Aloha from Merrie Monarch and the island of Hawaii! Today is a day for the Merrie Monarch Hawaiian Arts and Crafts Fair at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium, hula and Hawaiian music presentations at ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center, and the main event: Ho‘ike at Edith Kanakaole Stadium.

The stadium has been readied and the halau have rehearsed. I’m on my way down from Volcano, where I’ve stayed in the lovely historic Hale Ohia Cottages. Hilo, here I come!

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Elizabeth Kieszkowski is editor of TGIF, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s weekly arts and entertainment section. Reach her via email at ekieszkowski@staradvertiser.com or follow her on Twitter.