Hawaiʻi got an invite to America’s 250th birthday party over three years ago and declined to show, according to the Office of the Governor.
Under Executive Order No. 23-04 from the 2022 legislative session, Gov. Josh Green was asked “to establish a Hawaiʻi Commission on the United State Semiquincentennial.”
The commission formed by the governor did not receive any government funding “to coordinate a statewide effort commemorating and celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America,” per the executive order.
Leading the 19-member Hawai‘i America250 Commission is Peter Young, a member of the Hawaiʻi Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, along with lawmakers and other representatives.
The commission is responsible for soliciting donations to bring local events and activities to “communities across the Islands [that] will reflect on our shared past, celebrate our diverse heritage, and honor our veterans and ancestors through events grounded in local culture and the Spirit of Aloha,” its website notes.
To donate, volunteer and learn more, go to: hawaiiamerica250.org
Hawaiʻi opts out of Great American State Fair
Hawaiʻi has no official government representation at the Great American State Fair, a block party on the National Mall in Washington D.C., running now through July 10.
It features attractions like rodeos and a 110-foot Ferris wheel, with more than 150 exhibits for all 50 states plus U.S. territories, as well as "businesses, innovators and civic organizations," according to Freedom250, the organizer of the fair and other semiquincentennial events.
The decision for the Hawai‘i America250 Commission, which includes Green as an honorary chair, to say, “No can” to participating in the fair appears to have grown more apparent as the travel commitment grew “from a few days to two weeks with 12-hour days,” Hawaiʻi News Now recently reported.
Green told Aloha State Daily in a statement Friday, “The Hawai‘i America250 Commission is not operating a pavilion at the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., which is 5,000 miles away. No funds were earmarked by the state, or by Congress.”
One Mililani resident wrote in to ASD after hearing Hawaiʻi would not be at the fair.
“Especially with what's been happening in Hawaiʻi, participation in this national event would have been a great opportunity to formally and informally educate and share the history and Aloha of our people; to garner support/supporters from outside our state for the causes of the Hawaiian people and the legacy of its past monarchs,” the reader wrote.
Another ASD reader from Honolulu wrote, "Wouldn't this have been a great opportunity for the state's Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA)? According to their annual budget, they expend [millions] of our taxpayers’ money annually on branding and marketing!"
At least 10 mostly Democratic-led states decided against sending official government delegations to the fair, which including Hawaiʻi are: Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington, according to Newsweek and NPR.
“Most of the states that opted out are led by Democrats. But all cited financial considerations, saying they'd have to spend at least $100,000 (and in some cases up to half a million dollars) of their own money and preferred to prioritize celebrations at home,” NPR reported last week, noting, organizers offered to help cover basic booth setup.
A Connecticut spokesperson told USA Today that “the decision came down to resources”; Illinois sent representatives from the Peoria Riverfront Museum to run the state's booth instead; and Oregon Gov. Tina Koteck cited both cost and concerns that the event is "a more partisan affair than originally presented,” per the The New York Times; while Young of the Hawai‘i America250 Commission has shifted focus to local initiatives.
New Hampshire, which has a similar population size to the Aloha State at about 1.4 million, found a way to participate by having its Department of Natural and Cultural Resources staff an official booth showcasing “historic documents, a presentation and a video featuring state political figures reading the Declaration of Independence.” It is the only New England State with a presence from local government, per the Boston Globe and RINewstoday.com.
Seen in Associated Press reporting and photos over the weekend from the Great American State Fair, Alaska and Hawaiʻi both have empty booth displays boasting red, white and blue backdrops, though, Hawaiʻi’s included a couple of rocking chairs.
Makes sense, since they chose to sit this one out.
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Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros can be reached at kelsey@alohastatedaily.com.
