The festival

The 35th annual
Merrie Monarch Festival
in Hilo, Big Island:

Schedule of Events

Today

9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Hawaiian arts and crafts at Seven Seas Luau House, Hawaii Naniloa Resort, Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, and Kaiko'o Mall Kress; free

6 p.m.: Miss Aloha Hula competition, Edith Kanaka'ole Tennis Stadium

Tomorrow

9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Hawaiian arts and crafts at Seven Seas Luau House, Hawaii Naniloa Resort, Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, and Kaiko'o Mall Kress; free

11 a.m.: U.S. Navy ship greeting with Ta Mari O Tamare, at Kuhio Wharf, Pier 1; free

Noon: Performance by Lori Lei's Hula Halau, Hawaii Naniloa Resort; free

1 p.m.: Performance by Mehana O Ka La (Japan halau), Hawaii Naniloa Resort; free

6 p.m.: Hula kahiko (ancient) competition, Edith Kanaka'ole Tennis Stadium; sold out

Saturday

8 a.m.: Cultural fair, Moku O Keawe in Mooheau Park, downtown Hilo; free

9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Hawaiian arts and crafts at Seven Seas Luau House, Hawaii Naniloa Resort, Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, and Kaiko'o Mall Kress; free

10:30 a.m.: Royal parade, downtown Hilo; free

5:30 p.m.: Hula 'auana (modern) competition, Edith Kanaka'ole Tennis Stadium; sold out

Festival facts

First contest: 1971

Background: Three-day competition held in March or April, usually starting the Thursday after Easter

Halau: 28 to 30 halau hula compete, mostly from Hawaii, some from California

Contest: Features female solo competition, group hula kahiko (ancient), and group hula 'auana (modern)

Sold out: All 6,000 seats sold out annually since 1981

Tickets: Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope on Jan. 1 to: Merrie Monarch Festival hula competition, Hawai'i Naniloa Resort, 93 Banyan Drive, Hilo, Hawai'i 96720

For information: Call 1-800-935-9168

Miss Aloha Hula

A dozen contestants compete for the title of Miss Aloha Hula (halau name and location are included):

Franny Anakalea: Ku Kanaka Kaua O Kona, Kailua-Kona

Leinani De Rego: Halau Hula O Hokulani, Mililani

Lokalia Kahele: Na Wai 'Eha O Puna, Waianae

Angela Liwa: Pukalani Hale Hula; Pukalani, Maui

Amy Leiawapuhi Dunn: Halau Ka Ua Kilihune, Kaneohe

Tricia Kapua Kauikapoli Barbosa: Halau Ke Kapa Maile, Honolulu

Alexandra Makaonaona Obra: Halau Kealakapawa, Honolulu

Makoli Liwanag: Keali'i o Nalani, Los Angeles

Joselyn Leialoha Robins: Hula Halau O Kamuela, Kalihi/Waimanalo

Ranell Kaleionalani Kealoha: Halau O Ke Anuenue, Hilo

Kapi'olani Lanchenko: Halau Hula Olana, Aiea

Kealohapau'ole Ho'omana: Keolalaulani Halau 'Olapa O Laka, Heeia

The halau

Competing in this year's Merrie Monarch Festival hula competition are more than 750 dancers representing 21 halau, listed alphabetically (wahine, or women, only perform, unless otherwise noted):

Halau Hula Na Pua U'i O Hawai'i: kumu hula Etua Lopes; Kailua-Kona

Halau Hula O Hokulani: kumu hula Hokulani De Rego; Honolulu

Halau Hula O Kahikilaulani: kumu hula Ray Fonseca; Hilo (kane, or men, and wahine)

Halau Hula Olana: kumu hula Howard and Olana Ai; Aiea

Halau Ka Ua Kilihune: kumu hula Al Barcarse; Kaneohe (kane)

Halau Ke Kapa Maile: kumu hula Randol Ngum; Honolulu (kane)

Halau Kealakapawa: kumu hula Michael Ka'ilipunohu Canopin; Honolulu

Halau Keali'i O Nalani: kumu hula Keali'i Ceballos; Los Angeles (kane and wahine)

Halau Mohala 'Ilima: kumu hula Mapuana de Silva; Ka'ohao/Kailua

Halau Na Mamo O Pu'uanahulu: kumu hula William Sonny Ching; Honolulu (kane and wahine)

Halau O Ke Anuenue: kumu hula Glenn Kelena Vasconcellos; Hilo

Hula Halau O Kamuela: kumu hula Paleka Leinaala Mattos and Kunewa Mook; Kalihi/Waimanalo (kane and wahine)

Ka Pa Hula O Kauanoe O Wa'ahila: kumu hula Maelia Loebenstein; Honolulu

Keali'ika'apunihonua Ke'ena A'o Hula: kumu hula Leimomi Ho; Honolulu

Keolalaulani Halau 'Olapa O Laka: kumu hula Aloha Dalire; Heeia

Ku Kanaka Kaua O Kona: kumu hula Jay Jay Akiona; Kailua-Kona (kane)

Lehua Dance Company O Wai'anae: kumu hula Kaulana Kasparovitch; Waianae (kane)

Na Hula O Kaohikukapulani: kumu hula Kapu Kinimaka-Alquiza; Hanapepe, Kauai

Na Mele Hula 'Ohana: kumu hula Mark Ho'omalu; Oakland (kane)

