Opening Mele and Hula with Hālau Mele, Kumu Hula Mahealani Wong
10:15 a.m.
Great Lawn Mainstage

2025 Year of Our Community Forests Keynote Panel
11 a.m. to Noon
Great Lawn Mainstage
This year celebrates our precious community forests of the wao kanaka (inland regions) where we live, work, and play. Hawaiʻi’s forests and their resources have sustained human life since the arrival of Polynesians and continue to do so today. Listen to key community leaders address the status and health of our native ecosystems, delve into ongoing and planned forest restoration projects, and share stories about the intimate relationships between native Hawaiian plants and the people who have dedicated their lives to keep these species and their associated cultural practices alive.

• Susan Ching, Department of Forestry and Wildlife Oʻahu Botanist and Oʻahu Plant Extinction Prevention Program Coordinator
• Heather McMillen, Urban & Community Forester with the Hawaiʻi Department of Land & Natural Resources
• Nalu Andrade, artist and cultural practitioner of Na Maka Kahiko
• Sebastian Marquez, Honolulu Zoo Horticulturist
• Mahi La Pierre, Kahu Ulu Laau Kaiaulu (Community Forester) of Native Hawaiian Hardwoods for Traditional & Cultural Practices

Live Music with Poʻokela Wood and Nicholas Lum
12:00 noon
Great Lawn Mainstage

Invasive Species Awareness Month: What’s at Risk — from Mauka to Makai
1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Great Lawn Mainstage
May is Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Awareness Month, led by the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council (HISC). From the health of our watersheds and marine ecosystems to our cultural practices and food security, invasive species threaten the foundation of Hawaiʻi’s well-being. This panel brings together leading conservationists to discuss what is being done to address the most pressing invasive species in Hawaiʻi and how we can restore balance and build resilience for generations to come.

• Indrajit Gunasekara, Kaulunani Community Coconut Program Director
• Kate Gonzalez, Aquatic Biologist Division of Aquatic Resources
• Ryan Chang, Forestry Technician with Oʻahu Branch Division of Forestry & Wildlife
• Pua Heimuli (Moderator), Education Specialist – Oʻahu Branch (Department of Land and Natural Resources)

Live Music with Ka ʻOhana Krug
2 p.m.
Great Lawn Mainstage

Science on a Sphere
Featuring informational sessions by NOAA
Planetarium Lobby
15 minutes
Free

11:00 AM NOAA in Your Life: Discover how NOAA impacts your daily life—from tracking weather and tsunamis to protecting turtles, whales, and coral reefs.
12:15 PM Tsunamis: Follow the journey of a tsunami from undersea earthquake to coastal warning siren.

Planetarium Theater Schedule

All tickets $3 per person for purchase at Shop Pacifica or planetarium lobby.

Featuring: Children’s Book Readings of
Pau: The Last Song of the Kaua‘i ‘Ō‘ō
10:30 AM and 1:30 PM
In this enhanced storybook reading, travel through changing island environments while following the disappearance of the Kauaʻi ʻōʻō bird. Reading is followed by a brief live sky tonight. Book written, illustrated, and adapted for planetarium screens by Tony Piedra and Mackenzie Joy. 25 minutes.

9:45 AM T. REX (25 minutes)
10:30 AM Pau: The Last Song of the Kaua‘i ‘Ō‘ō (25 minutes)
11:30 AM Wayfinders: Waves, Winds and Stars (45 minutes)
12:45 PM T. REX (25 minutes)
1:30 PM Pau: The Last Song of the Kaua‘i ‘Ō‘ō (25 minutes)
2:30 PM The Hawaiian Sky Tonight (25 minutes)
3:00 PM T. REX (25 minutes)
3:30 PM Wayfinders: Waves, Winds and Stars (45 minutes)

Kū a Lanakila! Expressions of Sovereignty, 1900-1920
Gallery Talks
10:30 am & 11:30 am
J. M. Long Gallery · Hawaiian Hall Complex
Join us in an exploration of Kū a Lanakila! Expressions of Sovereignty, 1900-1920 led by Sarah Kūāiwa, Curator of Hawaiʻi and Pacific Cultural Resources. Featuring a stunning array of artifacts, including ʻahu ʻula, lei hulu, banners, and political ephemera, the exhibit highlights how Native Hawaiians engaged in public ceremony, competitive sports, and political activism to maintain their identity and agency in a time of profound change.

Ocean Music Action: Nature in Harmony
12 p.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m. (30 minute programs)
Location: Atrium of Hawaiian Hall
Join Ocean Music Action harpist Megan Conley for a musical performance that celebrates the flora and fauna of Hawaii and offers steps for each of us to support healthy waterways and ecosystems. After the performance, visit the Ocean Music Action table to learn more and craft your own zero-waste pot to take home!