The Merrie Monarch Festival returns for its 63rd annual event this year from Sunday, April 5, through Saturday, April 11. The invite-only hula competition takes place at the Edith Kanakaʻole Multi-Purpose Stadium in Hilo.
The Merrie Monarch Festival consists of three days of hula competitions: Miss Aloha Hula on Thursday, April 9; Group Hula Kahiko on Friday, April 10; and Group Hula ʻAuana on Saturday, April 11. There is also an invitational Hawaiian arts fair, along with hula shows and a grand parade. On the final day of competition, an overall winner is named. There are also winners for kāne overall, wahine overall, wahine kahiko, wahine ʻauana, kāne kahiko, kāne ʻauana and more.
Watch the live stream from Hawaiʻi News Now here. It will be broadcasted in ‘Ōlelo Hawaiʻi and English. Check the Merrie Monarch website for the full schedule of events, which start Sunday, April 5.
Notable this year is the absence of Nālani Kanakaʻole, the youngest daughter of Edith Kanakaʻole, the founder of Hālau o Kekuhi and for whom the stadium used for competitions is named. She also co-founded Sig Zane Designs in 1985 with her husband, Sig Zane. Their son, Kūhaʻoʻīmaikalani Zane, was recently named chief executive officer of the business.
In 2025, the overall winner was Hula Hālau ʻO Kamuela, led by Nā Kumu Hula Kunewa Mook & Kau‘ionālani Kamana‘o, which also took first place in wahine overall and wahine kahiko, as well as second place in wahine ʻauana.
Hālau Nā Kamalei O Līlīlehua, led by Kumu Robert Uluwehionāpuaikawēkiuokalani Cazimero took first place in kāne overall and kāne ʻauana, plus third place overall. Jaedyn Janae Puahaulani Pavao was named Miss Aloha Hula 2025. She represents Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leināʻala, led by Kumu Leināʻala Pavao Jardin, who died in October.
To get tickets for the three-day hula competition, attendees must mail in a ticket request form with payment in the form of a cashier’s check or money order, along with a self-addressed envelope. Ticket requests must be postmarked Dec. 1, 2025, or later.
This year, participating hālau include:
- Hālau I Ka Wēkiu: Nā Kumu Hula Karl Veto Baker & Michael Lanakila Casupang
- Ka Pā Hula O Ka Lei Lehua: Kumu Hula Snowbird Puananiopaoakalani Bento
- Hālau Nā Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu: Nā Kumu Hula William Kahakuleilehua Haunu‘u “Sonny” Ching & Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera
- Keolalaulani Hālau ʻŌlapa O Laka: Kumu Hula Keolalaulani Dalire
- Hālau Ka Liko Pua O Kalaniākea: Kumu Hula Kapua Dalire-Moe
- Hālau Mōhala ʻIlima: Kumu Hula Māpuana de Silva
- Nā Pualei o Likolehua: Kumu Hula Niuliʻi Heine
- Academy of Hawaiian Arts: Kumu Hula Mark Kealiʻi Hoʻomalu
- Hālau ʻO Lilinoe & Nā Pua Me Ke Aloha (Kāne): Nā Kumu Hula Lilinoe & Pele Kaio
- Hula Hālau ʻO Kamuela: Nā Kumu Hula Kunewa Mook & Kauʻionālani Kamanaʻo
- Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua: Kumu Hula Robert Keʻano Kaʻupu IV
- Ka Lā ʻŌnohi Mai O Haʻehaʻe: Nā Kumu Hula Tracie & Keawe Lopes
- Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi: Nā Kumu Hula Haunani & ‘Iliahi Paredes
- Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leināʻala: Kumu Hula Breeze Ann Kalehuaonālani Vidinha Pavao
- Ke Kai O Kahiki: Kumu Hula Laʻakea Perry
- Kawaiʻulaokalā: Kumu Hula Keliʻihoʻomalu Puchalski
- Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka: Kumu Hula Nāpua Silva
- Ka Pā Hula Hawaiʻi: Kumu Hula John Renken Kahaʻialiʻiokaiwiʻulaokamehameha Topolinski
- Hālau Kalaʻakeakauikawēkiu: Kumu Hula Kenneth Dean Alohapumehanaokalā Victor
The Miss Aloha Hula participants are:
- Samantha Makanani Aguon Newman: Nā Kumu Hula Karl Veto Baker & Michael Lanakila Casupang
- Haily Kamakahukilani Nawahine Nascimento: Nā Kumu Hula William Kahakuleilehua Haunu‘u “Sonny” Ching & Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera
- Kēhaulani Kaleikaumakamaeʻiʻomakamae Rubonal: Kumu Hula Keolalaulani Dalire
- Mālie Kapuaonaonaikamauʻuuaolalokoikealohaokalaniākea Moe: Kumu Hula Kapua Dalire-Moe
- Lilia Kaleialohaokealohalani Ka’ōnohi’ula Keohokapuakeakua Iokepa-Guerrero: Kumu Hula Niuliʻi Heine
- Jovian Kauanoeokalaulani Range-Semisi: Nā Kumu Hula Kunewa Mook & Kau‘ionālani Kamana‘o
- Keoe Momilani Michiko Hoe: Kumu Hula Robert Ke‘ano Ka‘upu IV
- Lahela Hoʻokela Medina Maio: Nā Kumu Hula Tracie & Keawe Lopes
- Faith Lynn Kealohapauʻole Paredes: Nā Kumu Hula Haunani & ‘Iliahi Paredes
- Jelacia Naomi Waiauokalaniākea Peralta: Kumu Breeze Ann Kalehuaonālani Vidinha Pavao
- Hiʻileilanikauakapukapuokeānuenue Puchalski: Kumu Hula Keli‘iho‘omalu Puchalski
- Leimana Kaleinamanu Purdy: Kumu Hula Nāpua Silva
- Līlianani Maya Rae Pi: Kumu Hula Kenneth Dean Alohapumehanaokalā Victor
The judges are:
- Maelia Loebenstein Carter
- Vicky Hanakaʻulaniokamāmalu Holt Takamine
- Iwalani Kalima
- Noenoelani Zuttermeister Lewis
- Nani Lim Yap
- Etua Lopes
- Wallis Punua
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Katie Helland can be reached at katie@alohastatedaily.com.
