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February 21, 2014 Contact: Roger Watanabe, Lei Day Publicity Chair, 768-3042     Candidates for 86th Annual Lei Court announced   Kapolei – The Department of Parks and Recreation introduces the candidates for the 86th Annual Lei Court Selection Event which will be held Saturday, March 1, 2014 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at McCoy Pavilion.   The four contestants entered in this year's Nâ Kûpuna category (55+ years of age) will be vying for top honors: Louise Kekahilinaniopauahi Wade Alina Pualani Evangeline Kauila Lydia U'ilani Fu Kuie'e Carolyn Olivia "Skip" Kaonohilani Tomiyama   Each contestant will be scored on the following skills: lei making (they have one hour to make a lei on site) poise and personality speaking in both English and Hawaiian hula 'auana (modern hula)   The event is free and open to the public.   BACKGROUND   The first Lei Day in 1927 was celebrated in downtown Honolulu with a few people wearing lei on May 1.  Over time it grew as more and more people began to wear lei on May Day.    The first lei queen, Nina Bowman, was crowned by Mayor Charles Arnold in Honolulu in 1928.   Please join the City & County of Honolulu, the Hawai'i Tourism Authority, and Hawai'i Summit Media LLC for this wonderful celebration of Hawaiian history and culture.   For more information about the 86th Annual Lei Court Selection Event, please visit www.honoluluparks.com, or contact Lei Day Publicity Chair Roger Watanabe at 768-3042, or rwatanabe@honolulu.gov.   -END-