Want to see, feel and breath the real Hawaii? Need some more Aloha Spirit in your life or are you simply tired of the tourist hordes in Waikiki ?
Then fly over to Hilo on the Big Island at the end of this month (April 28 to April 30, 2011) and see the Merry Monarch Hula Festival. The Merrie Monarch Festival is the best Hula dancing spectacle in the world. I call it the Hula World Cup and every Hula Halau (Team) that is worth its money will be performing. In case you worry about all the tourists there. No worries, beef curries! All the aunties, uncles, sisters, brothers, cousins and friends or every Hula Halau will be watching too. So no matter what you do or where you go, you’ll be surrounded by the real locals of Hawai’i.
Now, if you are a non-local, tourist or a married-to-a-Hawaii-girl guy like me you will be lost and probably stick out of the crowd like never before. Now let’s make sure you know how to get tickets for the Merrie Monarch, what to wear and how to enter the arena. Let’s go!
How to get tickets for the Merrie Monarch Hula Competition
If you’re looking for an online shopping cart or somewhere to pay with you credit card. Sorry my friend, you’re out of luck this time. The process for getting you tickets is old school, traditional and you’re probably too late already anyways. If you are one of those cool and organized people that read magazines like Real Simple you probably mailed out your request for tickets with the $15 fee for two days of competition (Yes, this amazing show is that affordable!) last December like you are supposed to be. Good job, you’re awesome. If you’re not that cool or did not get lucky with the ticket request you need to hustle to still get your ticket (don’t ask me how the ticket selection process works. If you happen to know how it works, please enlighten all of us in the comments).
The best way to get tickets at this point is announcing to all your Facebook friends, Twitter followers and friends in Hawaii that you are looking for Merrie Monrach tickets. Don’t know anyone in Hawaii? Hey, you can always connect with me and you know somebody from the Aloha State instantly. If you are as lucky as I am with the ticket hunt, then your wife’s hairdresser is related to the founders of the competition and boom you have your ticket. If all else fails, try Craigslist in Hawai’i, search for tickets and put a post up that you are looking for tickets . You will be surprised how many people have to cancel last minute and are trying to sell their ticket. In any case good luck!
What to wear for the Merrie Monarch Hula Competition
Alright, welcome to the lucky few club of “Holy smokes, I got tickets for Merrie Monarch!” Now it’s time to think about your outfit. What, outfit? Yeah, dude you heard me right. Don’t come rocking up in your T-Shirt and baseball hat. This is a cultural festival, so please do yourself a favor, show some respect and dress like all the locals do.
So here you go, your dress code for the evening:
Gents, bust out your Aloha Shirt and buy a manly looking flower Lei. If you’re not used to having flower prints on your shirt, don’t worry, you are the only one. Aloha-Shirts and slacks are the regular business uniform in Hawaii and everyone is absolutely accustomed to them.
Ladies, wear a flowery dress and make sure to stick a few flowers in your hair, or even better wear a Haku (flower ring on top of your head). Don’t worry, you can choose and select the right type of flower from a ton of stands outside the arena.
How to enter the Merrie Monarch Hula Competition arena
Ok, so you got your ticket, sport your flowery Aloha-Shirt and now you are standing in line waiting to enter the arena. Immediately you wonder, why do they only let in about 30 people at a time and then let everyone wait again for five minutes? Well, it’s all about showing respect to the performers and not walking around during a Hula dance. Stay seated when there is action on the stage. It’s as simple as that. What that means is that you – especially if you look as lost as I always do – cannot walk into the arena on cruise mode and casually start checking everything out. If you do that – and believe me, I speak from experience – you will rightfully attract the attention of the security guys wearing Puna Motorcycle leather jackets and flexing biceps as big as both your arms together. So show respect and find your seat fast…or you will be seated by your new security friend and feel like the total beginner.
Alright, now your inside and got your seat. Good job, you made it! Lean back, eat your Poke and enjoy the best Hula Show in the world.
Love to see the love for this!
(FYI, though, it’s Merrie, not Merry.)
http://www.merriemonarch.com/
Gee! You are so right Ginger! No idea how I could have missed that one..oh well, stuff like that happens in life. Fixed the typo.
Many thanks for pointing it out. You’re the best!
Aloha,
Marco
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