He Lei Hiwa No `Iolani Luahine Hula Festival and Educational Challenge

Friday & Saturday, January 25 & 26: 
He Lei Hiwa No `Iolani Luahine Hula Festival and Educational Challenge.  The ‘Iolani Luahine Festival was established in 2003 with a vision to perpetuate hula, and it also serves as a way to honor the memory of kumu hula `Iolani Luahine and her contributions to the preservation of hula and Hawaiian culture. The festival will include hula presentations, and a challenge to kumu hula with a prize for the one who best demonstrates the values of `Iolani Luahine: education and Hawaiian culture. The festival will feature hula workshops and Ni`ihau shell jewelry workshops with Kumu Kele Kanahele featuring lei in the kiponapona style. Hula presentations will begin at 4 p.m. on Friday and feature makuahine, makuakane and kupuna hula presentations. Saturday will begin at 1 p.m. and will feature the keiki, wahine and kane presentations. The hula presentations on both days are a free community event and everyone is invited to attend. Donations will be gratefully accepted to support the festival. An evening Hawaiian music concert which helps support the festival will be offered; tickets will be available online and at the door. On Saturday, the festival will offer quality Hawaiian arts and crafts by local artisans beginning at 11 a.m. For tickets, workshop registration, and information visit www.iolaniluahinefestival.org.