Cultural Performances, Art Return to Hilo Hawaiian During Merrie Monarch Week

With the return of the Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo, other events that coincide with the event throughout the community also are coming back, including at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel.

Everyone is invited to join the celebration at the hotel from April 20-23. Come shop the craft fair featuring local artisans, enjoy live music and hula performances and refuel at food stations with a Hawaiian or local-style meal.

The craft fair is scheduled from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. each day in the hotel’s Mokuola Ballroom. Vendors will include Kainoa’s Creation, Far East Trader, Mejiro, Ka Pua U’i Designs, Sunrise Oscar, Ho’omana Oil, Gifts from Ada, Kilohoku Treasures and others. From 1-2 p.m. each day, enjoy daily performances by local hālau hula under the guidance of kumu hula such as Debbie Ryder, Meleana Manuel, Sammye Ann Young, Camille Duebell-Mahuna and Paul Neves.

Local grinds also will be available throughout the four days, with different foods highlighted each day, including:

• Wednesday, April 20: Pork, tofu, watercress, shoyu chicken.
• Thursday, April 21: Pork and peas, chicken papaya.
• Friday, April 22: Hawaiian plate (lau lau, kālua pork, chicken long rice, lomi lomi salmon and haupia).
• Saturday, April 23: Korean chicken bento.

Parking at the hotel is available on a first come, first served basis.

The 59th annual Merrie Monarch Festival is scheduled from April 17-23. The annual celebration of hula and Hawaiian culture features a week of festivities, including parades, performances and Hawaiian art fairs, and culminates with three nights of hula competition.