The largest Waikiki crowd ever for Mr. Waikiki is expected to jam Queen's Surf Beach for a memorial for Don Ho, who ruled over all Island performers for nearly five decades. Advertiser library photo | April 1995

The largest Waikiki crowd ever for Mr. Waikiki — 25,000 fans, friends and family — is expected to jam the site for a memorial for Ho, who ruled over all Island performers for nearly five decades. Ho died April 14 of heart failure at age 76.

He's known for his signature hit "Tiny Bubbles" and numerous television and club appearances. He was as famous as Diamond Head and one of the reasons visitors flocked to the Islands in the 1960s and 1970s.

His family and close friends will gather and scatter his ashes off Waikiki, with a flotilla of between 30 and 50 canoes. Video images from the scattering procession will be shown later during a segment of the musical salute.

The canoe paddlers, including Ho's beachboy buddies from yesteryear, will leave the beach fronting The Royal Hawaiian hotel at about 5:30 p.m. At 6 p.m., the Royal Hawaiian Band will perform on the site commonly used for Sunset on the Beach movie screenings, with the formal tribute beginning at 7 p.m. and co-hosted by two lifelong friends of the late entertainer, Cha Thompson and John DeFries.

The roster of performers paying homage to Ho will include Nina Kealiiwahamana, Melveen Leed, Willie K, The Brothers Cazimero, the Society of Seven Las Vegas, Marlene Sai, Iva Kinimaka, Jimmy Borges and Sam Kapu Jr. Hoku Ho, Don Ho's 25-year-old entertainer daughter, also has agreed to sing her dad's tune "I'll Remember You."

REMEMBERING DON HO