Made in Hawaii Pageant: A Celebration of Tradition

Mark your calendars—and your purchasing lists. The Made in Hawaii Festival returns to Oʻahu from August 15–17, 2025, and this 12 months’s 31st annual celebration guarantees to be the largest and greatest but. Sponsored by Hawaiian Airlines, the competition is a can’t-miss weekend of tradition, craftsmanship, and group spirit.

Every year, this signature occasion transforms Oʻahu right into a hub of native innovation and custom. It’s greater than a market—it’s a celebration of every little thing that makes Hawaiʻi distinctive. From handcrafted jewellery and trend to small-batch gourmand treats, the Made in Hawaii Pageant is a one-stop showcase for over 400 native entrepreneurs.

Guests wander via rows of colourful cubicles, chatting with makers, tasting samples, and discovering one-of-a-kind finds. Whether or not you’re attempting to find the proper memento or supporting small companies, that is your likelihood to expertise the soul of Hawai‘i via the eyes of its creators.

A Pageant Rooted in Native Pleasure

The Made in Hawaii Pageant started in 1995, because of the imaginative and prescient of the Hawaii Meals Trade Affiliation (HFIA) to highlight native companies. What began as a easy concept to assist homegrown merchandise has grown into one in every of Hawaiʻi’s most beloved annual occasions.

Held every August, the competition coincides with “Statehood Weekend,” a three-day celebration marking Hawaiʻi’s admission because the 50th U.S. state. The third Friday of August is a state vacation, and it brings 1000’s of customers, households, and guests to Honolulu for an extended weekend of purchasing, tasting, and revelry.

Made in Hawaii and Nowhere Else

The Made in Hawaii Pageant has a strict requirement that every little thing offered should be genuinely made right here. They received’t put up with branding or slapping a “Hawaiian” label on imported items. Distributors should be capable of show their creations — each lei, print, or jar of liliko‘i butter — are produced domestically— utilizing native sources and labor each time potential.

In a world the place souvenirs are sometimes mass-produced and imported, this high quality management ensures authenticity and cultural integrity. It additionally makes the competition a really perfect vacation spot for guests desirous to take house a very distinctive merchandise that was made in Hawai‘i.

Distributors need to show their gadgets are Made in Hawaii

Supporting Native Farmers and Companies

For native entrepreneurs, the competition is extra than simply an annual occasion — it’s a essential enterprise alternative. Many distributors, together with native artisans, report that the Made in Hawaii Pageant supplies a good portion of their annual gross sales. It additionally helps them navigate new paths with wholesale consumers and retail companions.

For instance, a small cleaning soap firm based mostly in Maui might begin out promoting on-line or at farmers markets. By way of the competition, it may introduce its line to 1000’s of attendees and probably acquire entry to nationwide or worldwide retailers.

Hawaiian meals distributors use the occasion to showcase culinary improvements, non-traditional flavors, or take a look at new recipes. Taro chips, freshly-made poi, gourmand sauces, jams, drinks infused with native fruits— the competition is an oasis for foodies. The occasion is famend for its culinary delights, providing a wide range of distinctive and scrumptious meals choices. Distributors usually obtain press protection for his or her inventive culinary improvements.

A couple of to look out for which have used the Made in Hawaii Pageant to springboard success:

• Large Island Candies: Home made Treats – In case you’ve ever tasted their melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies, you realize they’re one thing particular. Made proper in Hilo, their treats are handcrafted and elegantly packaged. And sure, their cookie showroom is a dream.Try their product line here.
• Hawaiian Solar – A staple in each native fridge, Hawaiian Solar juices are iconic. With flavors like Go-O-Guava and Lilikoi Ardour, every can delivers a burst of island taste. Order Hawaiian Sun online.
• Liko Lehua – What began as a small operation in Hilo has blossomed right into a beloved model of tropical-flavored fruit butters. Every jar is hand-poured and stuffed with aloha. In addition they run an enthralling farm and restaurant. Learn more about them here.

Many distributors use the competition to increase their buyer base.

A Cultural Melting Pot

Hawaiʻi is among the most numerous locations on this planet, with a wealthy cultural combine that features Native Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese language, Filipino, Portuguese, Korean, Polynesia and plenty of different influences. The Made in Hawaii Pageant is a dwelling embodiment of this multiculturalism. Every sales space tells a narrative. The lei maker continues a centuries-old household custom. A contemporary designer places a up to date spin on Hawaiian print clothes. A woodworker shapes koa into heirloom-quality items.

Sustainability and Custom

Lately, sustainability has turn into a central theme on the competition. Hawaiʻi imports greater than 85% of its meals and shopper items, so supporting native producers performs a significant function in constructing a extra resilient and self-sufficient economic system. By giving native farms, fishermen, artists, and creators a stage, the competition encourages residents and vacationers to consider the place their merchandise come from — and to make aware decisions that assist the land and the folks.

