Merrie Monarch Festival

What is the Merrie Monarch Festival?

Hilo, on the rainy east coast of Hawaiʻi Island, the Big Island, is a quiet town of old wooden storefronts, gardens and waterfalls. For one week every spring, it becomes the capital of hula. The Merrie Monarch Festival is the most prestigious hula competition in the world, a celebration of Hawaiian dance, music and culture that draws hālau, hula schools, from across Hawaiʻi and beyond.

The festival honours King David Kalākaua, who reigned over the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi from 1874 to 1891 and was known as the Merrie Monarch. At a time when hula had been suppressed, he brought it back to court and championed Hawaiian arts and traditions. The festival began in the 1960s as a way to bring visitors to Hilo, and in 1971, Dottie Thompson and the hula master George Naʻope added the hula competition, which has made it famous. Men's hālau joined in 1976.

The competition has three nights. Miss Aloha Hula is a solo contest for young women. The group contests are split between hula kahiko, ancient hula, danced to chants and the beat of drums and gourds in traditional costumes, and hula ʻauana, modern hula, danced to songs with guitars and ukuleles in flowing gowns and aloha shirts. Hālau prepare for months, and winning is a great honour.

Tickets for the competition nights are famously hard to get, but the week also has free events, from craft fairs and exhibitions to free hula performances and a parade through the town, which welcome everyone.

What to expect

The festival runs for a week from Easter Sunday, with the competition on the last three nights at Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium.

Planning your trip

Getting there

Hilo has an airport with flights from Honolulu and other Hawaiian islands. Many visitors fly to Honolulu first and connect. The stadium and most events are in the town, and a car is useful for exploring the island.

Where to stay

Hilo has a limited number of hotels and vacation rentals, which are booked months ahead for festival week. Book as early as you can, or stay further out on the island and drive in.

What it costs

The daytime events and the parade are free. Competition tickets were about $30 to $55 in 2025, when you can get them. Hawaiʻi is expensive, and prices for flights and rooms rise during festival week.

Go like you know

• Arrive early for the free hula performances; seats fill up quickly.
• Wear something comfortable but respectful; many locals dress in aloha shirts and muʻumuʻu for the competition nights.
• Learn a little about the chants and stories behind the dances; each hula tells a story, often about a place, a person or a god.
• Visit the Hilo Farmers Market for tropical fruit, flowers and local food.
• Buy a fresh flower lei from a local stand to wear during the week.
• See Rainbow Falls and the gardens of Liliʻuokalani Park, both a short drive from the stadium.
• Pack a rain jacket; Hilo is one of the wettest towns in the United States.
• Browse the craft fair for Hawaiian quilts, lei and woodwork made by local artisans.
• Visit Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, about 45 minutes from Hilo.
• Rapa Nui's Tapati, in February, is another great celebration of Polynesian culture.
• Papua New Guinea's Goroka Show, in September, gathers cultures from across the Pacific highlands.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Merrie Monarch Festival in 2027?

The 2027 festival runs from March 28 to April 3, the week starting on Easter Sunday, with the competition nights at the end of the week. The festival always begins on Easter Sunday, so its dates change every year. Check the official website for the schedule.

How do I get tickets?

Competition tickets are requested by mail from early December, with payment by cashier's check or money order and a limit per person. International requests follow a separate process. Tickets are limited and sell out quickly, so many visitors enjoy the free events and watch the competition on screen.

What is the difference between kahiko and ʻauana?

Hula kahiko is ancient hula, danced to chants and traditional percussion, with costumes made from natural materials. Hula ʻauana is modern hula, danced to songs with string instruments, in more modern costumes. Hālau compete in both at the Merrie Monarch.