HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A large crowd gathered in downtown Honolulu on Friday to honor King Kamehameha I, the monarch who unified the Hawaiian Islands.

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The annual lei draping ceremony at Ali‘iōlani Hale included cultural protocols and pageantry, and performances by the Royal Hawaiian Band and Hālau Mōhala ‘Ilima.

Friday’s ceremony came a day after the official King Kamehameha Day state holiday and is part of the 154th annual celebration, which is observed with festivities statewide.

This year’s theme is “E kū, e hoʻololi,” which organizers translated as “Stand upright and change [unpleasant] conditions.”

Floral parade route and road closures

The 109th King Kamehameha Celebration Floral Parade will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 13, starting on King Street fronting ‘Iolani Palace.

The parade route continues down Punchbowl Street, then turns onto Ala Moana Boulevard and Kalākaua Avenue, finishing at Monsarrat Avenue and Queen Kapi‘olani Park.

Streets will begin closing in downtown Honolulu at 7:30 a.m., with closures moving along the route ahead of the parade. The parade is expected to reach Kapi‘olani Park at around 11:30 a.m.

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Congestion is expected and motorists should use alternate routes, allow extra driving time and avoid double-parking.

Ho‘olaule‘a at Kapi‘olani Park

A King Kamehameha Celebration ho‘olaule‘a is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Kapi‘olani Park, where the parade ends on Kalākaua Avenue.

Admission is free and the event will include food booths, family-friendly activities and Hawaiian cultural programming, including hula and live entertainment.

Attendees can take part in traditional Hawaiian games such as kōnane, and learn through workshops and demonstrations, including pūpū Niʻihau lei making, ʻohe kāpala, and lauhala weaving.

Organizers said the ho‘olaule‘a is a place for parade-goers to gather and for attendees to meet and greet with pāʻū riders and other parade participants.

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