How Hawaii’s Aloha Festivals got its start

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The 2025 Aloha Festivals wraps up this weekend with its most signature and colorful event, the annual floral parade.

Now in its 79th year, we take a look back at how this yearly event began with perspective from a well-known kupuna, Momi Cazimero, Aloha Festivals director emeritus.

Cazimero has been involved with this special celebration for years and, in 1990, served as festival president.

“I am so glad because the intent they had back in the beginning was to preserve what was unique about Hawaiʻi, its culture, its history, its people, and that what it is doing now, it continues to do it,” she said.

She specifically credits businessman Harry Nordmark with the idea. After World War II ended in 1945, Cazimero says Nordmark knew that things would change in Ha