Hilo festival to celebrate Queen Liliʻuokalaniʻs legacy at historic gardens

A festival honoring Queen Liliʻuokalani and the cultural history of Liliʻuokalani Gardens will return to Hilo on Saturday.

The County of Hawaiʻi will host the annual He Haliʻa Aloha No Liliʻuokalani Festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a celebration that will mark the queen’s birthday and recognize the historical and cultural significance of the gardens.

Queen Liliʻuokalani was born Sept. 2, 1838, and died Nov. 11, 1917. She was the Hawaiian Kingdom’s only ruling queen and its final sovereign monarch.

The free community event will feature live music, hula, arts and crafts, food, cultural demonstrations, children’s games and other activities.

Hundreds of hula dancers are expected to participate in a mass hula performance, accompanied by a floral tribute in which blossoms will be released from a helicopter provided by the Hawaiʻi Fire Department.

Entertainment throughout the festival will include Christy Lassiter, Taishoji Taiko and the Brown Boys.

Overflow parking will be available at Aunty Sally Kaleohano’s Lūʻau Hale, with the Hawaiʻi County Economic Opportunity Council providing free shuttle service to and from the festival.

Families using the shuttle must provide their own child safety seats for keiki in accordance with current safety requirements. Children will not be permitted to ride on an adult’s lap. Shuttle staff will hold car seats at the festival stop while families attend the event so they can be used for the return trip.

Motorists should also expect a temporary road closure.

Lihiwai Street between Banyan Drive and Isles will be closed to vehicle traffic from 10 p.m. Thursday through 6 p.m. Saturday. The county is asking attendees to help maintain the festival as an alcohol-, drug- and litter-free event.

For further information, residents can contact the County Department of Parks and Recreation’s Culture and Education Division at 808-961-8706.