Hawaii Public Holidays Calendar

Overview of Hawaii Public Holidays

• Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
  Honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a prominent leader of the American civil rights movement.
• Washington’s Birthday (Presidents' Day)
  Honors George Washington, the first President of the United States, alongside Abraham Lincoln, who issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
• Prince Kūhiō Day
  Commemorates the birth of Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole (1871–1922), a prince of the Kingdom of Hawaii who later served as a U.S. Congressional delegate.
• Good Friday
  Observed on the Friday immediately preceding Easter Sunday in remembrance of the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ.
• Memorial Day
  A federal holiday dedicated to mourning and honoring all military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.
• King Kamehameha I Day
  Honors King Kamehameha the Great (1758–1819), the monarch who unified the Hawaiian Islands and established the Kingdom of Hawaii.
• Juneteenth National Independence Day
  Commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans (Note: Recognized as a federal holiday, but not observed by the Hawaii state government).
• Independence Day
  Commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
• Statehood Day
  Commemorates Hawaii's admission to the Union as the 50th U.S. state on August 21, 1959 (formerly known as Admission Day).
• Columbus Day
  Commemorates Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas (Note: Recognized as a federal holiday, but not observed by the Hawaii state government).
• Veterans Day
  Originally established to mark the World War I armistice on November 11, 1918, it now honors all living and deceased veterans of the United States Armed Forces.
• Thanksgiving Day (4th Thursday in November)
  A holiday commemorating the first harvest celebrated by the Pilgrims who arrived from England in 1620.

Hawaii's National Flag & State Flag

National Flag & State Flag

Hawaii's national flag is the "Stars and Stripes" (the flag of the United States of America).
The state flag of Hawaii, "Ka Hae Hawaiʻi," originally served as the national flag of the Kingdom of Hawaii before being retained when Hawaii was annexed by the United States.
It features the Union Jack in the upper-left canton, accompanied by eight horizontal stripes (white, red, and blue) representing the eight major Hawaiian islands.

The presence of the Union Jack originates from King Kamehameha I, who raised the British flag in his courtyard after receiving it as a gift from a friendly British sea captain.
Despite its design resembling Commonwealth nation flags, the Hawaiian islands were never historically under British colonial rule.

National Anthem & State Song