The City and County of Honolulu and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs present the 74th Mayor’s Memorial Day Ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Pūowaina (Punchbowl) and invite the public to join them in honoring all who served in the U.S. Armed Forces. 

What You Need To Know

  • Reserved seating will be offered to veterans and invited guests; remaining seats will be open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis

  • For those who wish to view the ceremony but are not able to attend in person, the entire event will be broadcast live at 8:30 a.m. Monday on Olelo Channel 49

  • Those who plan to visit the cemetery to pay their respects are encouraged to visit either Saturday or Sunday or after noon on Monday, Memorial Day, to avoid traffic congestion from the ceremony

  • Governor Josh Green will also be part of the Memorial Day Ceremony at the Hawaii State Veterans’ Cemetery, 1 p.m. Monday

The ceremony will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, May 26. The event will begin with an oli and feature speeches by Mayor Rick Blangiardi and Admiral Samuel Paparo, color guard, presentation of wreaths, firearm salute, military aircraft flyover, playing of taps, performances by the Royal Hawaiian Band and Sounds of Aloha, and hula from the 96th Lei Court.

"On this Memorial Day, we stand united in gratitude, honoring the brave men and women who gave everything for the freedoms we hold most dear,” said Blangiardi in a release. “Their sacrifices echo through time, reminding us of the immense price of liberty and the strength of their resolve.

“As we pause to remember, let us renew our pledge to uphold the values they fought to defend, cherishing the peace they secured. May their legacy live on in our actions, and may we always strive to build a world worthy of their courage and devotion,” Blangiardi said.

Parking information for those planning to attend the ceremony:

• Though extremely limited, parking within Pūowaina will be available starting at 7 a.m.

• Additional parking will be available at nearby Abraham Lincoln Elementary and Robert Louis Stevenson Middle starting at 7 a.m. Courtesy shuttle service will be available to Pūowaina from both schools.

• Public parking will also be available at the Civic Center Parking Structure with special TheBus route 123 service from the nearby Alapai Transit Center to Pūowaina. First bus departs at 7 a.m. with three more trips leaving every 20 minutes; last bus will leave at 8 a.m. Return trips from Pūowaina to Alapai will begin at the end of the ceremony. Parking is free, but regular bus fares apply.

• Handi-Van reserved rides and marked taxi cabs will be allowed to drive into the cemetery for drop-offs.

Reserved seating will be offered to veterans and invited guests. Any remaining seats will be open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. Therefore, attendees are encouraged to bring water and wear sun protection — sunscreen, hats, UV protective clothing — since covered seating is limited. Do not bring chairs unless medically required. Umbrellas are allowed. Only certified service animals will be allowed. Drones and unmanned aerial vehicles are strictly prohibited within and around Pūowaina.

Those who plan to visit the cemetery to pay their respects are encouraged to visit either Saturday or Sunday or after noon on Monday, Memorial Day, to avoid traffic congestion from the ceremony.

Through the Scouting of America Aloha Council’s Good Turn Event, the Scouts of Hawaii will place a lei and flag on every grave starting at 1:30 p.m. Sunday and will return at 8 a.m. Tuesday to remove the lei and flags.

Graduates and their families who wish to donate fresh flower/ti-leaf lei to support Memorial Day can drop them off from 8 a.m. to noon at Pūowaina on Sunday.

For those who wish to view the ceremony but are not able to attend in person, the entire event will be broadcast live at 8:30 a.m. Monday on Olelo Channel 49. The broadcast will re-air on the same channel on the following dates and times — June 6 at 6 p.m., June 8 at 1 p.m., June 10 at 8 a.m., and June 11 at 10 p.m.

A Memorial Day Ceremony will also be held at the Hawaii State Veterans’ Cemetery with Governor Josh Green at 1 p.m. Monday. The 111th Army Band will provide a musical prelude. Dress is aloha attire for civilians and Class B uniform for military. The cemetery is located at 45-349 Kamehameha Highway in Kaneohe.

The Girl Scouts of Hawaii will be making lei to place on the graves of fallen service members at Hawaii State Veterans’ Cemetery, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Windward Mall, and invite the public to donate flowers or join the effort. On Sunday, they will place the lei and flags on graves from 9:30 a.m. to noon.

Sarah Yamanaka covers news and events for Spectrum News Hawaii. She can be reached at sarah.yamanaka@charter.com.