‘Iolani Luahine Hula Festival at Kona Sheraton

The 18th annual ‘Iolani Luahine Hula Festival will be held Jan. 24 to Jan. 26, 2020, at the Sheraton Kona Resort and Spa at Keauhou Bay.

The ‘Iolani Luahine Festival was established in 2003 with a vision to perpetuate the hula, and it also serves as a way to honor the memory of ‘Iolani Luahine and her contributions to the preservation of hula and Hawaiian culture.

This year, the festival will again include hula presentations and a challenge to Kumu Hula with a prize for the one who best demonstrates the values of ‘Iolani Luahine: education and Hawaiian culture.

The festival will feature hula workshops presented by Kumu Leialoha Lim-Amina, Kumu Leimomi Ho and Lehua Kawaikapuokalani Hewett. A new workshop has also been added this year. Mele Kahalepuna Chun will present a workshop using feather flowers to create a lei pua papale.

Ni’ihau shell jewelry workshops with Kumu Kele Kanahele featuring lei and earrings in the crown flower style will also be held. Registration, fees and information for the workshops are available at www.iolaniluahinefestival.org.

Hula presentations will begin at 4 p.m. on Friday and feature makuahine, makuakane and kupuna hula presentations. Saturday will begin at 1 p.m. and will feature the keiki, opio, wahine and kane presentations.

The hula presentations on both days are a free community event and everyone is invited to attend. Donations will be gratefully accepted to support the festival.

Evening musical entertainment on Friday will begin at 6:30 p.m. featuring Lehua Kawaikapuokalani Hewett & Friends. Tickets are $15 and will be available at the festival and at the door, which helps support the festival. On Saturday, the festival will offer quality Hawaiian arts and crafts by local artisans beginning at 11 a.m. For more information about the festival, please visit www.iolaniluahinefestival.org .