Made In Hawaii Festival

News

July 24, 2012
Dozens of new exhibitors will join this year's Made in Hawaii Festival presented by First Hawaiian Bank

HONOLULU – When the doors open at the 18th Annual Made in Hawaii Festival presented by First Hawaiian Bank, attendees will find more than 70 exhibitors that are new to the festival this year or are returning after an absence from the event. The Festival comes to the Neal S. Blaisdell Exhibition Hall and Arena on Friday, August 17th through Sunday, August 19th. Admission to the Made in Hawaii Festival is $4.00 per person, with children age six and under free. Discount coupons are available at all Oahu First Hawaiian Bank branches beginning in mid-August, while supplies last.

Here are just a few of the new exhibitors to check out this year:

From Kauai, Aloha Spice Company brings its gourmet organic seasonings, including coffee-spiked rubs, aromatic hibiscus and lilikoi sugars, and no-salt seasonings.

The husband and wife artist team from Maui's Clear Light Jewelry uses natural, recycled mother of pearl shells, oil tints, and silver and pewter components for their one-of-a-kind, hand-painted shell jewelry.

Da Secret Sauce is a new Big Island business and a new exhibitor, featuring Hawaiian chili pepper water made by Rex Moribe from a recipe passed down through his family.

Also from the Big Island, Filthy Farm Girl Soap Company has been seen around local fairs and now comes to the Made in Hawaii Festival with its 100% natural, vegan-friendly "soap with attitude." From Awesome Blossom to Manly Mint, the product line promises "no yucky stuff."

Forbidden Island Flutes of Maui makes affordable, fanciful ocarinas that also can carry a tune. Precision-tuned for an accurate pitch, they come in whimsical shapes such as whales, frogs, turtles, and our favorite – the box fish.

Honolulu-based Grandpa Dick's Hawaiian Beef Jerky uses local beef and no preservatives or additives to make 3 flavors of tasty snacks. And if you missed Uncle Louie Sausage Company at last year's festival , owner Ken Enriques is back with his Valley Isle-made links, including Sweet Maui Onion, pineapple-flavored and Portuguese sausage.

Haute Sand, also from Oahu, has a patent pending on its process of applying sand to create adorable children's tees with "sandy" sea stars, sea urchins, sharks and turtles.

You won't need to fly to the Big Island to find HuluWuwu's chic feather earrings and hair accessories or company owner/designer Danielle Bolton's new collection of earrings, headbands and barrettes made with real, preserved orchid blossoms and ferns.  Find Honolulu textile designer Jana Lam's lovely hand-printed and hand-sewn totes and clutches, too.

Exquisite model canoes fashioned from rare woods of Hawaii, reproductions of patterned gourds using natural dyes and traditional Hawaiian methods, and reprints of historic Hawaii photographs are just some of the treasures that Kailua-Kona's Palapala Press will bring to the festival.

There will be plenty of time to discover all that the Made in Hawaii Festival has to offer. Festival hours are Friday and Saturday, August 17th and 18th, 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. Sunday August 19th, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Cooking demonstrations and musical performances throughout each day add to the fun of shopping at this annual showcase of apparel and jewelry, fine art and furnishings, bath and beauty products, traditional Hawaiian arts and crafts, and a bountiful selection of food products and confections – all inspired by Hawaii and made by local hands from around the 50th state.

July 12, 2012
Island hop as you shop at the 18th annual Made in Hawaii Festival presented by First Hawaiian Bank

HONOLULU – Mac nut rum cake and hand-woven lauhala accessories from the Big Island. Hand-crafted soaps and whimsical ceramic flutes from Maui. Shell jewelry from Molokai, and gourmet Hawaiian sea salt and seasonings from Kauai.

Whether you are looking for culinary treats from the neighbor islands, new additions to your wardrobe or buying your favorite 'Made in Hawaii' products to send to family and friends on the mainland, you won't find a better place for 'round-the-islands shopping than at the 18th Annual Made in Hawaii Festival presented by First Hawaiian Bank.

Coming to the Neal Blaisdell Exhibition Hall and Arena, Friday, August 17th through Sunday, August 19th , the festival features apparel and jewelry, artwork and crafts, food and books, beauty products and beautiful home accessories – all inspired by Hawaii and made by local hands – and many so unique that they are only found at the Made in Hawaii Festival. With nearly 400 vendors from around the 50th State – including more than 70 that are new to the festival this year – shoppers can even find exclusive neighbor island products without having to leave Oahu. It's the ultimate Hawaiian shopping spree!

The UPS Store on site makes it easy to ship directly from the festival, with plenty of boxes available to pack with goodies and send to the mainland or neighbor islands.

Festival-goers will enjoy a showcase of Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winning Hawaii artists on the entertainment stage each day, and they can hear new Hawaiian music stars as Outrigger Reef on the Beach presents the five finalists in its fourth annual Kani Ka Pila Grille Talent Search. The competition finals will be held during the festival at the Neal Blaisdell Center's Pikake Room, on Saturday, August 18, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The winning performer or group will receive a one-month paid contract with Kani Ka Pila Grille, which includes four Thursday evening performances throughout the month of September.

For the foodies, cooking demonstrations by Hawaii's top culinary artists will take place each day in the Blaisdell Arena, co-presented by HONOLULU magazine and the Hawaii Department of Agriculture's Seal of Quality program.

Admission to the Made in Hawaii Festival is $4.00 per person, with children age six and under free. Discount coupons are available at all Oahu First Hawaiian Bank branches beginning in mid-August, while supplies last.