20 hālau from Big Island, Oʻahu, Japan to participate in 29th annual Hula ʻOni E Hula Festival

The 29th annual Hula ʻOni E Hula Festival kicks off next week and will feature 20 hula hālau from the Big Island, Oʻahu and Japan.

Presented by Hālau Hula ʻO Hokulani, the festival will be hosted at the Coral Ballroom of the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikīkī Beach Resort from Aug. 25-27 on Oʻahu. More than 30 local vendors will be featured as part of the festival’s accompanying craft fair.

Festivities begin at 5 p.m. Aug. 25.

“This event is truly done to share hula in an event where hālau can not only be recognized for their hula, but also enjoy and perpetuate their traditions and culture,” said Hālau Hula ʻO Hokulani kumu hula Leinani De Rego Lauaki. “It is a festival that honors the past – the kumu hula who have gone on – and keeps the memory of their spirits and legacy alive.”

Hula ʻOni E was founded by na kumu hula Hokulani and Larry De Rego as a hula competition that highlights hālau from throughout Hawaiʻi. The first festival was put on in 1992 at the Hilton.

“Its purpose is to showcase our hālau and our hula culture with kamaʻāina and visitors from around the world,” said Larry De Rego. “No other hula event features the array of hula from keiki to kūpuna.”

The hula competition invites haumāna (students) ages 6 and older to participate in showcasing ʻauana (modern) and kahiko (ancient) styles. Hula ʻOni E also takes place in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan, and Vienna, Austria.

The festival craft fair features dozens of local vendors and their Hawaiʻi-made products of Hawaiian designs and various local snacks. The craft fair is free and open to the public. The hula festival requires a ticket to attend.

For more information about the festival or to purchase tickets, click here.