A new festival showcasing made-in-Maui County products has been set for Nov. 7-8 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. The inaugural “Made in Maui County” Festival is expected to draw thousands of attendees, according to the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development.
Residents and visitors attending the event will peruse a wide variety of made-in-Maui products including foods, produce, art, crafts, jewelry, fashion, gifts, collectibles and more. The festival is expected to feature 100 Maui County-based vendors.
“This new festival will benefit our local economy in many ways,” said Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa in an Apr. 29 county news release. “Besides giving local merchants the chance to showcase and sell their locally produced items, it stimulates our economy as a whole by bringing in interested shoppers to our island. In other words, everyone benefits both directly and indirectly from the festival.”
Planning is underway for the festival. Vendor applications and sponsorship forms are now being accepted on the event’s MadeInMauiCountyFestival.com website. Sponsorship opportunities are also available as a way for companies to show their support of Maui County’s entrepreneurs and their products while increasing visibility for their own business.
“Not all businesses can afford to go to Oahu for the ‘Made In Hawaii’ festival,” said Teena Rasmussen, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, in the news release. “Costs for transportation, accommodations and staffing can quickly add up. That’s why this new event was created to make it more affordable and convenient for our local businesses to showcase their products right here at home.”
The event will kick-off with a Wholesale Buyers and Distributors Event/Reception (by invitation-only) on Friday, Nov. 7, 2-6pm. The Festival opens to the public on Saturday, Nov. 8 at 8am and closes at 4:30pm. The festival also will feature demonstrations, restaurant vendors, food trucks and more. Admission is $3; children 12 and under are free.
“Both residents and visitors are always looking for things made by local people, local hands, local hearts, to keep dollars in our community and to grow these outstanding businesses,” said Maui Chamber of Commerce President Pamela Tumpap in the news release. “This Made In Maui County Festival will be a celebration of the many wonderful products created here on Maui, Molokai and Lanai.”
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