With the unusually bizarre weather Kaua‘i experienced in May, a significant promotion went mostly unnoticed due to bigger issues at that time. I wanted to acknowledge the effort and success of Kauai’s participation in The Philadelphia International Flower Show: “Hawaii
With the unusually bizarre weather Kaua‘i experienced in May, a significant promotion went mostly unnoticed due to bigger issues at that time.
I wanted to acknowledge the effort and success of Kauai’s participation in The Philadelphia International Flower Show: “Hawaii — Islands of Aloha” held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in March
The largest indoor flower show in the U.S., The Philadelphia International Flower Show chooses a specific theme each year that runs throughout the entire seven-day event.
With the 2012 show focused on the Hawaiian Islands, each major island worked hard to showcase their strengths from an agricultural side, as well as a tourism side. It was the perfect match of agri-tourism and the forging of new partnerships for Kaua‘i.
The Hawai‘i-themed show proved to be a big hit when PIFS recorded its best attendance in at least a dozen years, with 270,000 people this year, up from 265,000 last year and 247,000 in CY 2010.
This show gave people a sense of Hawai‘i that had them dreaming of a visit to the Hawaiian islands.
A large stage called Pele’s Garden featured hula performances and included a Kaua‘i-inspired indoor 30-foot waterfall, as well as a “wave” of ocean images and white orchids.
The display of tropical floral designs was amazing, and the vast size of the show was almost overwhelming.
There were floral design seminars, floral product presentations and hundreds of booths with products to buy, from floral artwork, floral jewelry, garden accents to actual plants, bulbs, cuttings, etc.
There were awards for special designs, including a “People’s Choice” award with a honu (turtle) theme. Of special note was the award for “Best Achievement for Displaying an Authentic Tropical Landscape” by a coalition of Hawai‘i floriculture and nursery groups and designed by Kaua‘i’s own Neill Sams of Orchid Alley in Kapa‘a.
With support from the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority and the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau, the Hawaii Tropical Flower & Foliage Association from each island was put front and center for the week-long activities.
HTFFA-Kaua‘i Chapter was the lead for our Kaua‘i planning efforts, along with support from the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Orchid Alley, Kaua‘i Grown/Kaua‘i Made, Salty Wahine, Alley Kat and the Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau.
Special thanks go to the County of Kaua‘i for their funding and the Garden Island Resource, Conservation & Development organization for their administrative support.
• Sue Kanoho is the executive director of the Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau. She can be reached at 808-245-3971 and kauai@hvcb.org.
