Hilo celebrates culture with every experience. Hilo is home to the world’s premier hula event. The cultural tie to 2020 World Sprints Championship will feature the celebration of the native art of the hula in Opening and Closing Ceremonies.
Storytelling is part of how the people of Hawaii Island continue to perpetuate and interpret the Hawaiian culture and its uniquely affirmative spirit of aloha. The 2020 World Sprints Championship cultural aspects will weave in such cultural experts and many of outrigger canoe racing’s best-known icons for talk story opportunities. There will be canoe building demonstrations and the Makalii Hawaiian sailing canoe will be docked in Hilo, ready to give tours and adventures.
Walking tours of Hilo will capture its history and showcase the legends and stories of Hawaii. Hilo town is also home to an array of museums, galleries, and performance venues where visitors can admire the work of local painters, sculptors, musicians, storytellers, and crafts people. Wailoa Center will host a wa‘a (canoe) cultural display, within walking distance from world sprint headquarters on Hilo Bay.
Tour offerings to Heritage Sites will provide significant historical, cultural and environmental contributions to the understanding and enjoyment of Hawaii.