By Staff Reports
(O‘AHU) – In honor of those who made the final full measure of devotion while serving in the Armed Forces for the United States of America, the City and County of Honolulu and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs are honored to present the 71st Mayor’s Memorial Day Ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Pūowaina/Punchbowl).
The ceremony is free and open to the public, beginning promptly at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, May 30. The event features several ceremonial presentations and tributes, including: speeches, color guard, presentation of wreaths, firearm salute, aircraft flyover, playing of taps, and performances from the Royal Hawaiian Band and Sounds of Aloha Chorus.
For those unable to attend this in-person ceremony, local network television providers (KITV, KHON, and Hawai‘i News Now) will carry the event live on their streaming platforms. Wearing of facial coverings at this outdoor ceremony is voluntary, though strongly encouraged, as thousands are expected to attend.
For those attending the ceremony, parking within Pūowaina for this ceremony will be extremely limited. Additional public parking is available at two nearby schools: Abraham Lincoln Elementary and Robert Louis Stevenson Middle. Courtesy shuttle service to Pūowaina from these schools is available. Handi-Van reserved rides and licensed/marked taxi cabs will be allowed to drive into the cemetery for drop-offs.
Public parking is also available at the Frank Fasi Municipal Building Lot, with special TheBus route 123 service from the nearby Alapa‘i Transit Center up to Pūowaina. The first bus from Alapa‘i Transit Center will depart 7 a.m. with three additional trips to Pūowaina leaving every 20 minutes. The final bus will depart at 8 a.m. Return trips from Pūowaina to Alapa‘i will begin promptly at the end of the ceremony. Parking is free, but regular bus fares apply.
Sun protection (sunscreen, hats, UV protective clothing) and water are recommended for all visitors as covered seating is limited for the ceremony. Umbrellas are allowed within Pūowaina, but please do not bring chairs unless medically required. Drones or unmanned aerial vehicles are strictly prohibited within and around Pūowaina. Reserved seating will be offered to veterans and invited guests. Remaining seats will be offered to the public on a first come, first served basis.
Those who plan to visit and pay their respects to gravesites within the cemetery are encouraged to visit the Saturday or Sunday before Memorial Day or after 12 noon on Monday to avoid traffic congestion from the ceremony.
SEW A LEI FOR MEMORIAL DAY
For over 70 years the City and County of Honolulu has honored a solemn promise, to adorn every grave at Pūowaina with a fresh lei for Memorial Day. This uniquely Hawaiian display of gratitude is our way of saying mahalo to our veterans for their service. Now we need your help to commemorate their sacrifice by helping us make and gather 38,000 lei for every servicemember laid to rest at the cemetery. You are invited to donate lei (made of fresh flowers/ti leaf, measuring 20-22 inches untied, please tie), lei flowers (preferably plumeria), Anthurium bouquets, or attend one of the lei-making opportunities listed below.
Lei Sewing (may also drop off pre-made lei and flowers at these sites)
| LOCATION | TIME |
| Kāneʻohe Senior Center (Adults Only) | Thursday, May 26, 10:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. |
| Kailua District Park | Friday, May 27 from 9 a.m. – 12 noon |
| Kīlauea District Park | Friday, May 27 from 9 a.m. – 12 noon |
| Makua Aliʻi Senior Center | Friday, May 27 from 9 a.m. – 12 noon |
| Waiʻanae District Park | Friday, May 27 from 9 a.m. – 12 noon |
| Waiau District Park | Friday, May 27 from 9 a.m. – 12 noon |
| Waipahū District Park | Friday, May 27 from 9 a.m. – 12 noon |
| Honolulu Hale | Friday, May 27 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. |
| Kapolei Hale | Friday, May 27 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. |
Lei Drop-off
| LOCATION | TIME |
| Pāhoa High School | Wednesday, May 25 by 1 p.m. |
| Ka‘ū-Kea‘au-Pāhoa District Office | Wednesday, May 25 by 1 p.m. |
| Hilo-Waiākea District Office | Wednesday, May 25 by 1 p.m. |
| Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School | Thursday, May 26 by 9 a.m. |
| Kailua Intermediate School | Thursday, May 26 by 9 a.m. |
| August Ahrens Elementary School | Thursday, May 26 by 9 a.m. |
| Kainalu Elementary School | Thursday, May 26 by 9 a.m. |
| All Honolulu Fire Department Fire Stations | Friday, May 27 from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. |
| Federal Fire Stations: Headquarters at 650 Center Drive Pearl Harbor Ford Island Marine Corps Base Hawai‘i Schofield Barracks | Friday, May 27 from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. |
| Frank Fasi Municipal Building | Friday, May 27 from 8 a.m. – 12 noon |
| Ala Wai Community Park | Friday, May 27 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. |
| Makiki District Park | Friday, May 27 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. |
| Waialua District Park | Friday, May 27 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. |
| Punchbowl / Pūowaina Cemetery | Saturday, May 28 from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. |
The Scouts of Hawaiʻi will place the lei from the “Sew a Lei for Memorial Day” effort and an American flag on every grave within Pūowaina on Sunday, May 29 during their “Good Turn” event beginning at 1 p.m.
Now celebrated on the last Monday of May, the first form of Memorial Day in the United States began after the Civil War as a day to honor and remember those who made the final full measure of devotion while serving in the Armed Forces. Following WWII, Pūowaina was designated the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific with the first Memorial Day Ceremony held within the crater in 1949. Since that first humble ceremony, City and County of Honolulu has been honored to work with numerous veteran, community, and educational organizations to help facilitate this time-honored tradition.
For the most updated information concerning this time-honored ceremony, please visit the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation’s special Mayor’s Memorial Day website: bit.ly/MayorsMemorialDay
If you need an auxiliary aid/service, other accommodations due to a disability, or an interpreter for a language other than English in reference to this announcement, please contact the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation at (808) 768-3003 on weekdays from 7:45 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. or email parks@honolulu.gov