April 20-April 26, 2025
Contact:
Phone: +1 (808) 935-9168
Website: https://www.merriemonarch.com/
Hoʻolauleʻa (celebration)
9:00 a.m., Sunday, April 20th
at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.
Free admission to watch performances by our local hālau.
Free Mid-day Entertainment
Daily (Monday through Friday)
Entertainment at the Grand Naniloa Hotel (12 p.m.),
and the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel (1 p.m.).
Merrie Monarch Invitational Hawaiian Arts Fair
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Wednesday,
April 23rd through Friday, April 25th
9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Saturday, April 26th
at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium
An annual favorite, this free event features local artists, crafters, and entertainment.
Hōʻike Performances
6:00 pm, Wednesday, April 23rd
at the Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium
An exhibition night of hula and folk dance from around the Pacific.
The performances are free to the public, no tickets required.
Miss Aloha Hula
6:00 pm, Thursday, April 24th
at the Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium
Individual competition for the title of Miss Aloha Hula with contestants performing hula kahiko, hula ʻauana and oli (chant).
Group Hula Kahiko
6:00 pm, Friday, April 25th
at the Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium
Hālau hula perform ancient style dances.
Group Hula ʻAuana & Awards
6:00 pm, Saturday, April 26th
at the Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium
Hālau hula perform modern style dances, followed by an awards presentation for all group winners.
Merrie Monarch Royal Parade
10:30 am, Saturday, April 26th
through downtown Hilo
One of the festival’s most entertaining and fun events for the entire family, the parade begins and ends at Pauahi St. (Kilauea Ave. — Keawe St. — Waiānuenue Ave. — Kamehameha Ave.).
More Info: https://www.merriemonarch.com/2025-merrie_monarch_festival/
Where to Stay in Hilo, Hawaii?
Grand Naniloa Hotel, a Doubletree by Hilton
Situated on the coastline of Hilo Bay, the Grand Naniloa Hilo, a DoubleTree by Hilton is 48 km from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. All rooms have free WiFi.
Guest rooms offer garden, ocean, or harbor views of Hilo Bay, Hamakua Coast, or Hilo Harbor. Each room is equipped with a flat-screen TV and a refrigerator, and bathrooms are finished with German limestone. Suites boast a kitchenette.
The Grand Naniloa Hilo, a DoubleTree by Hilton features an outdoor swimming pool and sundeck. The Naniloa Golf Course, located within the hotel grounds and adjacent to the Grand Naniloa Hotel, offers a free round of golf daily to guests.
An on-site restaurant is open for breakfast and dinner, and a lobby bar and lounge is open nightly. The 24-hour front desk offers fresh coffee and tea and is run by a multilingual staff. The Ka Lihikai restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The restaurant sources fresh local seafood catches daily and embodies local-Hawaiian cuisine. The Hilo International Airport and Hilo town centre are 3.2 km from the Grand Naniloa Hilo, a DoubleTree by Hilton. The hotel is less than 1.5 km from Coconut Island Park.