In 1946, Harry Nordmark and a group of Waikiki business owners created a festival in an effort to draw visitors back to Waikiki after WWII.
Aloha Week was established to lure visitors in October when visits were at their lowest.
One of the many events created to promote Aloha Week was a Song Contest. Each year a winning song was chosen to be that year’s Aloha Week anthem.
In 1991, Aloha Week expanded to become Aloha Festivals, embracing all of the Islands.
Today, we’ll listen to most of the winning songs of the Aloha Week Song Contest that ran from 1948 to 1961.
This week's playlist:
1- Aloha Week (1949) – Royal Hawaiian Serenaders
2- Lulu Get Your Muumuu (1950) – Bill Akamuhou
3- Gay Hawaiian Party (1951) – Alfred Apaka
4- I Remember October In The Islands (1953) – Haunani Kahalewai
5- It’s Aloha Week Once More (1955) – Mona Joy
6- It’s Aloha Week Once Again (1956) – Haunani Kahalewai
7- Aloha Week Hula (1957) – Alfred Apaka & the Villagemen
8- Aloha Week Is Here (1958) – Billy Hew Len & Moana Serenaders
9- It’s Aloha Week (1959) – Pua Almeida & Moana Serenaders
10- It’s Aloha Week In Hawaii (1960) – George Paoa
11- Aloha Week (1961) – Royal Hawaiian Serenaders
Length: 55:34 Released on: 09-11-2015 Artist/Compiled by: Various Artists 1948-1960