With thousands of people lining up outside of the Hawai’i Convention Center, the Made in Hawai’i Festival opened its doors at 10 A.M. on Friday, August 15, letting shoppers into the 31st annual event.
This annual festival took place over the Labor Day weekend. According to Aloha State Daily, the festival “drew approximately 70,000 attendees across the three days.” The Hawaii Food Industry Association (HIFA), organizers of the event, states that the purpose of the festival is to feature products “that are made in Hawai‘i and provide an exceptional opportunity for companies to market themselves to retail buyers and consumers.” These 70,000 attendees included a handful HBA students, eager to see what the festival had in store. Kylee Fujihana, a senior, was able to skip the lines as she worked as a volunteer through Hawaiian Airlines. Fujihana’s favorite part of the festival was the local Native Hawaiian businesses because some of them had exclusive Hawai’i products.
Photograph by Kylee Fujihana (’26).
The festival garnered thousands of vendors selling a wide variety of products, including food, art, jewelry, clothing, and accessories. Fujihana bought accessories for her Auntie and friends. As for herself, she bought a shirt from Mahina Made, a Native Hawaiian company known for their lei print shirts. Paisley Chung, another senior, says she bought accessories and clothes. Chung’s favorite item was a spaghetti strap dress with a hibiscus print because it could be worn in both casual and formal events. Classmate Vanessa He bought a blanket poncho, hot sauce, and accessories. She said, “I can’t really pick a favorite; they are all things that I now use on a daily basis.” She hopes to go back next year to shop for more everyday items.
With a large variety of products to buy, some shoppers head into the festival with a sizable budget. Chung says she gave herself a budget of $300 to buy gifts for herself and friends. Fujihana was surprised at the cost of some items. “The prices are insane…one single Tahitian pearl was almost $160 so it’s not really worth it,” she said.
Hawai’i News Now reported on the long lines of the festival, noting how some shoppers reportedly got in line as early as 1 A.M. The lines eventually wrapped around at least three blocks. Despite the crowds, Aria Ortega, 8th grade, observed that people were generally smiling and having fun. “It was such a positive and uplifting experience to be in and I’m glad that I got the opportunity to be a part of it,” she said. However, senior Nyssa Hoi had a different take as she stood in line for a long time to get into the festival. She hopes that future festivals will be held at the Blaisdell Arena instead, where it used to be. “[The long line] was wasting my time,” she said.
Shoppers who missed this year’s festival can find a number of the vendors at local farmers markets around the island. According to Tripadvisor, the most popular farmers market for food on O’ahu is the Saturday KCC (Kapiolani Community College) Farmers Market. For local crafts, the Malama Hawai’i’s Makers Market is often in Hawaii Kai and Ala Moana Center. Their website has a schedule on where shoppers can find them.
