Made in Hawaii Festival 2016
The huge annual Made in Hawaii Festival this weekend is a fantastic place to find hundreds of local-kine food and condiment vendors, clothing and jewelry designers, horticulturalists, artists, woodworkers, Hale Aina Award-winning chefs, Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winning musicians and more from every Island in Hawaii. If you like any part of living in Hawaii, there’s probably something here you’ll like.
Happening every Statehood Day Weekend, the event, produced by the Hawaii Food Industry Association and sponsored by First Hawaiian Bank, has become known as one of the best places to shop for unique local gifts, from SPAM musubi plushies, smartphone cases featuring local artists and gorgeous handcrafted art pieces to small-batch food seasonings, gourmet desserts and gift baskets to limited-edition local streetwear, lau hala hats and traditional Hawaiian accessories and clothing.
The festival continues Saturday and Sunday, but we recommend going early, because this one gets CROWDED!
Made in Hawaii Festival
Neal Blaisdell Exhibition Hall and Arena
Friday August 19: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday, August 20: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday, August 21: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
$6; children 6 and under free
Some highlights of the first day:
We caught Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winner Blayne Asing (center) helping his family at the Kanemitsu Bakery booth.
Monkeypod Jam brought nine cases of Lilikoi Curd to Made in Hawaii, but by the time you read this, it’s probably sold out!
One of the hardest-hit booths Friday was the crew from 808allday, who released an exclusive limited-edition, one day only t-shirt and hat pack.
Our friends at VH07V released CHOKE new designs at the festival (About 13 total) including a special Pokemon Go! design, that kept their booth crowded all day.
Did you know that Nudibranchs are in this season? The gorgeous, often exquisitely-colored marine mollusks are inspiring a growing fanbase of art and collectibles, including these magnets by Dread Pirate Pottery!
Want to see what else is at Blaisdell this weekend? Here’s the rest of our photos from Friday, the festival’s insanely packed opening day!
Photos by Melissa Chang and Tracy Chan
