Polynesian Voyaging Society Gala Set for April 20

The Polynesian Voyaging Society’s (PVS) Mahalo, Hawaiʻi Sail will hold a fundraising gala at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center on O‘ahu after returning to the Ala Wai Canal from its 20-month sail visiting dozens of communities around the state. The Saturday, April 20, 2019, event will celebrate the completion of the Mahalo, Hawaiʻi Sail.

PVS President Nainoa Thompson will share future plans for the organization’s next big voyage. Mahalo, Hawaiʻi is the final chapter of the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage, which gave the Hōkūleʻa crew an opportunity to thank Hawaiʻi’s communities for their support and to learn about their efforts to care for Island Earth.

The fundraiser gala themed Nā Kilo Lani (meaning Stargazers, Charting the Future) will honor PVS’s legendary founders—Ben Finney, Tommy Holmes and Herb Kane—as well as recognize three of PVS’s major supporters: The James and Abigail Campbell Family Foundation, Harold K. L. Castle Foundation and Explore.org (which is underwritten by Annenberg Foundation). The event will also feature a dinner, silent auction, dockside Hōkūleʻa tours and entertainment by Chad Takatsugi. Details on tickets and table sponsorships are available at http://www.hokulea.com/gala/.

Hōkūleʻa Arrival Ceremony and Ala Wai Celebration

The public is welcome to join Hōkūleʻa’s arrival ceremony at the Ala Wai Promenade behind the Hawai‘i Convention Center on Friday, April 19, 2019 at 9 a.m. The welcome ceremony will be followed by public dockside canoe tours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (dockside canoe tours also will be held on Saturday, April 20, 2019, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.). Just as the they did at ports throughout the state, the Hōkūleʻa crew will be honoring the mālama honua efforts taking place throughout the Ala Wai Watershed. Students and organizations focused on caring for the watershed will be providing an update on their activities and proposed solutions. More details about this and other events around Hōkūleʻa’s engagement at the Ala Wai will be announced soon.