Photo courtesy of Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts

Don’t miss this annual Lei Draping Ceremony on June 7, 2024 at the King Kamehameha Statue at Aliʻiōlani Hale in downtown Honolulu. The Lei Draping Ceremony will begin at 2:00 p.m. Expect to see cultural protocols and pageantry, along with beautiful hand-made lei being draped on the outstretched arms of King Kamehameha. Enjoy the music of the Royal Hawaiian Band. During the reign of King Kalakaua, seventh monarch and last king of the Hawaiian Kingdom, a statue honoring Kamehameha I was commissioned in Florence, Italy to commemorate the founder of the Kingdom. On its way from Europe, the ship carrying the bronze statue sank off the Falkland Islands. Fortunately, insurance covered the cost of casting a second statue. In the meantime, the first statue was recovered, and Honolulu soon had two statues. To honor the birthplace of Kamehameha, King Kalakaua gifted the original statue to the people of Kohala. The second statue proudly stands in front of Aliʻiōlani Hale, home to Hawaiʻi’s Supreme Court and the King Kamehameha V Judiciary History Center. All are welcome to join the regal women of ʻAhahui Kaʻahumanu in stringing 30 foot plumeria lei to serve as a base of lei on the statue –  a tradition that has been carried on by these gracious ladies for nearly as long as the statue has stood. Donation of loose plumeria flowers accepted at 8 a.m.

For more information, visit the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority website.