*Representing the island of Kaua‘i and atop a horse adorned with a magnificent lei, Mary Ann Lehualani Kobatake rides in Saturday's parade down Ka'ahumanu Avenue in Kahului.*

By MATTHEW THAYER

Arguably one of Maui's most colorful events of the year, the annual Nā Kamehameha Commemorative Pāʻū Parade and Hōʻolauleʻa, was held Saturday in Central Maui.

Featuring elaborately adorned pāʻū princesses and pāʻū units, the parade on Ka’ahumanu Avenue started at Baldwin High School in Wailuku and finished at Queen Ka’ahumanu Center in Kahului. The event long held on Front Street in historic Lahaina, moved across the island after the devastating wildfires of August 2023.

*Members of the Lahaina Hawaiian Civic Club strum ukulele and sing while riding in a float Saturday.*

Veteran parade organizer and official, Kalani Kapu, spent a long morning helping stage the parade at Baldwin High. He said it was his 52nd Na Kamehameha Pāʻū Parade, with a large portion of those in Lahaina. He said when the town is ready to host again, the parade will be happy to return.

"The fire didn't stop us or our passion to pāʻū," Kapu said. "Lahaina strong."

*Kalani Kapu rides in the parade in a golf cart after a long morning helping stage the parade at Baldwin High School.*

Representing Hawai‘i Island, Princess Tiara Perdido Ampong, earned first place honors in the Outstanding Pāʻū Princess division and her pāʻū unit also took home first. The Big Island unit also won the Perpetual Trophy award. Ampong's unit included attendants Lauren Knobel and Gabrielle Berce, outriders Holly Ho and Andy Ho and page Mary Klein. Ampong said she and her crew began gathering flowers for the many lei for the riders and horses a week before the event.

*Hawai‘i Island princess, Tiara Perdido Ampong, and her pāʻū unit near the end of their ride from Baldwin High School in Wailuku to Queen Kaahumanu Center in Kahului.*

Hawai‘i Island princess, Tiara Perdido Ampong, gets help from Gena Rickard (left) and assistant Ku'uleimomi Lay while getting ready to ride in Saturday morning's 2025 Na Kamehameha Commemorative Pāʻū Parade.

The Ho'olaulea at Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center featured performances by Kaniala Masoe, 2024 Richard Ho‘opi‘i Falsetto Champion Antonio “Akoni” Robles & Friends, multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award-winner Mark Yamanaka, Hālau Kekuaokalā‘au‘ala‘iliahi, and Hālau Ke‘ala Kahinano O Puna.

*Princess of Kaho‘olawe, Kalena Kawohikukapulani Young Hoʻopiʻi, and her unit make their way down Kaahumanu Avenue Saturday.*

The statewide Na Kamehameha Pāʻū Parade 2025 theme, “E Ho‘omau – Celebrating Mary Kawena Pukui,” pays tribute to the Hawaiian scholar, author, composer, hula expert and educator who lived from 1895 to 1986.