PUHI — The Kaua‘i Grown and Kaua‘i Made programs joined together Saturday to offer shoppers one final rush before Christmas at Kaua‘i Community College front lawn, combining vendors from both programs to showcase and sell items produced locally. “We were
PUHI — The Kaua‘i Grown and Kaua‘i Made programs joined together Saturday to offer shoppers one final rush before Christmas at Kaua‘i Community College front lawn, combining vendors from both programs to showcase and sell items produced locally.
“We were passing by and couldn’t resist,” said Chris Johnson and Esther Deacon, both of Scottsdale, Ariz. “We are into these types of markets, so we had to stop when we saw it from the road.”
The Arizona visitors’ first stop was at Moloa‘a Bay Coffee for a cup of special holiday blend to help ward off the blustery wind that buffeted rows of tents.
“It was really blowing,” said Kaua‘i Made artist Patrice Pendarvis of Kalihiwai, who also was on hand Sunday during the Women Artists on Kaua‘i Fine Arts Festival at the National Tropical Botanical Garden Southshore Visitor Center. “Just about the time it was closing, the rains came down.”
Elvrine Chow, a regular vendor with the Kaua‘i Community Market, said she didn’t have any haku lei available since she was busy directing the K.I.D.S. Independent Preschool Christmas play, Friday.
But she got some hemp blossoms from a friend and set out to create haku offerings for shoppers.
“People really want to know how to use items from their own yards,” said Chow, who will be leading a haku lei making class on Thursday at Kaua‘i Museum. “They also want to learn how to make ti leaf rosettes.”
Information on Elvrine’s class can be found by visiting www.kauaimuseum.org.
Melissa McFerrin of the Kaua‘i County Farm Bureau was busy setting up the vendors with Larry Feinstein but had time to provide Ron Wiley of the KQNG Radio Group with an interview on what was available.
Edwin Vea had his last hurrah before Christmas, Saturday, getting the help of Dr. Jamie Dela Cruz in selling hand-sewn bags and items created by Karin Panui.
“This is my last craft fair for the year,” said Panui, creator of the popular potato bag and manapua bag. “We started from before the Kaua‘i Handworks Fair and this is it for Christmas. If people want the items, they have to visit the gift shops who get the items from me.”
The combined efforts of both Kaua‘i Grown and Kaua‘i Made programs have already proven successful after hosting several events.
“I have out of town guests and one of their requests is for kulolo, so I’m waiting for the Hanalei Taro wagon to appear,” said Donna Fuji, a crafter and author of the “Ono Ono Grinds No. 3” cookbook, which appeared at craft fairs this year. “But, I’m done with the craft fairs for this year.”
Panui said business at craft fairs have been up and down, this year.
“There were some good ones, and there were some which were not as busy,” Panui said. “But overall, it’s been pretty good. I can’t complain because Edwin, he’s real popular with the ladies, has been doing a good job pushing everything from potato bags up.”
Amy Christmas, a Kaua‘i Made vendor specializing in creating baskets and other wares from dried materials, agreed, noting she arrived early to avoid the setup chaos that always accompanies big events.
“This is real good,” Chow said, catching her breath between snipping hemp blossoms. “The Kaua‘i Community Market will be open on Christmas Eve, but will be closed on New Year’s Eve. I’ll have some kadomatsu, or New Year’s decorations, for sale this weekend.”
The Kaua‘i Community Market runs from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday at the Kaua‘i Community College front parking lot.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
