Eo e Emalani i Alakai Festival

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UniqueKokee
DatesDates TBA · Usually OctoberCheck locally before booking
DurationAnnualEstimate from available data
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forUnusual spectacle, playful rulesThe festival's origin story is unusually
LanguageLocal language; English access variesCurrency: USD
CategoryUniqueFestival type
The story

Eo e Emalani i Alakai Festival in Kokee

Eo e Emalani i Alaka'i, also called the Emalani Festival, is a Hawaiian cultural event founded in 1988 that was historically held each October at Kanaloahuluhulu Meadow in Koke'e State Park, Kauai, honoring Queen Emma's 1871 journey into the island's upland forests through hula and chant. Documented editions ran at least through 2020, when the festival moved to a virtual format for its 32nd year, but no confirmed edition since then was found during this research.

In the winter of 1987, Hui o Laka member John Plews took a friend, Marsha Erickson, on a forest walk off Camp 10 Road above Waimea Canyon and pointed out a viewpoint his mother had always called Pohaku Hula, hula stone, explaining a family story that Queen Emma of Hawaii had stopped there during an 1871 journey into the upland forests, where her companions were said to have danced on a flat rock large enough to hold several performers.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

The festival's origin story is unusually well documented: it grew out of a single 1987 forest walk near Camp 10 Road, when longtime Hui o Laka member John Plews showed a family friend a viewpoint his mother called Pohaku Hula, hula stone, tied to a family story that Queen Emma had stopped there in 1871 to watch her companions dance

02

The mystery stays covered

That walk led kumu hula Roselle Keli'ihonipua Bailey and several other hula masters to gather their hālau at Koke'e the following October, and what began as a handful of dancers recalling one queen's mountain journey grew into an event where multiple hālau perform oli and hula specifically for Queen Emma each year, with a chosen woman portraying the queen in procession

03

The city starts moving

Because it is organized by Hui o Laka, the nonprofit that also runs the Koke'e Natural History Museum, the festival has long doubled as a fundraiser and awareness event for the museum and the upland forest it protects

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

The heart of the festival is hālau hula offering oli

Water and renewal

Living ritual

and hula specifically dedicated to Queen Emma

The sacred route

Living ritual

with a chosen woman portraying the queen in a procession reenacting her 1871 journey into the Koke'e uplands

The local code

Living ritual

historic editions also featured pa'u riders on horseback as part of that procession

Tradition 5

Living ritual

The event was held

Tradition 6

Living ritual

when active

Tradition 7

Living ritual

on the second Saturday of October

Tradition 8

Living ritual

timed to the season when Queen Emma is said to have made her original journey into the mountains

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually October

Getting around

For Eo e Emalani i Alakai Festival, plan transport around the exact Kokee venue, route or gathering point rather than the city name alone.

What to wear

Historically an outdoor mountain-meadow event at roughly 3,600 feet elevation, where Koke'e's climate runs noticeably cooler and wetter than coastal Kauai: layered clothing, a light jacket...

Safety

Keep valuables light, follow local instructions, and watch how residents use the space before joining in.

Where to stay

For Eo e Emalani i Alakai Festival, stay near the part of Kokee you will actually use, with reliable return transport.

Tickets/cost

Check official or local sources for ticketed areas, paid stands, and same-year access rules.

Language/currency

USD

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map22.13 N, 159.65 WOpen in Google Maps

Kokee, HI

Nearest airportLIH — Lihue
TransportFor Eo e Emalani i Alakai Festival, plan transport around the exact Kokee venue, route or gathering point rather than the city name alone.
Stay areaFor Eo e Emalani i Alakai Festival, stay near the part of Kokee you will actually use, with reliable return transport.

Your Trip Starts Here

External travel services to turn the plan into a trip — each opens in a new tab.

How to get thereRoutes, times and prices to Kokee via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Kokee, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for October.Compare faresFestival gearHistorically an outdoor mountain-meadow event at roughly 3,600 feet elevation, where Koke'e's climate runs noticeably cooler and wetter than coastal Kauai: layered clothing, a light jacket or rain shell, and closed-toe shoes suited to grass and mud are appropriate, along with modest, respectful dress in keeping with a ceremonial hula gathering.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for United States and apply online.Check entry rulesTravel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

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FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Eo e Emalani i Alakai Festival?

Eo e Emalani i Alakai Festival is listed for October. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Eo e Emalani i Alakai Festival take place?

The festival is listed in Kokee, United States. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

Annual is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Needs editorial review. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Kokee, HI

Is it family friendly?

unknown

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLAwaiting confirmation
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
Listed datesDates TBA · Usually October
Source statusNeeds editorial review
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