King Kamehameha I Day on June 11 is a public holiday in Hawaii. It honors Kamehameha the Great, the monarch who first established the unified Kingdom of Hawai’i. A floral parade is held annually at various locations throughout Hawaii.
On the island of Oahu, the parade takes a route beginning at King Street fronting ‘Iolani Palace. Participants will then head down Punchbowl Street, before making a left on to Ala Moana Boulevard and eventually Kalākaua Avenue. The parade comes to a finish at Monsarrat Avenue and Queen Kapi‘olani Park.
One of the most popular parade floats is that which carries King Kamehameha and his tattooed warriors. Every year, someone from the Hawaiian community is selected to be the Mōʻī, the sovereign King Kamehameha I. Draped in royal yellow regalia, the Mōʻī stands proudly surrounded by his attending koa, warriors, all with spears in hand.
