Hawai’i is a top destination to visit year-round, but this Memorial Day Weekend is a particularly special time as the islands gear up to honor veterans and those who have sacrificed their lives to protect our freedom. Below you’ll find a guide to the celebrations and festivities taking place this three-day weekend.
The Shinnyo Lantern Floating Festival at Ala Moana Beach is a crowd favorite, and it’s finally back in-person for the first time since 2019. Known to draw around 50,000 people, the reflective ceremony gathers thousands of floating lanterns with handwritten messages that are departed from canoes at sunset. The floating lanterns are meant to be addressed to late loved ones, which light up the water after being released at the sound of Shinso Ito’s ringing bell. Join the 25th annual floating ceremony at 6:30 p.m. HST on Memorial Day.
The annual Memorial Day Parade commences at Fort DeRussey in Waikiki and continues down Kalakaua Avenue for one mile before veering onto Monsarrat Avenue to Kapiolani Park. Organized by the American Gold-Star Families Memorial Day Parade Committee, the event honors veterans, active military and America’s Gold-Star families with the theme of “remembering the past and celebrating our future.”
The Mayor’s Memorial Day Ceremony is organized by the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation and honors the over 25,000 individuals who are resting at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, otherwise known as Punchbowl Crater. The ceremony begins at 8:30 a.m. HST on Memorial Day.
Maui’s Memorial Day ceremony features Blue Hawaiian helicopters dropping 10,000 rose petals over Makawao Veterans Cemetery in a warming Memorial Day tribute called Shower of Flowers. Attendees can expect marching bands and reading of names. Many volunteer to make leis to place on the graves of the veterans, including the Kaunoa Senior Services and Girl Scouts of Hawai’i.
The Waikiki Natatorium ceremony honors the fallen soldiers of Hawai’i from the American Revolution to the World Wars and Afghanistan and Iraq. Situated along the mesmerizing waterfront monument that is the war memorial, the ceremony includes a hula performance and closing gun salute.
Get creative at the Maui Gift and Craft Fair at Lahaina Getaway on Sunday, where over 50 local vendors will showcase photography, jewelry, fine art, crafts, gifts and more. It’s a perfect Sunday activity for the whole family, starting at 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. HST.
Join local military families to walk the Historical Trail on Ford Island, honoring the heroes who perished serving our nation. It’s tradition to “carry” the name of your loved ones on your back, meaning a sign with their name written on it. Bibs and safety pins will be provided. Check in begins at noon, followed by opening remarks at 12:30 p.m. HST. The event runs until 4 p.m. HST.
Photography by: Naomi Hayes of Island Memories Photography/Getty Images
