| Please NOTE!
Applications that are received and paid as of 5 pm November 1st will be pulled and sent to each Vendor Team for review. All others received after that will be placed on a Waiting List (see below) for any openings still available or future cancellations.
The Vendor Application links send you to an online, fillable Application Form. Payment is due when you apply: An invoice is EMAILED to you -You can choose to pay by Credit Card or ACH. The invoice is due upon receipt!!
This is explained in the Regulations, so be sure to read them FIRST. Important!! if you are a returnee...there are some changes from last year.
Communication: We only use EMAIL
We communicate with you via EMAIL. Please give us an email that is checked regularly: This is how we alert you to updates, potential changes, when it's time to make a reservation for Load In, and all those other important issues. Put our address in your CONTACT LIST or it might go to spam...
Keeping your email address updated is important. We need a valid phone number to contact you if a time-sensitive response is needed. As we are all volunteers, we will sometimes only be available after work hours or on weekends, so please email us or call the office if your need is urgent.
Food Vendors: Tips for selection
The Food Vendor Committee looks for foods that fit the theme of "local" foods (read: home cookin' from Hawaii and the South Pacific.) We have a lot of offers for teriyaki chicken, and the Committee looks for other favorites from many islands. Hint: It's better to have a focused menu so you can serve quickly - this moves your line faster.
*** All foods chosen represent the Festival's theme of Hawaiian and South Pacific foods. 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!"
Merchandise Vendors: Tips for selection
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.
Applications: payment dates, review dates, and the vendor selection process explained
New vendor applications are posted onto the website each year, usually by the end of September. Applications are completed online. A pdf of our Regulations can be downloaded for this year's reference.
Tip: Keep your contact information current and check your email frequently!
As applications arrive, we record them with the arrival date and credit card or ACH payment date. Vendors with payments that don't clear are notified and the new postmark date (when the payment was made is noted.)
The first review postmark date (usually November 1) is listed on the application. All applications received and paid by 5pm November 1 are sent to the committees for the selection process. Applications dated after November 1 will be reviewed but after the first group is reviewed.
"Jurying" means our selection committees will go through the applications in date order to make selections for quality and relation to our organizational purpose.
We want a wide variety of products and as few duplications as possible. You may have an entry date on your application by the November 1 deadline but a number of vendors with same or similar product could be ahead of you with earlier entry dates.
Applicants (especially new ones) should always send pictures (up to 10) with descriptions so we have enough information to make a decision on your products. A picture of your booth is helpful. Links to your website are also good - just remember to tell us which products you wish to bring.
The Wait List
Vendor applications not accepted in the first review are contacted and asked if they would like to be put onto the wait-list. Wait-listed applications are reviewed when someone has to cancel or if we can add vendor spaces. Usually this happens about the end of December but can be anytime up until the week of the event!
If the vendor applicant is not interested in going onto the wait-list, the fee payment is returned.
If the vendor applicant IS interested in going onto the wait-list, the application and fee is kept until an opportunity arises.
If an opening does come up, the Festival will immediately try to contact the vendor by phone and email with the offer of space. An immediate response is needed, we will let you know how long you have to make the decision.
Once the wait-listed vendor accepts the offer, the fee payment is due. Once payment is made, the vendor receives the official notification of acceptance and any other information needed for succesful participation.
Cancellations and No-shows
Festival cancellation deadlines are hard deadlines. We ourselves have to make hard deadline contracts with print, sound, tent rental and other companies and must make deposits and payments in advance ourselves.
Cancellations MUST be made in writing to the Festival Board of Directors to be valid. Your Vendor Chair can help you with the process. 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 for future events. 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. |
