Festivals of Aloha Kicks Off the Molokai Hoe

Photo by Jack Kiyonaga

This past weekend, the action continued in what has been a busy few weeks here on Molokai. Festivals of Aloha, operating out of a new location at the Molokai Community Health Center (MCHC), punctuated the return of the Molokai Hoe with a ho’olaule’a last Friday night. Featuring tons of Molokai venders, food and award-winning music, the festival offered the opportunity for paddlers and Molokai residents to mingle before the big race on Sunday.

With the new format at MCHC came novel activities for the festival. After the presentation of the royal court and a performance from Moana’s Hula Halau, guests participated in a series of contests from best poke to aloha wear to top motorcycles and trucks.

While this year’s 75 entries were lower than the typical 100 plus for the Molokai Hoe, the festival was well attended. Paddling crews from Tahiti, Japan, Delaware, Oahu and more strolled through the crowds. While music continued into the night, athletes dug out early, eager to get some sleep before Sunday’s 8 a.m. race start time. Make sure to check out next week’s issue of The Molokai Dispatch for comprehensive coverage of the Molokai Hoe.