Mayor Jeremy Harris and the Department of Parks and Recreation cordially invite the public to the City’s 77th Annual Lei Day Festival at Queen Kapiolani Park Saturday, May 1, 2004. The theme for the adult, teen and children’s lei contests is Na Mele No Na Lei, Songs of the Lei. In addition to the adult and teen lei contest, the festival will include the traditional investiture of the Lei Queen and her Court, a youth lei contest, craft demonstrations, food vendors and all-day Hawaiian entertainment. All events are free and open to the public.
The Adult Lei Contest awards cash prizes in three categories: neck lei (carnation, lehua, kikania, crown flower, green rose, ginger/orchid, kukui/maile/palapalae and rose), hat lei and theme lei. The Mayor’s Grand Prize is given to the most outstanding lei.
Cash awards will also be given in the Teen Lei Category for contestants ages 13 to 17 years old. Lei entries will be received at Queen Kapiolani Park near the Bandstand from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. The popular lei exhibit will open to the public from 1:00 to 5:30 p.m. For more information on teen lei contest, contact Dennis Wee at 692-5516.
Boys and girls ages 12 and under are invited to register at 8:30 a.m. for the Youth Lei Contest which begins at 9:00 a.m. Winners in each of five age groups will be awarded cash prizes. Applications for both Adult and Youth Lei Contests are available at all district parks, satellite city halls and on the parks website, www.honoluluparks.com. For more information on Youth Lei Contest, call Rodney Sanbei at 692-5114.
The Royal Hawaiian Band will perform at the Bandstand at 10:00 a.m. The Ho‛olaulea Hawaiian Crafts display, sales and food vendors will be open from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. At 11:00 a.m., the 2004 Lei Queen will be invested along with her two princesses chosen in the March 6 Lei Queen Selection at McCoy Pavilion. The Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association will serenade the public near the lei exhibit from 12:00 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. From 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., several hula halau and musical groups will perform continuously on the main stage as part of the festival.
The Queen Kapiolani Bandstand can be reached by bus lines 4, 8, 19, 20, 22, 47 and 58. Bus lines 2 and 14 also pass through the park. For more bus information, call 848-5555.
The Lei Day celebration culminates on Friday, May 2 at 9:00 a.m., when all lei are taken to the Royal Mausoleum (Mauna‛ala), 2261 Nuuanu Avenue, and placed on the tombs of our Ali‛i. There is a short program before and after the lei distribution. The public is encouraged and welcomed to attend.
For more information on Lei Day activities, contact Festival Chair Naomi Carter at 692-5118 or Jeff Gere at 692-5751, or visit the parks website.
Official Press Release - City & County of Honolulu, Department of Parks & Recreation.