[ April 6, 2010; 10:00 am; April 7, 2010; 10:00 am; April 8, 2010; 10:00 am; April 9, 2010; 10:00 am; ] These Merrie Monarch workshops were well-attended and very popular last year.

It is so exciting to sit at the Edith Kanaka‘ole Stadium and watch all the talented dancers compete for the coveted title of Miss Aloha Hula. 
Congratulation to Miss Aloha Hula 2009, Cherissa Henoheanapuaikawaokele Kane of Maui’s Halau Ke‘alaokamaile (kumu hula Keali‘i Reichel).

Click here for a video of her kahiko (traditional) hula.
Click here for a video [...]

This is it! The Merrie Monarch Competition starts Thursday night, April 16th.
If you’re not there in person, you can still watch. KITV streams the competition live on its website. Here is everything you need to know (ahead of time; check that you have the right media player) to watch the Merrie Monarch at KITV.com.
Air Times
Miss [...]

Did you see our contest below, where we’re giving away that gorgeous vase from the art glass blowers 2400 Fahrenheit?
Macario’s Big Island, an online magazine and friend to Hawaii On The Cheap sites, has a really nice photo essay posted right now about Michael and Misato Mortara, the Volcano artists who own 2400 Fahrenheit and [...]

More free events at ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center, these on Friday, April 17. These should be great!
10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.  - A hula workshop with kumu hula Manu Boyd and halau.
11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. – Hawaiian music with Aunty Darlene Ahuna.
1 – 2:30 p.m. – Manu Boyd and halau present favorite compositions for audience.
Here [...]

Damon Tucker is our guest blogger today and he’s going to tell us about Pahoa, which is where he lives.
Pahoa would make an interesting sidetrip if you want to go holoholo during your Merrie Monarch week; or stop on the way to view the lava flow.
Damon knows way more about Pahoa than I do. The [...]

Here’s what’s going on at ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo on Thursday, April 16th. These events are free.
10-11:30 a.m. – Miss Aloha Hula Q&A session.
11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. Hawaiian music with Darlene Ahuna. She is a lovely singer.
1-2:30 p.m. – Designer Jamie Makasobe of Kealopiko Designs talks about inspiration and research process used for [...]

In conjunction with the Merrie Monarch Hawaiian Quilt Exhibit, the Big Island ‘Ukulele Guild is showcasing some beautiful handmade ‘ukuleles. There are works by ten Big Island luthiers, all one-of-a-kind and handcrafted on the Big Island. Many have extensive inlay and ornamentation. This is a free event and there will be a guild member on [...]

I am loving Merrie Monarch week, as always. Loving it.
I just posted over at my blog about Puanani Crumb’s free hula exhibit at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel this afternoon, along with some stories about it and a photo. If you’d like to experience Merrie Monarch week vicariously, have a look. I’ll be posting over there [...]

Here we go! Merrie Monarch week is such a happening week in Hilo, and here’s a list of what, exactly, is happening.
Multiple-Day Events
Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. – Hawaiian Quilt Show at Wailoa Center
Wednesday through Saturday – 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. – Merrie Monarch Invitational Hawaiian Arts Fair
Monday, April 13
Noon – [...]

More free events at ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo on Wednesday, April 15. These are some great sessions to take in if you’re here for Merrie Monarch (or even if you’re not).
And remember that the exhibits at ‘Imiloa are well worth a visit, too! We have a discount coupon to ‘Imiloa at left, if you [...]

The always popular, and free, Merrie Monarch ho‘ike is on Wednesday, April 16 at 6 p.m. It’s a three-hour spectacle of Hawaiian, Samona and Maori dances, one after another. Features Halau O Kekuhi, Tupulaga O Samoa Mo A Taeao and Nga Uri O Te Whanoa. 
The free day of Merrie Monarch is always a wonderful exhibit [...]

There are a lot of free events this week at ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo.
On Tuesday, April 14th:
10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. - Hawaiian views of the world reflected in chanted mele will be presented by Kalena Silva, UH Hilo College of Hawaiian Language. 
11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. - Darlene Ahuna performs Hawaiian music in atrium.
1-2:30 p.m. [...]

We have the Merrie Monarch Week 2009 schedule here. Click here to go right to all our Merrie Monarch-related features.
We’ll be bringing you stories about the incomparable Merrie Monarch hula festival as well as tips on where to go, what to see, where to eat and more while you’re here — all on the [...]