Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau Cultural Festival Postponed Because of COVID

Plans to celebrate Hawaiian culture at a West Hawai‘i national park have been postponed.

“Due to an increase in COVID-19 cases locally, Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park will postpone its annual Hawaiian Cultural Festival,” a press release from the park said Friday morning.

The event was originally scheduled for Saturday, June 25.

“This is so unfortunate,” Keola Awong, supervisory park ranger at the park, said in an email Friday.

Park officials said the festival will be rescheduled for a later date, when COVID cases have decreased and Hawai‘i County moves out of a high level of community spread.

“The health and safety of our staff and community must be the highest priority,” John Broward, the park’s superintendent, said in the press release.