Fresh flowers and lei are being accepted at several Oahu locations in the annual donation drive to gather 38,000 lei to adorn grave sites at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl for Memorial Day.
The city again is hosting Sew a Lei for Memorial Day at Honolulu Hale. Donated lei (measuring 22 to 24 inches) or fresh flowers can be dropped off today from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (For a list of lei drop-off sites, visit honolulu.gov/parks and click on the Memorial Day Ceremony banner.)
The state and city for the first time will hold a joint Memorial Day ceremony at Punchbowl, this year paying special tribute to Vietnam veterans.
The ceremony begins at 8:30 a.m., and about 3,000 people are expected to attend. Because of the anticipated crowd, there will be no public parking at the cemetery.
Free shuttle service will be available, with pickups at the Alapai Transit Center (at the Ewa end of South Hotel Street) beginning at
5:30 a.m. with the last shuttle leaving for the cemetery at 7:30. Free parking for shuttle users is set aside at the Honolulu Civic Center (at Beretania and Alapai streets, entrance from South Beretania), the Joint Traffic Management Center (at South King and Alapai streets, entrance from Kealamakai Street) and McKinley High School. Return shuttles will begin running immediately after the ceremony, with the last bus leaving at noon.
Taxis will be allowed to drop people off at the cemetery, but only permitted private vehicles will be allowed to drive in or park there. Visitors with private vehicles will be allowed back into Punchbowl after noon.
The lantern floating ceremony at Ala Moana Beach Park is the other major Memorial Day event on Oahu.
Approximately 50,000 people are expected at the free, public event.
Participants who want to float a lantern will be able to pick up one from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the lantern request tent, on a first-come, first-served basis. A pre-ceremony taiko performance by Shinnyo Taiko begins at
6:10 p.m.
There’s free parking at the Hawai“i Convention Center from 7 a.m. to midnight. A free shuttle service to Magic Island will also be available from 3 to 6:15 p.m. For more information, visit lanternfloatinghawaii.com.
Other holiday events include:
>> The 2017 Vietnam 50 Years Memorial parade Saturday beginning at 6 p.m. from Kalakaua Avenue to Kapiolani Park featuring the Marine Forces Pacific Band, other marching bands, and parade entries from the mainland. An opening ceremony at Fort DeRussy Beach Park begins at 4 p.m.
>> The Aloha Venturing Officers Association (VOA) 100th Battalion Memorial Event, honoring the Purple Heart Battalion at the 100th Infantry Clubhouse at 9 a.m. Featured will be activities, informational booths and guest speakers such as William Belcher, assistant professor of historical archaeology from the University of Hawaii West Oahu, and Lloyd Kitaoka, former president of the 100th Battalion Organization. Attendees can participate in folding 1,000 cranes and make lei for Punchbowl grave sites.
>> On Sunday the 19th Annual Roll Call of Honor Ceremony will be held at Punchbowl at 10 a.m., hosted by nonprofit Hui o Hana Pono in honor of Pacific islanders who fought during the Vietnam War. U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and Adm. Harry Harris Jr. will speak.
>> The Army’s Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony is at the Schofield Barracks Post Cemetery at 10 a.m. Commander of the U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii Col. Steve Dawson, will be a guest speaker. Representatives from the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Hawaii World War I Centennial Task Force will place wreaths to honor their fallen comrades. The event is open to the public, but attendees who do not have military identification must enter Schofield through Lyman Gate on Kunia Road. An installation security background check is also required upon entry.
