Day Celebration themes for 2022 and 2023 Themes coincide with the flower required to be used in theme lei category of lei contest

‘A‘ali‘i (left) and ‘Ōhi‘a Lehua (right) photos courtesy of Professor Gerald Carr (see: http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/carr/natives.htm)

The Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) proudly announces the Celebration themes for 2022 and 2023. While Lei Day always occurs on May 1, no matter what day of the week, each celebration has a particular theme which coincides with a specific flower/plant that must be used in the lei submitted to the theme lei category of the colorful and coveted lei contest.

In addition, prior to the Lei Day Celebration, the Lei Court is selected through an official process. Every year the three court members must fall within the age group for that year.

The 2022 the theme is Lei Wao Nahele – forest lei. The corresponding theme flower is ‘A‘ali‘i (Dodonaea viscosa). The age category for the 2022 Lei Court is 46 to 60 years of age by the date of the Lei Court Selection Event held on Saturday, March 5, 2022.

The 2023 theme is Lei Kuahiwi – mountain lei. The corresponding theme flower is ‘Ōhi‘a Lehua (). As Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death (ROD) continues to threaten our lehua forests, the challenge in 2023 will be to make an “‘ōhi‘a-like lei” using the Calliandra (is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae, in the mimosoid clade of the subfamily Caesalpinioideae;) and akia (Wikstroemia uva-ursi) - without using any part of the ‘ōhi‘a plant. The age category for the 2023 Lei Court is 61 years of age and older by the date of the Lei Court Selection event held on Saturday, March 4, 2023.

There are three lei contests: Hawaiian lei, youth lei, and lei lipine (ribbon, fabric, yarn lei). The lei contest rules, as well as information about upcoming free lei making workshops, will be made available to the public by mid to late December. Some of the classes may require early registration even though they are free.

We encourage all lei makers to plan out their lei garden for the next two years so that the materials are ready and available as the Lei Day Celebration approaches.

Please prevent the spread of Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death (ROD) by not transporting ‘ōhi‘a products between islands (the disease is currently found on Hawai‘i and Kaua‘i islands). Please refer to Hawai‘i Administrative Rules, Chapter 4-72, Section 13, (https://hdoa.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PI- ROD-admin-rules.pdf) for information on quarantine restrictions on ‘ōhi‘a and ‘ōhi‘a soil from rapid ‘ōhi‘a death infested areas. For more information on ROD and how you can help prevent its spread go to: https://cms.ctahr.hawaii.edu/rod/

The first Lei Day was celebrated on May 1, 1928 with thousands participating State-wide. In 1929, May 1 of each year was proclaimed as "May Day is Lei Day in Hawai‘i,” by Governor Wallace R. Farrington – to be observed “by all true friends of Hawai‘i.” It is a day of celebration – not a State holiday. Thus began the tradition of “May Day is Lei Day in Hawai‘i.” The first Lei Queen, Miss Nina Bowman, was crowned by Honolulu Mayor Charles Arnold in 1928.

—PAU—

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