Aloha Festivals - Establishment

Establishment

In the spirit of preserving the Hawaiian culture and heritage, the Aloha Festivals were established in 1946 as Aloha Week by former members of the local Junior Chamber of Commerce. The former manager of the festivals, Goriann Akau, has said, "In 1946, after the war, Hawaiians needed an identity. We were lost and needed to regroup. When we started to celebrate our culture, we began to feel proud. We have a wonderful culture that had been buried for a number of years. This brought it out again. Self-esteem is more important than making a lot of money." The main highlight of the original Aloha Week was the presentation of the Maui Royal Court and a floral parade, a two hour parade eastbound on Ala Moana Boulevard and Kalakaua Avenue through Downtown Honolulu, Kakaako, Ala monarch. Events include the Falsetto Contest in Wailea, the Banyan Tree Ho'olaule'a in Lahaina, the Hawaiian Festival in Ka'anapali and the Hana Parade. Approximately 30,000 people volunteer to plan, organize and provide labor for the Aloha Festivals each year. Their efforts entertain over 1,000,000 people from throughout the state and visitors from all over the world.