1 9 th ▁century ▁celebr ations ▁of ▁King ▁K ame h ame ha ▁I ▁Day ▁featured ▁car n iv als ▁and ▁fair s , ▁foot ▁races , ▁horse ▁races ▁and ▁vel o cip ede ▁races . ▁King ▁K ame h ame ha ▁I ▁Day ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁hol id ays ▁proc laimed ▁by ▁the ▁Governor ▁of ▁Hawai i ▁and ▁the ▁Hawai i ▁State ▁Legisl ature ▁when ▁Hawai i ▁achieved ▁state hood ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 9 . ▁ ▁Today , ▁King ▁K ame h ame ha ▁I ▁Day ▁is ▁treated ▁with ▁elaborate ▁events ▁h ark ening ▁back ▁to ▁ancient ▁Hawai i , ▁respect ing ▁the ▁cultural ▁trad itions ▁that ▁K ame h ame ha ▁def ended ▁as ▁his ▁society ▁was ▁slowly ▁sh ifting ▁towards ▁European ▁tr ends . ▁The ▁King ▁K ame h ame ha ▁H ula ▁Compet ition ▁attract s ▁h ula ▁groups ▁from ▁all ▁over ▁the ▁world ▁to ▁the ▁Neil ▁S . ▁Bla is d ell ▁Center ▁for ▁the ▁two - day ▁event . ▁P riz es ▁are ▁awarded ▁on ▁the ▁second ▁night . ▁ ▁Flor al ▁para de ▁ ▁A ▁fl oral ▁para de ▁is ▁held ▁ann ually ▁at ▁various ▁locations ▁throughout ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁Hawai i . ▁On ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁O ahu , ▁the ▁para de ▁runs ▁from ▁I ol ani ▁Palace ▁in ▁dow nt own ▁Hon ol ulu ▁past ▁Hon ol ulu ▁Har bor ▁and ▁the ▁Prince ▁K ū hi ō ▁Federal ▁Building ▁through ▁K aka ako , ▁A la ▁Mo ana ▁and ▁Wa