Kapuʻuola Hula Festival
Kapu‘uola is an outdoor non-competitive hula festival held at the pā hula (hula mound) at Pu‘uokapolei, a cultural and historic site. The festival will feature two days of sunset performances by three hālau hula (hula schools) and music entertainment by Māhiehie and Po‘okela and Friends. The event is free and open to the public.
“Kapu‘uola means living hill,” says Miki‘ala Lidstone, Executive Director of the Ulu A‘e Learning Center. “The name reflects the festival’s vision to bring life and enlightenment for all things Hawaiian – our places, our people, our language, our art forms our practices and our special cultural sites like Puʻuokapolei.”
Sunday, April 28, 2024
3:00 – 5:00 PM
CULTURAL WORKSHOPS
Kōnane Workshop w/ John Kaohelauliʻi
Lei Koko Workshop w/ Kuhi Rowland
Pūʻohe Workshop w/ Kekoa Kaloi
Pāʻū Wrapping w/ Kamahana Kealoha
5:00 – 5:15 PM
Opening Oli by Ulu A‘e Haumāna
5:15 – 5:45 PM
Hālau Nā Mamo o Ka ‘Upa‘iaka‘uaua (Lahela Igarta)
5:45 – 6:45 PM
Music by Māhiehie
Sunday, May 5, 2024
3:00 – 5:00 PM
CULTURAL WORKSHOPS
Pūʻohe Workshop w/ Kekoa Kaloi
Pāʻū Wrapping w/ Kamahana Kealoha
Wai Nīoi w/ Kamaka Cardines
5:00 – 5:15 PM
Paokalani Hula School (Kalani Hiapo)
5:15 – 5:45 PM
Nā Lei O Ka ‘Iwa Ha‘a I Ka Lani (Tatiana Fox)
5:45 – 6:45 PM
Music by Kaulalua and Poʻokela Wood
A non-competitive hula competition hosted at the piko of Kapolei, Puʻuokapolei.
New mele honoring, featuring our beloved wahi pana are performed by participating hālau.
Join us for a fun-filled day of hula, live Hawaiian music, and crafts from some of Hawaiʻi’s finest artisans.
Tips When Attending…
- Bring cash. Most vendors accept credit cards, but some may not.
- Bring a refillable water bottle. But, don’t worry if you don’t have one. Commemorative Kapu‘uola cups will be available for $1 purchase. Water coolers will be available throughout the area to refill your cup.
- Silent Auction enthusiasts should arrive before 12 PM. Most silent auction items are snagged up by early, aggressive bidders.
- No need to bring your own picnic mats, chairs and umbrellas. Tented seating will be available throughout the event grounds.
- Let our volunteers know if you need assistance. We will transport you from the parking lot area to the festival area.
- Remember, the event is outdoors, so dress comfortably. If you forget sunscreen, reef safe sunscreen dispensers will be available.
- Beat the crowd by heading to the festival early. The busiest time will be from 3 PM till the end.
There is LIMTED PARKING in the upper lot of the pu‘u. Additional parking can be found down below at the lower lots of the Kapolei Regional Park. It’s a short walk to the pu‘u from there.
The location of Pu‘uokapolei can be a bit tricky. Because it’s a cultural site, there is no specific address. It is a part of the Kapolei Regional Park. So if you find the park, look for the coconut trees towards the top of the park. That’s where you will find us. If you are on the road, find Fort Barrette. Drive ma kai (seaward) along Fort Barrette, when you see the skatepark on the right, take that right and follow the road inward.
There are various parking lots throughout Kapolei Regional Park. If you park in one of those parking lots, you will have a short and uphill walk to the area in which the festival takes place.
There is parking at Pu‘uokapolei. But please know that there’s lots of parking all around Pu‘uokapolei as well. We look forward to seeing you.
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