29-03-2025
FoodieCon to fill Blaisdell Exhibition Hall this weekend
HONOLULU (KHON2) — This weekend, it's all about food. So if you're hungry, don't cook anything.
Put the pots and pans away and come down to the Neal Blaisdell Exhibition Hall where there will be hundreds of vendors providing delicious dishes and products.
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The 2025 FoodieCon and Spring Expo is taking place this weekend, with Jade Chun of Pacific Expos saying that their fourth installment of the expo will have affordable, delicious options and entertainment for patrons.
'This weekend, what is special about the FoodieCon is there are hot vendors who will be providing us a $7 menu so you have to check out all the vendors. They are going to have little placards on their tent that is going to have $7 menu along with their regular menus, so lots of food,' Chun said. 'We are probably going over, a little over 200 vendors. Lots going on aside from the $7 food plates. We got the labubu contest… People can do a labubu food inspired dish or art piece and they have a chance to win a labubu and toys from Toys & Things Hawaii. So, just not eating. Entertainment, eat more and shop.'
But the expo is more than just a place to get a quick, yummy bite. It provides small businesses with a platform to grow and find more success in their ventures.'Just give them a little platform and we've seen a lot of success with businesses come out just from doing our little shows or gift shows outside and now they have restaurants or they have stores,' Chun said. 'You know, just giving them opportunity and opportunity for some side hustle but its just here in Hawaii, we just need a little bit more so we are happy to be a part of their journey and adventure with new businesses.'
Dallas Carter, owner of Balsamic Hawaii, one of the 200 vendors that will be featured at this weekend's fabulous food feast, says that expos like this one aid his growth.
'People get to know who we are and hopefully they want to reorder the products. I have been doing this for 18 years now. We got a pretty good following with our balsamic and I also surround myself with a whole bunch of local products,' Carter said. 'Rubs and salts and really good honey, and we bring in truffle oil from England and we try to have a little niche that maybe not everybody has. You are not going to see everybody with balsamic but we have been doing this for quite a while.'
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While Carter doesn't have a brick-and-mortar business, he typically sells out of Aloha Stadium's market, making big expos like FoodieCon an even bigger deal for small business owners.
'That enables small businesses to be kind of a travelling show and not be totally subjected to all the rents and electricity and all the common maintenance and all the stuffs in the store. Not only that but being there constantly, three days a week there and whatever shows, fairs, stuff like that which we can pick up,' Carter said.
The 2025 FoodieCon and Spring Expo here at the Neal Blaisdell Exhibition Hall this weekend from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Over 200 different vendors with over half of that being food, so come hungry. For more information, click here.
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