With the coronavirus likely to stick around for the near future, the Merrie Monarch Festival’s organizing committee is working to develop a 2021 event without a live audience in Hilo. Read more
Organizers of the Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo continue to issue refunds for tickets to the hula competition, which would have taken place this week, but was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Read more
All participating kumu hula and judges have been notified of the cancellation. Read more
Twelve kane and 17 wahine groups from 22 halau are participating this year, representing Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Hawaii island and California. Eleven Miss Aloha Hula soloists will vie for the title. Read more
A total of 12 kane and 17 wahine groups from 22 halau are participating this year, representing Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Hawaii island and California. A total off 11 Miss Aloha Hula soloists will be vying for the title this year. Read more
The requests should be mailed to: Merrie Monarch Festival, 865 Piilani St., Hilo, Hawaii 96720. Read more
Continuity, regeneration and rebirth. These were the post-Kilauea eruption themes running through many of the mele chosen for the 56th Merrie Monarch Festival. Read more
Hula Halau ʻo Kamuela, under the direction of kumu hula Kauʻionalani Kamanaʻo and Kunewa Mook, took the overall winner title at the 56th Merrie Monarch Festival early this morning at Edith Kanaka‘ole Stadium. Read more
The morning after being crowned Miss Aloha Hula 2019, Taizha Keakealani Hughes-Kaluhiokalani of Honolulu was still processing it all. But there is no doubt that hula is, and always will be, a part of her life. Read more
After stellar performances in both kahiko and auana, Taizha Keakealani Hughes-Kaluhiokalani pulled ahead by more than 10 points to win the title of Miss Aloha Hula Thursday night at the 56th Merrie Monarch Festival. Read more
The town of Hilo has come alive as the 56th Merrie Monarch Festival gets underway, nearly a year after the start of Kilauea Volcano’s historic eruption in lower Puna. Read more
Kumu hula Drake Dudoit Delaforce did not actually aspire to start his own halau. Yet this year, Delaforce’s Halau Keolakapuokalani will compete at the 56th annual Merrie Monarch Festival for the first time, bringing his hula journey full circle. Read more
Kumu hula Napua Greig of Halau Na Lei Kaumaka o Uka of Maui capped 22 years of teaching with a sweet triumph, winning the overall title of the 55th annual Merrie Monarch Festival early Sunday morning at Edith Kanaka‘ole Stadium. Read more
Halau Na Lei Kaumaka O Uka of Maui, under the direction of kumu Napua Greig, took the overall winner title of the 55th Merrie Monarch Festival early this morning at the Edith Kanaka‘ole Stadium. Read more
The start of the group kahiko competition at the 55th Merrie Monarch Festival on Friday evening coincided with a return of tradewinds as halau brought their best to the stage at Edith Kanaka‘ole Stadium. Read more
With stellar performances in both the kahiko and auana portions of the competition, she impressed judges and netted the top score of 1,130, winning the title of Miss Aloha Hula on Thursday night. Read more
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