Copyright forbes
Holomua will be held at the Grand Wailea Resort in Wailea, Maui. This November, many of Maui’s industry leaders, including chefs, cultural ambassadors, and local purveyors, will gather at the Grand Wailea Resort for Holomua 2025, a business festival and marketplace culminating with the Ko‘i Awards Gala, a celebration known as the “Met Gala of Maui.” Taking pace on November 14th, Holomua will explore the island’s future through innovation, sustainability, and community partnerships and conclude with a celebration of Maui’s creative and cultural spirit. While the event is designed for local Maui innovators, it can also be useful for travelers looking to support the real Maui—that is, the people, places, venues, and values guiding its path forward. Hosted by the Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce, the event will highlight the island’s most inspiring chefs, cultural practitioners, and entrepreneurs—aka, those who run the restaurants, farms, design studios, hotels, and guided experiences found around the island. For visitors, Holomua can be an introduction to these people and places. “Holomua highlights the incredible breadth of Maui’s creative and cultural economy, from engineers building rockets to farmers, chefs, and cultural practitioners,” says Kainoa Horcajo, President of the Chamber. “This festival brings everyone together in one space, showing what’s possible when we celebrate local innovation and talent." A Day of Ideas and Inspiration on Maui Holomua 2025’s goal is to be more than just another conference or gala. Rather, a movement that redefines what it means to do business in Hawai‘i. Here, success isn’t measured by growth alone, but by the way your business improves or supports the local community. The festival invites visitors to be part of that vision, either in person or after the fact. For example, the Ko‘i Awards honors individuals who have dedicated their lives to strengthening Maui’s sense of place through culture, agriculture, education, and community building. Many having brick-and-mortar businesses or experiences to show for it, which visitors can patron. The Holomua Business Fest will feature an array of Maui's entrepreneurs and local businesses that visitors can target on their next visit. This year’s honorees include Clifford Nae‘ole, cultural advisor at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, whose work has redefined how luxury hospitality engages with Hawaiian heritage; Bobby Pahia, founder of Hoaloha Farms, whose taro fields are reviving food sovereignty on the island; Actor and playwright Moses Goods, known for his role in Chief of War—the first mainstream program to highlight Hawaiian history prior to western contact—will deliver the festival’s keynote. “From the very beginning, the Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce has asked how we can support our Native Hawaiian community but also how we can share Hawaiian values with everyone,” said Horcajo. “Holomua embodies that mission, creating connections and showcasing that Hawaiian values strengthen every business, no matter who you are.” Connecting Visitors to Maui’s Makers Holomua 2025 offers curious travelers an introduction to the island’s movers and shakers. Even if you can’t attend, investigating the attendees can go a long way in helping you select future experiences on Maui. For example, visitors can learn about Tin Roof in Kahului, where Top Chef alum Sheldon Simeon serves elevated local comfort food rooted in plantation traditions; Papa‘aina, where Lee Anne Wong has reimagined the historic Pioneer Inn as a community gathering space, a symbol of rebirth in Lahaina; Isaac Bancaco’s Pacific’o on the Beach in Lahaina remains temporarily closed but is known as one of the only restaurants with its own farm; Mike Lofaro, formerly of the Grand Wailea, now represents the culinary endeavors at the Fairmont Kea Lani and his passion for wild foraging in the show SEARCH Hawai’i: Where Food Meets Culture. Visitors can dine at these, and other, restaurants led by Ko‘i Gala chefs, as well as shop locally at small boutiques and online marketplaces from the artisans at the Maui Mākeke. Those seeking deeper connection to Maui and its culture can attend an Aloha by Nature experience at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, shaped by Nae‘ole’s cultural guidance. Or, visit Hoaloha Farms to learn firsthand how taro farming sustains both food systems and identity. Attendees and observers of the event can learn the who, what, where, and why behind new and long-standing initiatives in travel and tourism. “Visitors often ask how they can give back to Maui,” Horcajo says. “The answer is simple—engage with our people. Dine with us, shop from us, learn from us. That’s how we move forward, together.” Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions
