RELEASE NUMBER 15 | 26
OUTRIGGER Kāʻanapali Beach Resort leads with full-day “Lei Pili ʻOhana” celebration on Maui
HONOLULU – In celebration of Lei Day, OUTRIGGER Resorts & Hotels invites guests and communities across the Hawaiian Islands to experience a vibrant series of cultural events honoring the beauty, tradition and meaning of lei. This year’s festivities are led by OUTRIGGER Kāʻanapali Beach Resort with its signature 2026 May Day celebration on May 1, 2026, “Lei Pili ʻOhana: A Treasure of Family Lei.”
Rooted in the ʻike that lei connect people through family, memory and shared experience, the Maui celebration brings together cultural practitioners, artisans, guests and kamaʻāina for a full day of immersive programming including hands-on workshops, live Hawaiian music and hula, and a heartfelt community lei exhibit and contest.
Guests and residents can explore the Aloha Makers Market (9 a.m. – 5 p.m.), participate in E Kui A Lei hands-on workshops and experience the Lei Pili ʻOhana Exhibit & Contest (11 a.m. – 3 p.m.), culminating in afternoon award presentations and live performances featuring local youth and cultural groups.
Maui residents are invited to participate by submitting entries to the exhibit or competition. Portions of the celebration will also be streamed live via the resort’s social channels. Locals are invited to make it a long weekend by staying at the resort with special kama‘āina rates starting from $219 per night.
On Oʻahu, Waikīkī Beach Walk is inviting the community to a complimentary lei-making experience, He Makana O Nā Lei Nani, from 9-10am and OUTRIGGER Reef Waikīkī Beach Resort’s Hale O Nā Lei stand will host a pop-up from 9a-1p, offering handcrafted lei and cultural connection in the heart of Waikīkī. At the OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel, LexBreezy Hawai’i will be hosting a pop-up from 5-8p to celebrate their 10th anniversary of crafting modern aloha wear, weaving the Aloha spirit of the islands into every design with vibrant floral patterns that echo the beauty and meaning of lei.
At OUTRIGGER Kona Resort & Spa, guests and locals can celebrate with Lei Makana Mākeke (9:00–11:00 a.m.), a lively marketplace featuring handcrafted lei, demonstrations and live Hawaiian music by Kahua Cagampgang and Nuʻu Crouch, benefiting the Hawaiʻi Island Visitor Industry Charity Walk. They’ll also host Fresh Flower Lei Making (2:00–3:00 p.m.), a hands-on cultural experience at the Aloha Cultural Center and at night the festivities continue with May Day at PIKO (5:30–9:00 p.m.), a special island-inspired dining experience showcasing seasonal flavors
On Kauaʻi, OUTRIGGER Kauaʻi Beach Resort & Spa will celebrate May Day on Friday, May 1, 2026, with an 11:00 a.m. programs, featuring mele by Housekeeping Hosts, a host Lei Contest with guest voting and the presentation of handcrafted ti leaf lei.
A “Lei Stand” will be on display throughout May sharing the cultural significance of the holiday, with a lei-making workshop planned from 9:00–10:00 a.m.
Later in the month, on May 15, OUTRIGGER Kaua‘i will host the Flowerless Lei Competition in partnership with the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority and Kilohana by CNHA, celebrating innovation in traditional lei-making.
Across all islands, these Lei Day experiences reflect OUTRIGGER’s commitment to preserving and perpetuating Hawaiian culture – bringing together guests, hosts and local communities to honor traditions that continue to connect generations.
Learn more at outrigger.com.
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