Many distributors incorporate conventional Hawaiian practices comparable to lauhala weaving, kapa making, or use of endemic crops and bushes. These traditions aren’t simply preserved — they’re being innovated and made related to at the moment’s world, all whereas honoring their origins.

There are actually 1000’s of things on the market.

Meals and Beverage

The competition is a foodie paradise with a spread of culinary delights crafted by native artisans. From home made marinara sauce to artisanal tofu, and from conventional Hawaiian dishes to trendy fusion delicacies, there’s one thing to fulfill each palate and dietary desire. One phrase of recommendation: come to the competition hungry.

Leisure and Actions

The Made in Hawaii Pageant is a feast for the senses, that includes trend designers and stay award-winning music and performances that commemorate the wealthy cultural tapestry of Hawaii. Slack key guitar, metal guitar, ukulele, hula hālau. They’re all right here. The schedule is full of cultural programming that blends custom with innovation, giving everybody a greater understanding of what makes Hawaiʻi particular.

Attendees can take pleasure in performances by recipients of the celebrated Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, sometimes called the “Grammys of Hawaiian music.”With a give attention to selling Hawaiian tradition and creativity, the competition supplies a variety of actions and leisure choices for all ages.

Getting There and Parking

The Hawai‘i Conference Heart is conveniently situated at 1801 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96815. On-site parking is offered with charges beginning at $10 per day. For many who desire public transportation, TheBus has a number of routes that cease close by, making certain a clean journey to the competition. In case you’re utilizing ride-sharing companies, the competition has a delegated drop-off and pick-up space to make your arrival and departure seamless. To plan your journey, go to the competition’s web site and use the interactive map to get exact instructions and navigate the location.

Lodging and Journey

Planning to remain in a single day in Honolulu? The Made in Hawaii Festival has partnered with a number of native accommodations to supply particular charges for attendees. Go to the competition’s web site to e book your lodging and benefit from unique reductions. For these touring from neighboring islands, Hawaiian Airlines gives particular fares for competition attendees with the promo code “MIHF2025.” These partnerships make it simpler and extra economical for everybody to affix within the festivities, whether or not you’re a neighborhood or visiting from one other island.

The Customer Expertise

For somebody attending the competition for the primary time, it may be a sensory overload to navigate. Rows of stalls, every yet another colourful than the subsequent, make it simple to spend hours looking. Some distributors, together with native artisans, give stay demonstrations of their craft, comparable to hand-printing cloth, carving, or baking treats on the spot. Browsers are greeted with aloha and handled to a spirit of hospitality that defines the Hawaiian expertise. It’s frequent to see multi-generational households attending collectively, vacationers mingling with locals, and long-time festival-goers returning 12 months after 12 months.

Increasing Past Oʻahu and Honolulu

Whereas the competition takes place on Oʻahu, its attain extends all through Hawaii and past. Many distributors hail from Maui, Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi Island, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi — bringing their distinct regional flavors and types to the large stage. Lately, with the rise of on-line purchasing and digital occasions, the Made in Hawaii Pageant has additionally expanded into the digital area. Throughout COVID, organizers launched a digital model, permitting folks from throughout the globe to buy native Hawaiian merchandise on-line. This digital part continues and it expanded the competition’s attain enormously.

Trying to the Future

Because the Made in Hawaii Pageant continues to develop and evolve, its mission stays the identical: to rejoice the creativity, resilience, and innovation of Hawaiʻi’s folks. With elevated emphasis on sustainability and cultural preservation, the competition is greater than only a purchasing occasion — it’s a mannequin for a way communities can select to assist each other and develop collectively.

Efforts are additionally underway to teach youthful generations and get them concerned within the competition. Faculties and youth packages are sometimes invited to carry out or take part in workshops, and extra distributors are mentoring apprentices or members of the family to cross on their expertise.

Closing Ideas

The Made in Hawaii Pageant on Oʻahu is rather more than a weekend occasion — it’s a cultural establishment. Designed to foster group, assist innovation, and preserve the spirit of aloha alive, entrepreneurship and artistry are on full show. Attending  is an opportunity to expertise the true soul of Hawaiʻi — via meals, music, folks, and deep-rooted traditions. You’ll go away with greater than only a bag of goodies — you’ll take house a deeper appreciation for the sweetness and variety of Hawaiʻi.

Suggestions for Attendees

To take advantage of your expertise on the Made in Hawaiʻi Pageant:

• Plan Forward: Evaluate the checklist of exhibitors and occasion schedule beforehand to prioritize the cubicles and performances you want to attend.
• Keep Hydrated: Honolulu’s local weather might be heat and humid in August. Carrying a reusable water bottle is really useful.
• Deliver Reusable Baggage: With quite a few purchasing alternatives, having reusable luggage is each sensible and environmentally pleasant.
• Interact with Distributors: Take the time to find out about their creations and the tales behind them. Many distributors are captivated with their crafts and are desirous to share their data.