Merrie Monarch Festival: Celebrate the Arts on the Big Island this Spring
Springtime is a special season to visit the Big Island of Hawaii. This season not only brings new floral growth, but plenty of celebrations, too. One of the most famous annual festivals, the Merrie Monarch Festival, takes place in Hilo, Hawaii the week after Easter.
The people of Hawaii celebrate the Merrie Monarch Festival to revitalize the vibrant traditions unique to Hawaiian culture. These include hula and Pacific folk dancing, the Royal Parade, an arts fair, and even a beard contest.
On your next spring trip to the Big Island, come visit us at our Volcano bed and breakfast. Our proximity to Hilo will allow you to join in on the fun at the Merrie Monarch Festival. Read on to learn all about this event!
History of the Merrie Monarch Festival
The Merrie Monarch Festival honors the last king of Hawaii, King David Kalākaua. His patronage of the arts coined him the nickname “Merrie Monarch” and he is credited with reviving many cultural traditions during his reign. King Kalākaua was a strong supporter of the hula – the traditional form of dance – as well as other customs like mythology, medicine, and chant. Many of these practices had diminished when foreigners began settling the islands and he encouraged the people to continue these traditions.
The King reigned from 1874 until his passing in 1891. But the first Merrie Monarch Festival did not occur until 1963 when Helene Hale, the County of Hawaii Chairwoman, sought to turn a struggling economy around. After a massive tsunami wiped out sugar plantations along the Hāmākua coast, the economy fell into a depression. Hale, with the help of George Na’ope and Gene Wilhelm, worked to organize the first festival in Hilo. However, only after a few years, the popularity of the festival diminished.
Come 1971, the festival is now under the direction of Dottie Thompson. She helped shift the goals of the festival to focus more on replicating the ideals of King Kalākaua. Thompson, with the advice of Hawaiian locals, introduced hula dancing competitions. The enthusiasm for the new event increased visitation exponentially and is still one of the main attractions of the Merrie Monarch Festival today.
During the 50th year celebration in 2013, organizers honored the festival’s roots by returning the coronation ball and introducing the fun Kalākaua beard contest – whoever has a beard that most resembles what King Kalākaua wore wins!
Cultural Significance of the Merrie Monarch Festival
The Merrie Monarch Festival strives to relive the ancient ways of the Hawaiian culture. Not only do the events mimic traditions, but performers also begin participating in the festival before it even begins.
The Importance of Hula
The festival is most famous for the hula dancing competitions. The best hālau hula (hula schools) from Hawaii and the continental U.S. will participate in a prestigious three-night competition. Individual dancers and groups must be interviewed before being accepted to enter the competition.
Performers dance in modern (ʻauana) and traditional (kahiko) forms of dance, as well as chant. Group dance competitions are split into two divisions, male (kāne) and female (wahine). Judges score the dances based on several aspects including the entrance and exit of the performer(s), expression of the song or dance, posture, and precision of movements.
The style of hula will vary depending on the region performers are from. For example, the Big Island of Hawaii is known for its volcanoes. The ancient dances of this region are more rhythmic in their chanting, imitating cracking lava and a roaring volcano. Moreover, the style of dance from the island of Kauai is more melodic and fluid, gaining inspiration from the pristine beaches.
Many hula dancers are involved in stewardship of their native land. Hula attire is incredibly symbolic and is a way of practicing stewardship. Leis – a garland around the neck – consist of flowers native to the islands. The flowers chosen in leis come from the region the dancers are depicting. Other garb like skirts made from the native kī leaf honor the sacred goddess of the forest, Laka.
The art of hula is spiritual to those who practice it. Apart from rigorous rehearsals, performers prepare for the Merrie Monarch Festival by making their own outfits, dieting and fasting, and being under kapu (an ancient Hawaiian code of law).
International Significance
After the Merrie Monarch Festival, hula winners are invited to attend the Nā Hiwahiwa Festival in Tokyo, Japan. The nation of Japan is one of the biggest supporters of hula. While Japanese hula schools do not participate in the Merrie Monarch Festival, they attend to support fellow hula dancers.
Attending the Merrie Monarch Festival
Every year, the Merrie Monarch Festival begins on Easter Sunday and continues through the following Saturday. The 61st annual event will take place from March 31 – April 6, 2024 in Hilo, HI. The festivities open with a ho’olaule’a (celebration) Sunday morning at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium. The Hawaiian Arts Fair will occur Wednesday through Friday featuring local artwork and entertainment.
All performances take place at the Edith Kanaka’ole Stadium. Hōʻike Night occurs on Wednesday evening. It showcases non-competitive dances from various Pacific Islands and other international regions including, Japan, Alaska, and New Zealand.
The hula competitions begin Thursday and continue through the end of the festival. The Miss Aloha Hula competition takes place on the first night, featuring individual female dancers. Group Hula Kahiko (traditional hula) takes place Friday evening and group Hula ‘Auana (modern hula) takes place Saturday evening. Awards for the competition are presented after the ‘Auana performances.
Don’t forget to attend the Merrie Monarch Royal Parade! It takes place on Saturday morning through downtown Hilo. This will surely end your week-long stay at our Volcano bed and breakfast with a bang!
Buying Tickets
Much of the festival is free and open to the public. The hula competition, however, is a paid event. Tickets can be purchased at the official Merrie Monarch Festival website. Please note that you will need to fill out a ticket request and payment must be mailed in. This show is often sold out, so act quickly to reserve your spot now!
Things to Remember
The Merrie Monarch Festival is a way for the people of Hawaii to celebrate the ancient heritage through authentic means. As such, we ask that you come to the Merrie Monarch Festival with these respectful considerations in mind:
- Try to restrict movement and stay quiet during each performance.
- No photography or videos of the performances are allowed.
- There is no outside food or drink allowed.
- Maintain distance from any public performance.
- Learn from the traditions and have fun in this unique culture!
Come Stay with Us!
When you choose to stay with us at the Volcano Village Lodge during Easter week, you will be less than an hour away from the enchantment of the Merrie Monarch Festival. If you are inspired by the hula dancing, take a class with one of our very own in-house hula instructors who themselves have danced in the Merrie Monarch Festival. Experience all that the Big Island has to offer on your next spring getaway. Book with us now!