Hawaiian Airlines and Made in Hawaiʻi Festival: More than 30 years of supporting local businesses
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Summary
Hawaiian is celebrating more than 30 years of partnership with the Made in Hawaiʻi Festival, supporting local artisans, entrepreneurs and small businesses across the Islands.
More than 80 employee volunteers welcomed guests and highlighted the work of local creators, artists and chefs.
Nearly 80,000 pounds of cargo were moved across the Islands through Hawaiian Air Cargo, helping vendors bring their products to market.
Behind more than 800 vendor booths at Honolulu’s annual Made in Hawaiʻi Festival were local artisans, makers and entrepreneurs sharing their products and stories with the community.
Hawaiian Airlines has been part of the festival since its first event in 1995 and returned as presenting sponsor for this year’s four-day celebration, held Aug. 20-23. The carrier has served as an official airline sponsor since 2018.
The Made in Hawaiʻi Festival is special because it gives local entrepreneurs a place to share what they create and grow their businesses. Hawaiian has supported the festival from the beginning because these businesses strengthen our communities and carry forward Hawaiʻi’s culture and traditions. Helping them reach customers here and beyond our islands is part of how we serve Hawaiʻi.”
Showcasing Hawaiʻi brands and talent
More than 80 Hawaiian Airlines employee volunteers welcomed festivalgoers to its Island Style Mākeke, a space inspired by the familiar character of Hawaiʻi’s farm stands and community markets. Hawaiian shared the space with NOHO Home and Mana Up, highlighting products created through local partnerships. NOHO Home introduced exclusive colorways from its co-branded Leihōkū Collection, while Mana Up featured Hawaiian Airlines collaborations created with Nick Kuchar, Paper Crane Soaps, Lex Breezy, Lahaʻole, Lola Pilar and AVVA.
This year’s festival also opened with its first VIP Access Night, presented by Huakaʻi by Hawaiian, the carrier’s free travel benefits program exclusively for kamaʻāina (Hawaiʻi residents). Huakaʻi members received early access to tickets and special offers for the festival. All 7,000 VIP attendees received an exclusive cooler tote, featuring artwork by local artist Lola Pilar upon entering,
Hawaiian Airline’s commitment to culinary talent shined with live chef demonstrations inspired by its inflight menus. On Saturday, Chef Dell Valdez, who has helped shape Hawaiian’s international menus, prepared ʻulu spezzatino with Kahuku corn polenta. On Sunday, Hawaiian Airlines Chef Sheldon Simeon, who created the carrier’s recent pre-order offerings for its Main Cabin guests, demonstrated his fried garlic noodles and signed copies of his newest cookbook, “Ohana Style: Food from Hawai‘i, for Your Family,” for festivalgoers.
Supporting local businesses beyond the festival
Supporting Hawaiʻi’s makers also means helping them get their products where they need to go. For the festival, Hawaiian offered participating vendors reduced Hawaiian Air Cargo shipping rates to help transport nearly 80,000 pounds of cargo across Maui, Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi Island for the four-day event.
The combined carrier is also preparing to expand its cargo operations. Alaska Airlines, Inc. recently announced plans to add four freighters to its dedicated cargo fleet, effectively doubling its freighter capacity. The aircraft are expected to enter service during the first half of 2027 and will serve Alaska and Hawaiʻi, with plans for Hawaiʻi-based aircraft to carry the Hawaiian Air Cargo livery.
For Hawaiʻi businesses, the added capacity will provide greater reliability when moving goods and create more opportunities to reach customers through the combined airline’s broader network.
For Hawaiian, supporting Made in Hawaiʻi means celebrating the people behind the products and helping their businesses reach customers during the festival and throughout the year.
