Reminder: Tickets for 60th Annual Merrie Monarch Hōʻike go on sale Sunday

If you didn’t get tickets to the competition but still want to see hula during the 60th Annual Merrie Monarch Festival, there’s still a chance. But don’t wait.

Tickets for the festival’s Hōʻike, the non-competitive hula exhibition scheduled for Wednesday night, April 12, at Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium in Hilo, go on sale Sunday (Feb. 26). People will be able to purchase tickets in person from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., or until tickets are sold out, at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium box office, located at 323 Manono St. in Hilo.

Last year, tickets for the popular event were sold out in about three hours.

Ticket information is as follows:

• Price: $5 each (cash ONLY).
• Limit: Two tickets per person.
• Ticket purchasers must be at least 16 years old.
• NO re-issuing of lost tickets.
• NO refunds.

To help with the ticketing process, download, print and fill out this year’s ticket form by clicking here.

The Merrie Monarch Festival also announced the names of the judges for this year’s Super Bowl of Hula, the participating hālau hula and contestants for the 2023 Miss Aloha Hula competition.

Judges for the 60th Annual Merrie Monarch Festival are Cy Bridges, Ed Collier, Vicky Holt Takamine, Nālani Kanaka‘ole, Noenoelani Zuttermeister Lewis, Pi‘ilani Lua and Kalena Silva.

Participating hālau hula for the 2023 festival are:

• Hālau Lilia Makanoe
  Kumu Hula Shelsea Lilia Ai
• Hālau Nā Mamo O Pu‘uanahulu
  Nā Kumu Hula William Kahakuleilehua Haunu‘u “Sonny” Ching and Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera
• Keolalaulani Hālau ‘Ōlapa O Laka
  Kumu Hula Keolalaulani Dalire
• Hālau Ka Liko Pua O Kalaniākea
  Kumu Hula Kapua Dalire-Moe
• Hālau Mōhala ‘Ilima
  Kumu Hula Māpuana De Silva
• Hālau Keolakapuokalani
  Kumu Hula Drake Keolakapu Dudoit Delaforcé
• Hālau Kiawekūpono O Ka Ua
  Kumu Hula Ulukoa Duhaylonsod
• Hālau Hula ‘O Kahikilaulani
  Kumu Hula Nāhōkūokalani Gaspang
• Hālau Nā Lei Kaumaka O Uka
  Kumu Hula Nāpua Greig
• Hālau Hula Kauluokalā
  Kumu Hula Uluwehi Guerrero
• Keʻala ʻO Kamailelauliʻiliʻi
  Kumu Hula Kamaile Hamada
• Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana O Leināʻala
  Kumu Hula Leinā‘ala Pavao Jardin
• Hālau Ka Lehua Pua Kamaʻehu
  Nā Kumu Hula Kasie Puahala Kaleohano and Brandi Nohelani Barrett
• Hula Hālau ‘O Kamuela
  Nā Kumu Hula Kau‘ionālani Kamana‘o and Kunewa Mook
• Hālau Hiʻiakaināmakalehua
  Nā Kumu Hula Robert Ke‘ano Ka‘upu IV and Lono Padilla
• Hālau O Ka Hanu Lehua
  Kumu Hula Carlson Kamaka Kukona III
• Ka Lā ʻŌnohi Mai O Haʻehaʻe
  Nā Kumu Hula Tracie and Keawe Lopes
• Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi
  Nā Kumu Hula Haunani and ʻIliahi Paredes
• Kawaiʻulaokalā
  Kumu Hula Keliʻihoʻomalu Puchalski
• Hālau Hula O Kauhionāmauna
  Kumu Hula Theresa Kauhionāmauna Ramento Tehiva
• Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka Lā
  Kumu Hula Kaleo Trinidad
• Hālau Hula Ka Lehua Tuahine
  Kumu Hula Ka‘ilihiwa Vaughan-Darval
• Hālau Kalaʻakeakauikawēkiu
  Kumu Hula Kenneth Dean Alohapumehanaokala Victor

This year’s Miss Aloha Hula contestants are:

• Meleana Kamalani Mirafuentes
  Nā Kumu Hula William Kahakuleilehua Haunuʻu “Sonny” Ching and Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera
• Eva Rose Keaoʻōpuaikalaʻi Espinoza
  Kumu Hula Keolalaulani Dalire
• Jazmine Nohealani Adams-Clarke
  Kumu Hula Kapua Dalire-Moe
• Pōhaikealoha Olikolani Artates
  Kumu Hula Nāpua Greig
• Breeze Ann Kalehuaonālani Vidinha Pavao
  Kumu Hula Leināʻala Pavao Jardin
• Tehani Kaleohoneonālani Barrett
  Nā Kumu Hula Kasie Puahala Kaleohano & Brandi Nohelani Barrett
• Je’ani-Jade Kalamaolaikapohakea Pavao
  Nā Kumu Hula Kunewa Mook & Kau‘ionālani Kamana‘o
• Jill-Lyan Makanaokalani Mae-Ling Mamizuka
  Kumu Hula Kamaka Kukona
• Agnes Renee Leihiwahiwaikapolionāmakua Thronas Brown
  Nā Kumu Hula Tracie & Keawe Lopes
• Karlee Pōhaikealoha Rita Chong Kee
  Nā Kumu Hula Haunani & ‘Iliahi Paredes
• Tayla-Nohealeimamo Kamaehukauikapono Taʻuhere Vaughan-Darval
  Kumu Hula Kaʻilihiwa Vaughan-Darval
• Pōlaʻa Kalaniʻelima Yim
  Kumu Hula Kenneth Dean Alohapumehanaokalā Victor

The 60th Annual Merrie Monarch Festival is scheduled for April 9-15 in Hilo. For more information, visit the festival website.