Merrie Monarch Festival Goals

In 1970, the Merrie Monarch Festival set new goals and objectives to replicate the idea of King David Kalakaua (the Merrie Monarch) to gather the best hula dancers from the Hawaiian Islands, revive the arts, and create a performance that is a rite, a celebration, and a statement about Hawai`i and its people.

The major goals of the Merrie Monarch Festival are the perpetuation, preservation, and promotion of the art of hula and the Hawaiian culture. The Merrie Monarch Festival is committed to:

• Perpetuating the traditional culture of the Hawaiian people
• Developing and augmenting a living knowledge of Hawaiian arts and crafts through workshops, demonstrations, exhibitions and performances of the highest quality and authenticity
• Reaching those who might not otherwise have the opportunity to participate
• Enriching the future lives of all of Hawaii’s children.

The festival is considered the world’s premier forum for people of all ages to display their skills and knowledge of the art of ancient and modern hula. Thousands of people in Hawaii and throughout the world are learning about the history and culture of Hawaii. The annual festival, which takes place on the Big Island, has led to a renaissance of the Hawaiian culture that is being passed on from generation to generation. A week of festivities include art exhibits, craft fairs, demonstrations, performances, a parade that emphasizes the cultures of Hawaii, and a three-day hula competition that has received worldwide recognition for its historic and cultural significance.