Festivities honor a king
Lei-draping ceremonies, parades and other festivities will honor King Kamehameha this weekend.
In Honolulu the Kamehameha statue in front of Aliiolani Hale was decorated with lei Friday. Placing long strands of flowers on the statue is a long-standing tradition.
This morning the 95th annual King Kamehameha Celebration Floral Parade begins at 9 at King and Richards streets and ends at Kapiolani Park via Punchbowl Street, Ala Moana Boulevard and Kalakaua Avenue. Free validated parking will be available at Restaurant Row.
After the parade, the King Kamehameha Celebration hoolaulea will be held from 10 a.m. through 3 p.m. at Kapiolani Park.
The weather in Waikiki today should be mostly sunny for the parade, but there is a chance of isolated showers, National Weather Service forecasters said.
King Kamehameha united the Hawaiian Islands, and Friday was a state and county holiday.
Don't miss out on what's happening!
Stay in touch with top news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It's FREE!
Other celebrations will take place on the neighbor islands. The Kamehameha Festival on Moku Ola, also known as Coconut Island, in Hilo Bay starts at 9 a.m. today.
King Kamehameha ceremonies in North Kohala today begin with lei-draping at 8 a.m. at the Kamehameha statue on Akoni Pule Highway. The North Kohala Floral Parade begins at 9 a.m. at Kohala High School, and a hoolaulea follows at Kamehameha Park in Kapaau from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
The King Kamehameha Day Community Parade will be held in Kailua-Kona today on Alii Drive. The parade runs from 9 to 11 a.m. A hoolaulea will be held at Swing Zone near the old airport starting at 10:30 a.m.
On Maui the Na Kamehameha Commemorative Pa‘u Parade will begin on Front Street in Lahaina at 9:45 a.m. June 18. A hoolaulea will take place at Kamehameha ‘Iki Park, which will open at 9 a.m.
On Kauai the King Kamehameha Floral Parade in Lihue will start at Vidinha Stadium on Hoolako Street at 10 a.m. June 18.
For more information on Kamehameha Day celebrations, visit the King Kamehameha Day Commission website at hawaii.gov/dags/ kamehameha.