Events

Applications open until January 23, 2026 to join the prestigious 2026 Lei Court ‘Ohana!

Applications and more information available online at: bit.ly/LeiCourt

Applications must be received or postmarked by Friday, January 23, 2026. For more information on the Lei Court and applications please contact Samantha Sun at (808) 768-3032.

“Serving as Lei Queen has been a profound honor that encompassed the kuleana to represent myself, family, friends, and the community,” said 2025 Lei Queen Kuʻuleialoha Llanos. “Though this kuleana was big, it allowed me to build relationships with other people I otherwise wouldn’t have met without this opportunity. That in itself is such a huge blessing! I’m so grateful for the strong sisterhood I now share with my princesses. We served as the Lei Court with the sentimentality of love and respect for each other, but also with the acknowledgement and honoring of our ancestors and the world in which we represent. To anyone that is considering being part of this ‘ohana, I invite you to join us in representing our community, our ancestors, and all those who find love and joy in lei making!”

In accordance with the rotating age groups, the 2026 Lei Court will consist of applicants of any gender identity in the Nā Mākua O‘o (Elders in Training) demographic. Applicants must be between 46-60 years of age by the day of the 2026 Lei Court Selection, scheduled for Saturday, February 28, 2026 beginning 9 a.m. at Mission Memorial Auditorium.

During the selection, applicants will display their lei-making abilities, hula, poise, personality, and public speaking in English and Hawaiian.  The selection will determine the Lei Queen/King and their Princes/Princesses to represent the City and County of Honolulu in an honorary capacity during festive events throughout 2026. Of those events, the Lei Day Celebration is  the most prominent.

The 98th Annual Lei Day Celebration will be on Friday, May 1, 2026, at the Kapi‘olani Regional Park, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. In preparation for the annual lei contest, DPR staff will provide free lei-making workshops at various sites on O‘ahu. DPR lei-making classes are posted via the online registration system at pros.hnl.info

For more information about the Lei Court and the annual Lei Day Celebration, please visit the official DPR Lei Day Celebration website at: bit.ly/HonoluluLeiDay