“Aloha Week” was conceived in 1946 as a cultural revival of Hawaiian music, dance, and history, a re-imagined “makahiki”—the ancient Hawaiian New Year festival traditionally held in late-October or early November. The new Aloha Week included a parade and the Waikīkī Hoʻolauleʻa (celebration, aka block party) on Kalākaua Avenue.
Dozens of volunteer-run events on neighboring islands were added over the years. In 1991, Aloha Week became “Aloha Festivals”—a statewide celebration of Hawaiian culture.
Today, Aloha Festivals continues to foster the Aloha Spirit by showcasing the unique cultural traditions of Hawaiʻi. Signature events in September on the island of Oʻahu include presentation of a Hawaiian Heritage Royal Court, the Waikīkī Hoʻolauleʻa, and the Floral Parade through Waikīkī. These Oʻahu events are described in detail below.
In addition, neighboring islands organize independent events September-October. Find information and links to neighbor island events below under the section ʻOhana Events.
Brief history of Makahiki
When the star cluster Makali‘i* appeared on the eastern horizon at sunset, it marked the beginning of ho’oilo (winter season) and the start of a new year—Makahiki.
The Hawaiian Makahiki New Year celebration lasted about four months. It was kapu (forbidden) to engage in war and certain tasks such as deep-sea fishing and farming. This was a practical decision due to heavy rains and high winds experienced during ho’oilo. During the time of Kamehameha I, maka‘āinana (commoners) in each ahupuaʻa (land districts on each island) gave ho‘okupu (offerings) during makahiki as a tax. Ho‘okupu were re-distributed among the aliʻi (chiefs) and kahuna (priests). These offerings included pua‘a (pigs), kalo (taro), ‘uala (sweet potatoes), hulu (feathers), moena (woven mats), and kapa (aka tapa or Hawaiian bark cloth).
Several Hawaiian gods were honored during makahiki, especially Lono-i-ka-makahiki (aka Lono) who is associated with fertility, agriculture, rainfall, music, and peace. Following the distribution of ho‘okupu, the festivities of makahiki commenced and included dramatic pageants, games of strength and strategy, hula (dancing), food of course, and offerings to the gods. A ritual closing ceremony signified the end of makahiki, lifting of kapu, and return to normal farming and fishing activities. The tradition of makahiki faded after the arrival of Europeans and suppression of Hawaiian cultural practices.
Māori names and placements of the nine Matariki stars, along with the Greek names 2021 image by Robert Gendler (CC4)
*The star cluster Makali‘i appears in both the northern and southern hemispheres and therefore has many names. It is also known as Matariki (Māori), Cmaamc (Lakota), collca’ (Quechua), Mutsuraboshi and Subaru (Japanese), and perhaps most commonly as Pleiades (Greek), Messier 45 or M45, or Seven Sisters. There are still more names in Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, and many, many more cultures and languages throughout history. The names of the nine brightest stars from Greek mythology are (the “seven sisters”) Asterope, Electra, Merope, Maia, Celaeno, Taygeta, and Alcyone – and their parents, Pleione and Atlas.
O’ahu: Aloha Festivals Signature Events
Aloha Festivals is the largest Hawaiian cultural celebration in the U.S. The statewide celebration of Hawaiian culture includes events on the island of O‘ahu and independent ʻOhana events on neighboring islands. Thousands of volunteers work together each year to stage the events, which are attended by thousands.
These community-supported events are made possible through private donations, community sponsors, merchandise sales, and supporting funds from the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority.
Besides attending events, here are ways to participate:
- Participate at Aloha Festivals events through membership, sponsorship, or in a signature event: royal court member or appearance, a parade unit, or ho‘olaule‘a vendor.
- Purchase Aloha Festivals ribbons and exclusive merchandise online or at Aloha Festivals signature events.
- Donate to Aloha Festivals to keep its signature events free and open to the public. Donations are tax deductible.
- More info: Aloha Festivals and Event Parking for Aloha Festivals events and Aloha Festivals Events | Facebook
Hawaiian Heritage Royal Court
The Aloha Festivals opening ceremony is a stately ceremony with treasured cultural protocols that honor Hawaiʻi aliʻi (ruling chiefs). The Royal Court dresses in regalia once worn only by aliʻi of the highest rank and ensures the festival is rooted in the most cherished traditions of ancient Hawaiʻi. More info: Aloha Festivals Royal Court Investiture & Opening Ceremony
Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024 | 4 – 6 p.m. Royal Court Investiture: Helumoa Gardens at The Royal Hawaiian Hotel, A Luxury Collection Resort | Opening Ceremony: The Royal Grove at Royal Hawaiian Center
Waikīkī Hoʻolauleʻa
The Waikīkī Ho‘olaule‘a during Aloha Week along Kalākaua Avenue is lined with booths showcasing Hawaiʻi cuisine, crafts, and culture. Taste the best of local flavors from around the island. Peruse artisan-made crafts. Enjoy multiple entertainment stages featuring top local artists, award-winning hālau hula, and more. More info: Aloha Festivals Waikīkī Ho‘olaule‘a
Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024 | 6 – 9:30 p.m. Kalākaua Avenue
Floral Parade
Aloha Week officially ends with a colorful procession of Hawaiian culture through Waikīkī with the Annual Floral Parade. Participants include floats covered with Hawaiian flowers, marching bands, hālau hula, civic leaders, and other parade units display the unique aloha spirit that unites Hawaii’s community. A highlight of the Floral Parade is the procession of Pāʻū* riders. More info: Aloha Festivals Floral Parade
Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024 | 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. From Ala Moana Park through Kalākaua Avenue to Kapi‘olani Park
* What is a Pāʻū?
