The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Harold L. Lyon Arboretum, the only university botanical garden in the U.S. located in a tropical rainforest, is celebrating its centennial year (1918–2018).
To commemorate the anniversary, the arboretum is holding a Centennial Hoʻolauleʻa from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, August 4, to kick off the year’s planned events. The community can enjoy a full-day of festivities that includes entertainment, food trucks, arts and crafts, games, exhibits, tree climbing demonstrations and tours of the gardens. The event is free and open to the public.
“A 100 years is a long time, and it’s a good opportunity to showcase what we do here, where we’ve come from, where we hope to go and just have a big celebration of the event,” said Rakan Zahawi, director of UH Mānoa’s Lyon Arboretum. “We’ll have a fantastic day!”
Event highlights:
- Food Trucks—ʻOno grinds from Flyin’ Ahi, Da Spot, Serg’s and more.
- Craft Booths—Locally made jewelry, driftwood art, crocheted items, hand-carved wood and stone crafts, landscape art and more.
- Educational Booths—Oʻahu Invasive Species Committee, Kupu, Friends of Lyon Arboretum and Forest Bathing.
- Live Entertainment—Performances from Ooklah the Moc, H20, Hālau Hula Ka Lehua Tuahine, Nā Pualei O Likolehua, Te Vevo Tahiti No Mānoa and Kali and Kuki Navales of Kumuola.
- Children’s Activities—Nature photobooth, bouncy house, Hawaiian games and more.
- Silent Auction—A variety of crafts and gift certificates from local businesses supporting the arboretum.
- Tree Climbing Jamboree—Demonstrations of arborists climbing trees with opportunities for audience participation.
- Free Guided Tours of the Arboretum—Docent-led tours of the gardens offered throughout the day from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Lyon Plant Sale Booth—An assortment of plants, big and small, grown in the greenhouse.
Visit the Lyon Arboretum website for up-to-date information.
