On December 22, 1871, King Kamehameha V proclaimed a national holiday to honor and celebrate his grandfather and the father of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Originally, the people of Hawai‘i wanted to mark the legacy of Lot Kapūaiwa (Kamehameha V) on his birthday, December 11. Being the humble chief that he was, he opted to honor his grandfather instead and pushed the holiday as far away from his (Lot’s) birthday as possible, hence the arbitrary date of June 11. Thus, June 11, 1872, was the very first Kamehameha Day holiday ever celebrated.
Please note that dates, times, and locations are subject to change.
King Kamehameha Celebration Hoʻolaulea (Līhuʻe), June 14, 2025, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Historic County Building Lawn
2024 Protocol based on the guidance and pursuant to Hawaiʻi Revised Statute 8-5. Subject to change at the discretion of the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission.
Elected officials must be present, no proxies
All others at the discretion of the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission, time allowing based on the order received day of the event.
Please note, removal of lei, hoʻokupu or other items presented during the Lei Draping Ceremony will officially take place between 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. on the following Monday morning. Removal is based on availability of the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Accounting and General Services grounds crew. The crew will remove and dispose of all lei, hoʻokupu and any other objects that are not original to the statue or surrounding grounds. This removal will be done utilizing standard grounds keeping practices and policies in accordance with the general maintenance of the area. Anyone wishing to retrieve floral arrangements, containers or hoʻokupu that they or their organization specifically may have contributed during the Lei Draping Ceremony may do so in advance of this planned removal. We do not permit the removal of 30’ lei hung on the statue as it may result in damage to the statue. In most cases the plant material and lei will have withered because of the direct sunlight. Those wishing to retrieve their property should plan accordingly and dispose at their discretion. Any items that remain at 6 a.m. will be disposed of as described above.
In Kohala, Hawai`i, the bronze sculpture of Kamehameha has been painted in life-like colors for as long as anyone can remember. How will the community react when a stranger arrives to conserve the cherished public monument and restore it to its original gold leaf and bronze patina finish?
Per HRS 8-5, “The commission is authorized to determine to whom and for which occasions permission is to be granted for the use of the statue of King Kamehameha I.” Hawai’i Revised Statute 8-5: Capitol.Hawaii.gov/HRScurrent/Vol01_Ch0001-0042F/HRS0008/HRS_0008-0005
For more information: HawaiiFilmOffice.com/Film-Permitting/Film-Permit-Application
King Kamehameha Celebration Commission
355 North King Street
Honolulu, HI 96817
Telephone: (808) 586-0333
Email: [email protected]
Support provided by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority through the Community Enrichment Program.