Shoppers, get ready for Season’s Best fairs

You’ve seen their signs around town, or maybe a friend has slipped you a flier with a smile: It’s time for the Season’s Best Craft & Gift Fairs.

"Once a shopper called me from Alaska to get the dates of our fair so she could arrange her vacation here just to make sure she could attend," said Linda Kawasaki, owner of Season’s Best Craft Fair, the company that runs the highly popular holiday craft fairs on Oahu.

"We had one vendor from the neighbor islands who designed artwork on clothing and once the doors opened the first day at the Blaisdell, her followers ran screaming to the table to see her goods. She was completely sold out that day and had nothing to sell the second day!"

The 57-year-old Ewa Beach woman started the company 21 years ago at the suggestion of a friend.

"I used to be a crafter myself," recounted Kawasaki, a former Food Pantry office clerk, "painting and personalizing POG milk caps at shows with a girlfriend in the ’90s. But the fad died down so we started to branch out to other crafts.

"Our first show at the Hawaiian Monarch Hotel (in Waikiki) wasn’t so good. But we’ve learned a lot since then and we’re growing really fast."

Season’s Best Craft & Gift Fairs have been at Aliiolani Elementary School in Kaimuki (now with 200 vendors) since 1991, at Aiea Elementary School for nine years (150 vendors), and at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall for five years (200 vendors). New this year is a fair at Jefferson Elementary School in Waikiki with 100 vendors.

The arrangement benefits the schools, which this year will receive a total of $4,000 from Season’s Best.

Kawasaki is assisted by her husband, Greg, 54 ("he handles parking, finances, setup"), and her daughters Kimi, 29 ("she’ll probably take over the business"), and Brandi, 21. On fair days, they’re at the schools from setup (5:30 a.m.) to cleanup (around 5 p.m.).

Although the fair attendees are mainly women of all ages, more and more vendors are targeting men, she said.

"We’ve had tents selling ‘dry’ car washes, pork rinds, beef jerky and, of course, men can always browse to buy jewelry for their girlfriends," Kawasaki said with a smile. "We also plan to bring in more and better food stalls so shoppers can eat and shop at the same time."

Word of mouth seems to be Kawasaki’s best friend, and she’s seen generations of vendors sign up to sell at her fairs, with grandkids taking over the family craft operations from their grandmas and grandpas.

"Some do it as a hobby, some do it to socialize, but some do it because they need to financially. And those last ones are so happy when they can just make some money," she said.

"I don’t discriminate against any vendors, and I let the customers judge what’s good. I’ve seen all sorts of products and nothing surprises me anymore. All the crafters are so talented and creative, and their products — from miniature clay sculptures to key chains — are so cute."

What’s the most unusual craft she’s seen?

"Probably those dried cornhusk back scratchers — I didn’t really know if that would sell, but the customers love it."

Kawasaki said she’s toyed with the idea of scheduling craft fairs for the spring, but usually ends up too worn out after the fall rush.

"That’s a rest period for me," she said. "The holidays is the time when the shoppers really come out and they love it. It’s insane. As soon as the fairs are over they are calling me for next year."