May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii | Hawaii May Day 2011 Events

A poet named Don Blanding, wrote an article in the local newspaper in early 1928, throwing out an idea that there might be a holiday that centered around a Hawaiian custom of making and wearing the flower lei. Then, fellow writer Grace Tower Warren came up with the idea of a holiday on May 1 to go along with May Day and she is the one who made up the phrase, "May Day is Lei Day."

The first Lei Day was held on May 1, 1928 and they encouraged everyone to wear a lei. There were wonderful programs in downtown Honolulu with music, exhibits and lei making demonstrations and contests.

Lei Day was made an official holiday in 1929 and celebrated yearly with the exception of World War II. Sunday is our May Day Celebration and the festivities are centered around Queen Kapiolani Park in Waikiki. The annual contest with MANY entries .

I have also been saying the phrase, "May Day is Lei Day" for years and there is also a song we sang for our Elementary School May Day on stage production called, "May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii". NOTE: In April of 1969 (I was in the latter part of 5^th grade) we were working on the stage for our May Day program and a boy in my class was on the stage and yelled at me while jumping off the stage. He was asking me to go steady! Lol!

Following is the Lei Day Program Schedule for 2011 at Queen Kapi'olani Regional park Bandstand!

• 9:00-9:50 a.m. Royal Hawaiian Band
• 10:00-10:50 a.m. Na Wahine O Ka Hula Mai Ka Pu'uwai
• 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Investiture Ceremony for the 2011 Lei Queen & Court
• 12:30 p.m. Opening of Lei Contest Exhibit by the 2011 Lei Queen & Court
• (approx. 12:30 p.m.)
• 12:45-1:45 p.m. Kapena
• 2:00-2:45 p.m. Halau Hula O Hokulani
• 3:00-3:45 p.m. Melveen Leed
• 4:00-4:35 p.m. Rebel Souljahz
• 4:45-5:30 p.m. Nesian N.I.N.E.
• 5:30 p.m. Announcements and Closing

Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association will play from 10:30am to 3:00pm, Lei Contest Exhibit is open to the public from 12:30-5:30pm. Tutu (grandmother) will be at Tutu Hale from 1-5pm telling stories, teaching a song, hula and how to make a lei to all the Mo'opuna (grandchildren). A Ho'olaule'a of Hawaiian craft exhibits/demonstrations (10am to 3pm), craft, lei and food vendors will also be at the park!

** All events are FREE.

MAY 2, 2011- Lei contest lei to be placed at Mauna'Ala-9-10am, Kawaiaha'o Church at King Lunalilo's Tomb 10:15-10:30am.