19°43′08″N 155°04′05″W / 19.719°N 155.068°W
| Merrie Monarch Festival | |
|---|---|
| Dates |
|
| Location(s) | Edith Kanakaʻole Multi-Purpose Stadium at Hoʻolulu Park, Hilo, Hawaii |
| Years active | 1964–present |
| Founded by | Helen Hale, Gene Wilhelm, George Naʻope |
| Website | www |
The Merrie Monarch Festival is a week-long cultural festival that takes place annually in Hilo, Hawaii during the week after Easter. It honors King David Kalākaua, who was called the "Merrie Monarch" for his patronage of the arts and is credited with restoring many Hawaiian cultural traditions during his reign, including hula.[1] Many hālau hula (schools), including some from the U.S. mainland[2] and some international performers,[3] attend the festival each year to participate in exhibitions and competitions. The festival has received worldwide attention and is considered the most prestigious of all hula contests.[4]
Merrie Monarch week begins Easter Sunday every year.[5] The competitive hula events end the week, and occur on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday;[5] They are televised and live-streamed for free online by Hawaii News Now (formerly KHII-TV, KFVE/K5).
The 2020 Merrie Monarch festival was cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic concerns. The 2021 competition was held June 24–26, without a live audience, and was broadcast July 1–3 on KFVE.[6]
The 2023 Merrie Monarch hula competition began on April 13, 2023 at 6:00pm HST,[7] and was livestreamed free all three nights on the website of Hawaii News Now.[8]
- ^ "King David Kalākaua". Merrie Monarch Festival official site. Archived from the original on March 15, 2010. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
- ^ "Hālau and Kumu Hula - 2012". Merrie Monarch Festival official site. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
- ^ "2012 Festival Events". Merrie Monarch Festival official site. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
- ^ "The Merrie Monarch Festival". Merrie Monarch Festival official site. Archived from the original on March 15, 2010. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
- ^ a b "Merrie Monarch Festival | Kalena.com". www.kalena.com. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
- ^ Fujimori, Leila. "Merrie Monarch Festival will be held in June with strict safety measures". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. March 26, 2021.
- ^ "StackPath".
- ^ "Merrie Monarch Festival".
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