Na Wai 'Eha O Puna: kumu hula Thaddius Wilson and O'Brian Eselu; Wai'anae (kane)

Pukalani Hale Hula: kumu hula Nina Maxwell and Hi'ilei Maxwell Juan; Pukalani, Maui

On TV

KITV-4 (ABC) televises live the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival:

Place: From Edith Kanaka'ole Tennis Stadium, Hilo

Time: Today at 6 p.m., Miss Aloha Hula competition

Friday, 6 p.m.: hula kahiko (traditional) group competition

Saturday, 6 p.m., hula 'auna (modern) group competition and awards

Anchors: Paula Akana and Kimo Kahoano; color commentary by Manu Boyd and -- for the Miss Aloha Hula competition -- by Tracy Farias, 1994 Miss Aloha Hula

Information: 1-808-935-9168 for festival, 535-0248 for telecast

Hula festivals and events

MAY

The Brothers Cazimero May Day Concert: 7:30 p.m. May 1. Call 597-1888 for information, 545-4000 for tickets.

Na Mea Hawai'i Hula Kahiko series at Volcano Art Center, Volcanoes National Park: Halau Hula Kalani 'Umi Ali Loa, 1 p.m. May 9; Na Hula O Kawohikukapulani, 11 a.m. May 16; Na Huapala O Hawai'i Halau O Ha'alale'a, 11 a.m. May 30; free with park admission. Call 1-808-967-8222.

Moloka'i Ka Hula Piko: May 16, Papohaku Beach Park at Kaluakoi, Molokai. Call 1-808-553-3876 or 1-800-553-0404.

Prince Albert Music Festival: May 28-31, Princeville Hotel on Kauai. Events include a statewide keiki kane hula competition for boys 6-12. Call 1-808-828-6659.

JUNE

25th annual King Kamehameha hula and chant competition: June 26-27, Blaisdell Arena; admission. Call 586-0333.

JULY

Intercultural Dance Festival: Features Hawaiian, Asian, African, modern and other dance forms, July 6-12, University of Hawaii at Hilo. Call 1-808-965-7828.

Fourth annual Kau I Ka Hano hula competition: Three Las Vegas and one Virginia halau vie in kane, wahine and kupuna categories, 5:30 p.m. July 9 and 10, and 10:30 a.m. July 11, Sam's Town Hotel in Las Vegas; $15 per night. Call 247-6188 on Oahu.

Ka Hula Le'a Festival: Kupuna, 'auana and kahiko competitions with dance implements, July 16-18, Royal Waikoloan Hotel on Big Island; $7 per day. Call 886-6789, Ext. 7400 on Big Island.

21st Prince Lot Hula Festival: July 18, Moanalua Gardens in Honolulu; free. Call 839-5334.

Queen Lili'uokalani Keiki Hula Competition: July 30 to Aug. 1, Blaisdell Arena. Call 521-6905.

AUGUST

International Barefoot Hula, an International Festival of the Pacific: Aug. 15, Hilo Civic Auditorium. Call 961-8706 on Big Island.

Na Hula O Hawai'i Festival: 11 a.m. Aug. 16, Kapiolani Park bandstand; free. Call 547-7393 or 266-7655.

Aloha Festivals Royal Court investiture at Volcanoes National Park: Procession with Halau O Kekuhi to Halemaumau Crater, noon Aug. 29; followed by hula kahiko at Volcano Art Center, 2 p.m.; free with park admission. Call 1-808-967-8222.

SEPTEMBER

Aloha Festivals: Events on all islands, Sept. 11 to Oct. 30. See Web site alohafestivals.com or call 545-1771 on Oahu, or 1-800-852-7690.

15th Kaua'i Mokihana Festival: Sept. 18-26. Hula competitions for wahine, 6 p.m. Sept. 25, Hyatt Poipu, $10; and for kane, sunset Sept. 26, Kekaha Neighborhood Center, admission by donation of one can of food for FoodBank. Also, composers contest, Hawaiian-language night, ukulele jam. Call 1-808-822-2166.

Haku Mele O Hana: Celebrates song, chant and dance, Hana Hotel on Maui. Call 1-808-248-7002.

OCTOBER

Hula 'Oni E Keiki Hula Festival: Oct. 2-4, Hilton Hawaiian Village. Call 623-7720.

Ninth annual Hula O Na Keiki: Youth competition with solo performances of ancient and modern hula, 5:30 p.m. Oct. 16 and 2:30 p.m. Oct. 17; admission. Call 661-0011.

NOVEMBER

E Ho'i Mai I Ka Piko Hula World Invitational Hula Festival: Nov. 5-7, Waikiki Shell. Call 486-3185.

King Kalakaua's Birthday: 11:30 a.m. Nov. 16, Iolani Palace in downtown Honolulu. Call 522-0832.

18th annual King Kalakaua Invitational Hula Festival: Founded and coordinated by Uncle George Naope, Nov. 18 to 21, Keauhou Beach Hotel; $5 general, $10 reserved. Call Aunty Bernie Konanui, 329-1532, on Big Island.

DECEMBER

26th annual Na Mele O Maui: Song contest and hula competition tentatively scheduled Dec. 4 and 5, respectively, at Kaanapali Resort. Call 1-808-661-3271.