The article of clothing for women in ancient Hawaiʻi was a pāʻū (skirt) consisting of a rectangular piece of kapa (aka tapa or bark cloth) wrapped around the waist, extending either from beneath the bust (for aliʻi or royalty) or the waistline (for maka‘āinana or commoners), to the knee. Read more about Pāʻū rider traditions below.
Pāʻū riders
Pāʻū Queen at the Kamehameha Day parade 2022 photo by Carole Cancler
Pāʻū riders are uniquely Hawaiian. By the middle of the 19th century, horses were common in the islands and Hawaiians became expert equestrians. Since Hawaiian wahine (women) rode horses astride rather than sidesaddle, she gathered the skirt of their now western-style dress and tucked it around her legs.
The dress was then covered by fabric to protect the dress from muddy and dusty roads. This rider’s pāʻū was made of a single piece of fabric, about 12 yards in length, wrapped around the rider to flow over the stirrups and to the ground. The pāʻū uses no buttons or other fasteners, it is held in place by twisting and tucking the fabric with kukui nuts.
Each pāʻū unit can includes a queen or princess, one or more female attendant riders, and one or more (usually male) escorts. A queen’s unit will have move riders and attendants than a princess.
The queen or princess is the only member of the unit who can weave her horse on the route. Following her, the attendant(s) ride straight forward. A page carries the unit’s banner. Finally, there are the pooper scoopers whose job it is to, uh, escort the horses.
Pāʻū units by Island
Alphabetical list by island for each pāʻū unit, representing the island’s flower and color:
- Hawaiʻi Island – Flower ʻōhiʻa lehua (endemic Metrosideros polymorpha) and the color red
- Kahoolawe – ʻāhina.hina aka ʻāhina (endemic Heliotropium anomalum var. argenteum) and grey/blue
- Kauaʻi – mokihana (endemic Pelea anisata) and purple
- Lānaʻi – kaunaona (endemic Cuscuta sandwichiana) and orange
- Maui – lokelani (introduced Rosa damascena, registered name “Archduke Charles” aka Damask rose and Maui rose) and pink
- Molokaʻi – kukui (canoe plant Aleurites moluccana) and green
- Niʻihau – kāmoa ke‘oke‘o (white niʻihau pūpū or shell) and brown/white
- Oʻahu – Ilima (indigenous Sida fallax) and yellow
Map illustration: Depositphotos_45737525
Neighbor Islands: ‘Ohana Events
Listed below are community-sponsored events across the Hawaiian Islands to celebrate the spirit of Aloha, including live music performances, ho‘olaule‘a, and cultural activities. More info: Aloha Festivals Ohana Events
2024 Maui County Festivals of Aloha
Highlights include:
- Maui Sept 14 – Kahului Kū Mai Ka Hula. Maui’s only adult hula competition at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center.
- Maui Sept 21 – Kapalua Falsetto contest. Richard Ho‘opi‘i Leo Ki‘eki‘e Falsetto Contest at the Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua.
- Lāna‘i October 5 – Ho‘olaule‘a with hands on activities, local eats, crafters and live entertainment.
- Moloka‘i October 11 – Ho‘olaule‘a at the Community Health Center from 5:30pm – 9:30pm with local eats, local buys and entertainment.
- Maui October 19 – Hāna Parade & Ho‘olaule‘a (Crafts, Games, contests)
- Maui October 19-26 Hāna Events – Festival of Aloha.
- Maui October 25-27 – Wailea Hula and Music. Complimentary off-site parking with roundtrip shuttle service.
- More info: Events – FESTIVALS OF ALOHA
Event calendar of free and affordable things to do
Listed below are all types of free and affordable things to do in the next 30 days across the Hawaiʻi Pae ʻĀina.
Featured Events are listed first each day, highlighted by a photo. These are unique, popular, or annual events that we or our advertisers don’t want you to overlook.
You might also like: Hawaiʻi on the Cheap – affordable living and things to do (hawaiionthecheap.com)
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