After a two-year hiatus, Kona’s King Kamehameha Day Celebration Parade is returning and organizers are asking for the community’s help to ensure the June 11 event is a hit.
Featuring more than 100 riders on horseback, the annual parade and ho‘olaule‘a (music and art festival) fittingly return this year on Kamehameha Day in Historic Kailua. Kamehameha Day is a state and county holiday established in 1871 to honor Kamehameha the Great, who united the Hawaiian Islands in 1810 and became Hawaii’s first king. He died in 1819.
This year’s parade begins at 9 a.m. on Kuakini Highway, near the Palani Road intersection, and travels down Palani to Kailua pier, then southbound down Alii Drive through the village to Royal Kona Resort.
Adorned in the flowers and colors of the Hawaiian Islands, pa‘u riders on horseback will represent each of the eight islands, led by their respective princesses and the pa‘u queen. The equestrian units are joined by cultural representatives, floats and other community entries.
“There’s a lot of excitement and enthusiasm,” said Manu Powers, co-chairperson of the King Kamehameha Day Celebration Committee.
While the queen and princesses have already been selected — and will be announced closer to the event — the committee is hoping to get businesses, organizations and others in the community to step up and take part in uniquely Hawaii parade, despite the short notice amid waning COVID-19 restrictions.
“We usually start earlier in the year, but this year, we didn’t know if we would go forward because of the pandemic,” Karen Anderson, a spokesperson and committee member, said. “We’re hanging by a thread to see if the county would even allow for parades right now, but we hope to have all the units.”
Currently, the committee has had no non-equestrian entries. To enter into the parade, visit the konaparade.org/applications.
“Yes we’re doing a parade and yes we want you to submit an entry form,” Powers said. “And we need all the help we can get.”
Other help needed includes volunteers to work with police officers to help secure road closures and vendors to participate in the ho‘olaulea at Hulihe‘e Palace following the parade. The committee is also hoping for a volunteer to spearhead community outreach for floats and donations.
For more details on the parade, visit konaparade.org.