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Aloha to our 94th Lei Court candidates!




O‘AHU - The Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) proudly announces the candidates for the 94th Annual Lei Court Selection!

Each year, the Lei Court Selection rotates through four age brackets. This year is Nā Kūpuna (The Elders), and will feature three candidates:

•Melodie Lynn Leinaʻala Naluaʻi Vega
•Leilani Kūpahu-Marino Kahoʻāno
•Charlene Kapualani Kauhane Harano

The selection event will be held on Saturday, March 4, 2023 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the ground level courtyard at Kapolei Hale.  The public is invited to enjoy this beautifully unique display of Hawaiian pageantry, as the event is free and open to everyone.

Each candidate will be scored on the following skills performed on-site: one-hour lei making, English and Hawaiian language proficiency, hula ‘auana, poise, and personality. At the end of the event, the Lei Queen and her princesses will be selected forming the Lei Court.

Once selected, the Lei Court will preside over the 95th Annual Lei Day Celebration festivities, and will be the City’s Ambassadors of Aloha at a variety of public events.

The 95th Annual Lei Day Celebration will be held on Monday, May 1, 2023, at Kapi‘olani Park, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Along with Hawaiian entertainment, demonstrations, and exhibits, the celebration event will feature a lei contest exhibit showcasing some of the most exquisitely crafted lei in a variety of colors and methods.

The first Lei Day was celebrated on May 1, 1927 with a few people wearing lei in downtown Honolulu. Over time, more and more people began to wear lei on May 1, and thus began the tradition of “May Day is Lei Day in Hawai‘i.” The first lei Queen, Miss Nina Bowman, was crowned by Honolulu Mayor Charles Arnold in 1928. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, when large, in-person events were restricted, our island community found innovative ways to celebrate this uniquely Hawaiian holiday. This included a video presentation to mark Lei Day in 2021, and the Nā Lei Koa in 2020 to honor our first responders.

For more information about the Lei Court Selection, Lei Day Celebration, and an awesome historical write-up of the history of Lei Day in Hawai‘i visit bit.ly/HonoluluLeiDay

Funding provided by Hula Grill Waikīkī, Handcrafters and Artisans Alliance, and Friends of Honolulu Parks and Recreation.

If you need an auxiliary aid/service, other accommodations due to a disability, or an interpreter for a language other than English in reference to this announcement, please contact the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation at (808) 768-3003 on weekdays from 7:45 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. or email parks@honolulu.gov
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