Made In Maui County Festival Begins Next Week

Maui County’s largest products show, the annual Made in Maui County Festival, will open to the public on November 4 and 5, 2016 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center in Kahului. Over 140 vendors will offer a bevy of Made-In-Maui-County products. Additionally, on Saturday (Nov. 5), 11 of Maui’s popular food trucks will be featured in the event’s Food Court. Courtesy photo: County of Maui

Maui County will hold its largest products show, the annual Made in Maui County Festival, on Nov. 4 and 5, 2016, at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center in Kahului.

Now in its third year, the event aims to continue its momentum of showcasing hundreds of Made-in-Maui-County products while helping to grow the islands’ small businesses.

Over 140 product vendors will offer a wide variety of foods, produce, art, crafts, jewelry, fashions, gifts, collectibles and more. Of this total, 38 businesses are new to the event, 16 businesses are from Molokaʻi, and one is from Lānaʻi.

Additionally, on Saturday, 12 of Maui’s popular food trucks will be featured in the Festival’s Food Court, offering a myriad of island-inspired menu items.

Presented by the County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development and the Maui Chamber of Commerce, the Festival was created to help grow small businesses on the islands of Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi by providing opportunities for participating vendors to meet with prospective wholesalers and connect with new customers.

Since the Festival’s inception in 2014, participating vendors reported a cumulative total of over $716,000 in product sales, over 430 in new wholesale accounts and/or orders closed, and gained over 5,500 leads for future sales and/or wholesale accounts which they acquired during the Festival. This year, this November event is anticipated to be bigger and better than ever, according to Festival organizers.

“Providing opportunities for our local businesses is the main reason why this Festival was created,” said Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa.

“Today, this event is not only an annual tradition for shoppers, it’s one of the most sought-after product shows for entrepreneurs. This Festival offers a springboard to take their business to the next level by creating a vehicle to unveil new products, secure new wholesale accounts, and meet new customers,” said Mayor Arakawa.

“We’re very excited to be featuring this year’s vendors who showcase our County’s entrepreneurial spirit and represent a diverse microcosm of our niche manufacturing industry,” said Pamela Tumpap, President of Maui Chamber of Commerce.

“Some businesses have been around for a while with their products offered statewide and even in international markets. Others are just starting out and gearing up for the Festival, which will be their first major products show. Yet, they all share something in common – they all want to succeed and the Festival is a critical tool to help them grow their businesses,” she said.

This year’s product vendors had to meet certain criteria in order to participate, including having their business based on the islands of Maui, Molokaʻi or Lānaʻi. Products being offered for sale also had to be made in Maui County and meet a minimum 51% of their value added in Hawaiʻi.

For a complete list of 2016 Product Vendors and Food Trucks, visit the Made in Maui County Festival website.

The festival will kick off on Friday, Nov. 4 with a special “Shoppers Preview” from 1:30 to 6 p.m. All attendees will receive a free Festival tote bag. Tickets ($35 per person) are available at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center Box Office, (808) 242-SHOW (7469) or MauiArts.org.

On Saturday, Nov. 5, the “Big Festival Day” will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Public admission is $5 at the gate, children 12 and under are free. Saturday’s festivities will include product demonstrations, a fashion show, food trucks, and prize drawings. The first 2,000 attendees will also receive a free Festival tote bag.

On both days, attendees can also enter Hawaiian Airlines’ drawing for a chance to win 120,000 HawaiianMiles.

Event sponsors include: Hawaiian Airlines; Pasha Hawaii; HAWAIʻI Magazine; Hawaii State Department of Transportation, Kahului Airport; The Maui News; Maui Nō Ka ʻOi Magazine; The Maui Visitor Channel; Pacific Media Group; HMSA; INNOVATE Hawaii; KAOI Radio Group; Alexander & Baldwin, Inc.; American Savings Bank; Courtyard Marriott, Maui Kahului Airport; HHawaiʻi Media; Maui Electric Company; Residence Inn Maui Wailea; Central Pacific Bank; Goodfellow Bros., Inc.; HawaiʻiUSA Federal Credit Union; Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club; Matson; Maui Hotel & Lodging Association; Maui Printing Company; State of Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism; Expeditions; Richard Kehoe CPA; RedFin; and Roberts Hawaiʻi.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Wholesale buyers interested in attending the “Buyers Preview” on Friday, Nov. 4 may register online.

For more information, email [email protected] or call (808) 270-7710.