The Merrie Monarch Arts and Craft Fair opens this week

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Amid the excitement surrounding the return of the live Merrie Monarch Festival is the joy of shoppers eager to check out the Merrie Monarch Arts and Craft Fair.

From designers like Wahine Toa to the fresh fashion of Kaulua’e or even the more traditional crafts of shell lei or papale, artisans of all types are getting ready for a come back.

Organizers of the The Merrie Monarch Arts and Craft Fair say the event typically sees 185 vendors, but it’s scaled back to roughly 150 vendors for social distancing.

“Some of them depend on the Merrie Monarch as a source of income so bringing it back was real important,” said Kegan Miura, Merrie Monarch Festival facilities coordinator.

Organizers say the US Postal Service will also be at the Merrie Monarch craft fair so if shoppers buy a lot of things they can pack it up and ship it home.

“Having that two years off has got people really wanting to have this,” Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roth added.

He said events like this benefit the local economy and also help keep arts and culture thriving on Hawaii island.

The Merrie Monarch Arts and Craft Fair runs from Wednesday through Saturday in the Afook Chinen Civic Auditorium and Butler Buildings. Admission is free.

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