Tickets For Merrie Monarch Hōʻike Go on Sale This Week

The 2022 Merrie Monarch Festival is welcoming the public back this year for its Wednesday night Hōʻike — but not for free.

“We normally present our world class lineup of dance performances free to the public, but in consideration of the long lines that event-goers usually encounter on Wednesday, and health concerns related to COVID-19, we have decided to sell tickets this year,” says a press release on the festival’s website.

Tickets cost $5, cash only, and go on sale Tuesday, March 15. Tickets can be purchased in person at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium in Hilo. Office hours Tuesday are 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; normal office hours are 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

One person can purchase a maximum of 10 tickets. Tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis and no reservations will be taken. All sales are final.

Proof of vaccination and identification are required to enter the stadium. Negative COVID test results will not be accepted. Masks also are required at all times in the stadium, except when eating and drinking. People will be seated in groups of two, and there will be a 3-foot buffer between groups.

For more information, visit the festival website.