Moanalua Gardens Foundation (MGF) is proud to announce the premiere of the virtual 43rd annual Prince Lot Hula Festival , 7-9 p.m. Nov. 5 on KHON2. The two-hour program will also be live-streamed on www.khon2.com and KHON’s YouTube channel. It will be rebroadcast 7-9 p.m. Nov. 7 on KHON2, and 8-10 p.m. Nov. 8 on sister station KHII. The presenting sponsor is Hawaii Tourism.
Instead of a live in-person event, this year’s first virtual festival was filmed at historic Queen Emma Summer Palace and features eleven halau hula in an inspiring program of hula with special messages of aloha from each kumu. Founded in 1978, the festival honors Prince Lot Kapuaiwa, who helped reprise hula in Moanalua and reigned as Kamehameha V from 1863 to 1872.
“While we cannot safely gather together in person during the pandemic, we wanted to bring our program of aloha through hula to the families and kupuna here in Hawaii and beyond our shores so they can watch it in the security of their homes,” said Alika Jamile, executive director and president of Moanalua Gardens Foundation.
The program will showcase a mixture of both kahiko and auana dances with halau performing at various locations at the Queen Emma Summer Palace in compliance with State and County COVID-19 guidelines.
Veteran producer and senior media producer of the Merrie Monarch Festival for 27 years, David Kalama of Kalama Productions is producing the show presented by Moanalua Gardens Foundation.
A highlight of the show will be a special performance by MGF’s Malia Kau Award recipient Kumu Hula Leimomi Ho and Keali’ika’apunihonua Ke’ena A’o Hula.
The virtual festival will premiere on Moanalua Gardens Foundation’s Facebook site on Nov. 16 and on their YouTube channel with additional vignettes on Dec. 1