Lei Day in Hawaii, May 1
The day all of Hawaii wears a lei, and how it began.
Get Free Hawaii Trip QuotesMay Day Is Lei Day in Hawaii
Every May 1, Hawaii celebrates the lei. Where much of the world marks May Day with maypoles or marches, the islands wear lei to work and school, hold lei-making contests and crown a Lei Day queen. Under state law, May 1 is known as “May Day is Lei Day in Hawaiʻi,” although it is not an official holiday.
How it began
The idea came from Don Blanding, a poet who wrote for a Honolulu newspaper in the 1920s and suggested a day to honor the lei. His colleague Grace Tower Warren proposed tying it to May Day and coined the phrase “May Day is Lei Day.” The first celebration took place on May 1, 1928 in downtown Honolulu, with people wearing lei and a queen crowned for the day. The event grew quickly, and a popular song with the same title became part of the celebration.
How Lei Day Is Celebrated
- Lei contests: lei makers compete in categories by material and technique; the entries are often displayed for the public.
- Lei Day court: a queen and princesses, one for each island, dressed in the island’s color and wearing its official flower or lei material.
- School pageants: many schools hold May Day programs with hula and songs for each island.
- Wearing a lei to work: office workers and shop staff wear lei all day.
The Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation has long organized a Lei Day celebration in Honolulu, traditionally at Kapiʻolani Park in Waikīkī. Check the city’s announcements for the year’s program. Other islands hold their own events.
Visiting Hawaii for Lei Day
Early May falls between the spring-break crowds and the summer rush, which makes it a pleasant time to visit, and being in the islands on May 1 is a chance to see lei artistry at its best. Wear a lei yourself; it is the one day nobody will think it touristy. Learn the island flowers ahead of time on Hawaiian Information, and review lei etiquette so you know how to give and receive one.
Other days when lei are everywhere include graduations in May and June, King Kamehameha Day on June 11, when the king’s statues are draped with long lei, and Aloha Festivals in September.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lei Day a holiday in Hawaii?
No. State law designates May 1 as “May Day is Lei Day in Hawaiʻi” but says it is not a state holiday. Offices and businesses stay open; schools and communities hold celebrations.
Who started Lei Day?
The idea is credited to poet and Honolulu newspaper writer Don Blanding in the late 1920s, and his colleague Grace Tower Warren is credited with the phrase “May Day is Lei Day.” The first celebration was held in downtown Honolulu on May 1, 1928.
Be in Hawaii on May 1
A travel specialist can plan your spring trip around Lei Day. Free, no-obligation quotes.
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