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Friday, April 4, 2014 Contact:  Roger Watanabe, 768-3042     Louise Kekahilinaniopauahi Wade Alina is 86th Annual Lei Queen   Honolulu – Mayor Kirk Caldwell, the City & County of Honolulu's Department of Parks and Recreation, the Hawai'i Tourism Authority, Matson, and Oceanic Time Warner Cable, sponsors of the city's 86th Annual Lei Queen Lei Court Selection event, opened the festivities on Saturday, March 1, 2014 at Ala Moana Regional Park's McCoy Pavilion.   Louise Kekahilinaniopauahi Wade Alina was selected as the City & County of Honolulu's 2014 Lei Queen.  Lei Queen Louise hails from Kaneohe, Hawai'i, where was raised by her Tutu after she lost her parents when she was 11 years old.   Lei Queen Louise graduated from Castle High School and received her junior accounting degree from Honolulu Business College, where she met her husband, William Alina.  They have three daughters, Lehuanani, Puamana and Honiala, six grandchildren, and three great grandchildren.    Queen Louise competed against three other contestants in this year's Na Kupuna age group (55 years and above).  First Princess is Lydia U'lani Fu Kuie'e from Aliamanu, Oahu.  Second Princess is Pualani Evangeline Kauila from Honolulu, Oahu (originally from the island of Lanai).  Contestants were judged on lei making, hula, language skills and poise, and the ability to convey the spirit of aloha with warmth and dignity.   This year's Lei Day theme is "Lei Hali'a Aloha," lei recalling sweet memories.  Queen Louise and her court will reign over the 87th Annual Lei Day Celebration festivities on Thursday, May 1, 2014, at Queen Kapi'olani Regional Park and Bandstand.   The event is free to the public and features local entertainment and hula halau.  The Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association will be performing, and everyone will have an opportunity to see some of the world's most exquisite handcrafted lei in the Lei Contest Exhibit area, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.   Hawaiian artisans will share their talents and skills with exhibits and demonstrations throughout the day in the Kulana Lei village.  While at Kulana Lei, have the mo'opuna (grandchildren) visit Tutu (grandmother) at Tutu Hale to hear stories, play Hawaiian games, and learn songs, hula, lei making, and lauhala weaving.  In addition to Kûlana Lei, vendors offering craft, lei, and food will be available to the public.   The closing ceremony for the annual Lei Day Celebration is held at Mauna 'Ala (The Royal Mausoleum) and Kawaiâha'o Church on May 2 of each year.   The first Lei Day was celebrated in 1927 in downtown Honolulu with a few people wearing lei.  Miss Nina Bowman was crowned the first Lei Queen in 1928.    For more information about the 87th Annual Lei Day celebration, visit www.honoluluparks.com, or contact Roger Watanabe, Lei Day Publicist, at 768-3042, or email rwatanabe@honolulu.gov.   -END-