Festival attendees consistently rate and comment on the foods offered and the length of the food lines each year through our surveys.

They are a demanding bunch, and they know what they like: "it's the ono grinds!"

The Food Vendor Committee looks for a variety of foods that fit the theme of "local" foods (read: home cookin' from Hawaii and the South Pacific.) While many vendors want to just do teriyaki chicken, the Committee looks beyond that one menu item for other menu favorites.

The Committe also looks at the potential vendor's capacity to serve a LOT of people. Our attendees complain about long lines that move slowly and we listen. Experience with high volume special event food service is a definite plus.

Festival attendees are also vocal about our merchandise selection and quality. They want both island style and island lifestyle products. They are looking for everything from fine art to fine craftmanship. They are not excited about having too many imported goods that are not authentic and there are only so many teeshirts before they all begin to look alike.

The Merchandise Vendor Committee looks for a variety of products that not only will appeal to transplanted islanders but also appeal to a wide audience that loves colorful and tropical products of good quality.

New vendor applications are posted onto the website on October 1st each year. Applications are downloadable using the free Adobe Acobat software (a link is provided.) Vendors from the last year's Festival will have a packet mailed to them a few weeks earlier.

Tip: Keep your contact information current!

As applications arrive, they are stamped with the date of postmark and vendor fee payments are deposited. As payments clear the bank, they are batched to go to the selection committee. Vendors with payments that don't clear are notified and the new postmark date (when the payment was sent) is noted.

The first review postmark date (usually mid-November) is indicated on the application and is the first batch of applications to go to committee for the jurying process.

"Jurying" means the selection committee will go through the applications in date order while insuring there is a wide variety of products and as few duplications as possible. You may get your application in early but still have a number of vendors with same or similar product ahead of you. Mailing your application early helps a great deal.

New vendors should always send lots of pictures and descriptions so we have enough information to make a decision on your products. Links to your website also help - just remember to tell us which products you wish to bring.

Once the selection committee reviews all of the first batch of applications postmarked by the deadline for 'first review', vendors are notified of acceptance and of the deadline for cancellation without fee refunds. These notices usually are mailed out the first weekend in December. Tip: Keep your contact information current!

Vendor applications not accepted in the first review are mailed a notification and the process to follow to be put onto the wait-list. Wait-listed applications are reviewed if someone has to cancel.

Our available booth space is usually filled with applications postmarked by the deadline for first review (usually mid-November.) Applications are still taken after this first postmark deadline in order to round out the merchandise selection.

Applications postmarked after the deadline date for first review are batched for the second round of review.

Once all vendor space is full, the Festival will still take applications for our wait-list. Wait-listed applications will be considered when there are cancellations.

If the vendor is not interested in going onto the wait-list, the entire application and fee payment is immediately returned.

If the vendor IS interested in going onto the wait-list, the application is kept until an opportunity arises. The Festival will immediately try to contact the vendor with the offer of space by phone and email (if provided.) If there is a rapid response needed, we will let you know how long you have to make the decision. (Varies on how close the event is...)

Once the vendor accepts the offer, the fee payment is deposited. Once cleared, the vendor gets the official notification of acceptance and any other information sent to vendors to date.

Tip: Keep your contact information current!

Festival cancellation deadlines are hard deadlines. That is because we must make hard deadline contracts with print, sound, tent rental and other companies and many times make payment in advance ourselves.

Cancellations MUST be made in writing to the Festival Board of Directors. Please notify us that you aren't coming, even if it's last minute and just days before the event. Explain your reasons for the cancellation and we will try to work with you as much as possible.

No-Shows are automatically put onto a 'watch' list and any future applications will be so marked but not automatically banned from consideration. But a second no-show will result in automatic disqualification. Two no-shows demonstrate complete disrespect for the Festival and all the volunteers, performers, and other vendors that work so hard to create a fun, family oriented, and quality event.