$1,000 Stipend, Free Booth Space at “Made in Hawaiʻi” Product Show

Flower growers from Maui show off their world famous protea at the prestigious 2012 Philadelphia Flower Show. A separate, Made in Hawaiʻi Festival, will take place here at home, featuring island grown and produced items from throughout the state. The event is scheduled for August 16 to 18, 2013 at the Neal S. Blaisdell Exhibition Hall on Oʻahu. Courtesy file photo.

By Maui Now Staff

Local producers on Maui are encouraged to apply for funding and booth space at the upcoming Made in Hawaiʻi Festival, scheduled for August 16 to 18, 2013 at the Neal S. Blaisdell Exhibition Hall on Oʻahu.

The county Office of Economic Development and INNOVATE Hawaiʻi announced the availability of funds for companies on Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi that produce locally-made products.

Packages reportedly include free booth space plus a minimum stipend of $1,000 for companies that meet the festival qualifications.

Qualifications are listed under the Made in Hawaiʻi Festival rules and applications are available at the Maui County Business Resource Center at the Maui Mall, at the Kuha’o Business Center on Molokai, and online at this link.

The deadline to submit an application is 4:30 p.m. on June 19, 2013.

“We are pleased to partner with INNOVATE Hawaiʻi to encourage our local companies to participate in this lucrative show,” said Teena Rasmussen, director of the Office of Economic Development in a press release today.

Rasmussen said the three-day showcase of Hawaiʻi Made products will provide a unique platform for island businesses looking to get noticed.

“Approximately 38,000 people attend the show and are ready to buy,” she said. “In addition, there are many buyers and distributors who come to find new products.”

County officials say an informational meeting regarding the assistance packages will be held at the Maui County Business Resource Center at 3 p.m. on Wednesday June 5.

The program is made possible through the County of Maui in partnership with INNOVATE Hawaiʻi, a program of the High Technology Development Corporation, a state-run agency.