Tag Archives: Lei Day

Lei Day, 1928.

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For more stories on the first Lei Day, check out:
https://nupepa-hawaii.com/?s=%22lei+day%22+1928&submit=Search

…And this post from Bishop Museum, with the first Lei Day program!:
https://www.facebook.com/57683067109/posts/10158919517987110/

…And one more from Kamehameha Schools’ Hoʻokahua Cultural Vibrancy Group!
https://www.ksbe.edu/article/the-history-of-may-day-and-lei-day-in-hawaii/

nupepa

Ready For Lei Day

MARGARET DE LA CRUZ, whose cheerful smile is familiar to all who visit the docs on streamer days, is representative of the typical Hawaii lei woman.

(Advertiser, 5/1/1928, p. 1)

Advertiser_5_1_1928_1 Honolulu Advertiser, 70th Year, Number 14,793, Page 1. May 1, 1928.

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Duke Kahanamoku at the Lei Day celebration at Honolulu Hale, 1948.

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SHERIFF DUKE P. KAHANAMOKU and Pacific Queen Nola Rose were greeted enthusiastically by the audience at the city hall Lei Day observance. Wearing a lei, hibiscus in her hair and a colorful print dress, the Australian blonde was a contrasting, yet harmonious note, in the ensemble of color and gaiety at the city hall.—Star-Bulletin photos.

(Star-Bulletin, 5/3/1948,  p. 11)

Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Volume LIV, Number 17356, Page 11. May 3, 1948.

May Day is Lei Day in Hilo, 1941.

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Day to Don Lei

Tomorrow is a great day here in Hilo; it is the day to wear lei, and everyone will be seen walking on the streets with lei.

Because tomorrow has become the day to wear lei, the Civic Club of Hilo took steps to hold a grand exhibit, and it will be shown to the public.

This event is held every year by this association, and this they expanded it by planing to have a grand entertainment at Kalakaua Square. At the same time, the queen who recently was victorious at the Holoku Ball this past month will preside while those that did not win the contest will be her attendants.

Joining in on the exhibition will also be queens chosen from the various schools of Hilo nei.

There will also be music by the Civic Club Choir, the Hawaiian Women’s Club of Hilo, and the County Band and the Hilo High School Band. Continue reading →

Lei Day 50 years ago, 1968.

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It all started in 1928

Wear your aloha shirts, muumuus, leis tomorrow

As has been the custom since Grace Tower Warren and Don Blanding began the observance of Lei Day in 1928, aloha shirts, muumuus and leis will be the garb of the day tomorrow.

Throughout the Islands each year on May Day, schools and other institutions present their May programs and lei contests.

The Oahu Lei Contest, sponsored by the Department of Parks and Recreation, will be judged tomorrow and the leis will be on display at the Waikiki Shell from 1 to 9 p.m.

Prizes totaling $650 will be awarded to  lei makers in different categories.

Darlene Bakke, this year’s lei queen, will reign over the festivities including music, hula dancing and pageantry, to be held at the Shell.

A demonstration of kahili making—kahilis were the standard of royalty in Old Hawaii—will be given from 9 to 11 a.m. on the Shell lawn. Continue reading →

May Day in Hilo Town, 1942.

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Pertaining to Lei Day

Put on by the Hawaiian Civic Club

The main things on the schedule for Lei Day this year were explained by Wilfred K. Hussey, the president of the Hawaiian Civic Club [kalapu Kiwila Hawaii].

The schedule is being planned out by the committee selected for that work, and chaired by Clifford H. Bowman and assisted by Peter Mehau, Charles Murray, Ernest Fernandez, Johnson Kahili and Charles Auld. Continue reading →