “May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii,” and “May is the Month of the Lei.”