File video by David Corrigan

This weekend, Hawaii celebrates Kamehameha Day.

The day is celebrated on Saturday, June 11th, although state and county employees get the day off on Friday.

Kamehameha Day was first established in 1871 as a national holiday of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Kamehameha Day was created to honor the memory of Kamehameha the Great, who united the Hawaiian Islands in 1810 to became Hawaii’s first King.

Hawaii Island always celebrates with a number of special events… the Kamehameha Festival will be held at Moku Ola – or Coconut Island – in Hilo, there will be a parade in Kailua-Kona, and of course, the birthplace of the king in Kapa’au will go all out with their annual lie draping ceremony, parade and hoolaulea.

The Royal Order of Kamehameha I issued this media release about the Festival to be held on Moku Ola in Hilo on Saturday:

Event: 2011 Kamehameha Festival
Date: Saturday June 11, 2010 (Kamehameha Day)
Time: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Location: Moku Ola (Coconut Island) Hilo, Hawai‘i
Presented by: Royal Order of Kamehameha I
Website: KamehamehaFestival.org

The Kamehameha Festival (Festival) is part of the Kamehameha Day celebration that was first established in 1871 as a national holiday of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i. Today, the Festival honor’s the memory of Kamehameha who united the Hawaiian Islands in 1810 to became Hawai‘i’s first King. The Festival also acts to protect, preserve, and perpetuate the Hawaiian culture by sharing traditional Hawaiian music, dance, and traditions, with thousands of island residents and visitors from around the world.

The 2011 Kamehameha Festival will be held on Saturday June 11, 2011 (Kamehameha Day) in Hilo, Hawai‘i on Moku Ola (Coconut Island) from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. The Festival will feature traditional Hawaiian music, hula (dance), cultural presentations, Ha‘a Koa Hō‘ike (Warrior Dance Exhibition), Oli Hō‘ike (Chant Exhibition), Ho‘okūkū Pū (Seashell Blowing Contest), ‘ono (delicious) food, and “Hawai‘i-Made” arts and craft vendors.

Proudly presented by the Royal Order of Kamehameha I, Māmala Hoa, the Festival is free and open to the public and is an alcohol and tobacco free event. A day of aloha for the entire ‘ohana (family). E komo mai! Welcome!

Program Schedule (tentative)

ON STAGE
9:00 – Opening Ceremony
9:00 – Ho‘okūkū Pū (Shell Blowing Contest)
9:30 – Hō‘ike Oli Exhibition
10:00 – Hālau Ke Ola Pono No Nā Kupuna, Kumu Hula Carleen Medeiros
11:00 – Stan Kaina and the ladies of Leo Nahenahe o Pohai Kealoha
12:00 – Royal Order of Kamehameha High Noon Ceremony
Presentation of Ho‘okupu
Presentation of Māmalahoa Award
1:00 – Ricky Alaniz
2:15 – Mark Yamanaka
3:15 – Komakakino
4:15 – Hālau Ha‘a Kea o Kinohi, Kumu Hula Paul Neves
5:00 – Closing Ceremony