Food trucks will have more places to operate in Kailua-Kona through two pilot programs

Food truck operations are changing in Kailua-Kona, with Food Truck Friday relocating, and the launching of a pilot program that allows vendors to set up on the ocean side of Ane Keohokālole Highway.

Food Truck Friday, with about 20 regular vendors, will now operate at the south runway of Old Kona Airport Park. It is a 90-day pilot program on the Hawaiʻi County-owned property, and will run every other Friday beginning July 18.

It had been operating at the Target Kona parking lot for the past two years. But due to “unsupervised teenagers who we were told were destroying property inside Target,” the corporate business discontinued the event, Food Truck Friday organizer Catie Anderson said.

Anderson, who also owns Sugar’s Hawaiʻi, said Food Truck Friday was “privileged” to have been located at Target, with the company providing “a space for our vendors to grow their businesses and foster a community together.”

But after losing that site, Anderson needed a new space and called Hawaiʻi County Mayor Kimo Alameda to ask about possible options on the west side for the vendors who rely on Food Truck Friday for a major part of their business and community engagement.

Some regular vendors include, Big Island Provisions, Califas Mexican Food, FOB’s Polynesian Cuisine, Hāmākua Creations, Jillann’s Caribbean Fusion, Lock Jaw Lemon Peel, Oyatsu-Sushi and Piroshky.

“At least 20 families rely on this event as part of their livelihood,” Anderson said. “It has become a staple in our community. I wanted to make sure I did everything I could to find a safe location for all the regular participating vendors.”

In response, Alameda contacted the Department of Parks and Recreation to explore possible solutions.

“We stepped in to offer a temporary solution,” Alameda said. “We recognize that for many of these vendors, this is their primary source of income, and we are committed to finding viable alternatives to support this community event.”

Parks and Recreation developed the temporary plan for Food Truck Fridays to operate at Old Kona Airport and also will assist the vendors in identifying a long-term venue once the pilot program concludes.

Food Truck Fridays will run from 4 to 8 p.m. every other Friday, from July 18 through Sept. 26.

A list of vendors and the dates can be found on the Food Truck Friday instagram page.

Opportunities for food trucks to operate on the west side expanded when the County Council in October 2024 passed Bill 184, which enables vendors and small businesses to conduct temporary commercial activities – such as selling goods or providing services – at designated locations along county streets for up to one year.

In March, the Council designated the ocean side of Ane Keohokālole Highway in Kailua-Kona between the West Hawaiʻi Civic Center and the Allied Quarry access road as the first area under this permitting framework. Commercial vendors now can apply for special activity permits to operate in this location.

Once a permit is approved, the vendor can begin operating from this location.

“This is a pilot program looking into economic development while also balancing safety for residents and visitors to these sites,” County Council Chair Holeka Inaba said. “Any folks who are set up along any road in the county are doing so illegally, so having a dedicated area for this kind of activity will help police who are stretched thin.”

The Department of Public Works will post clear signage and ensure that vendors are parked away from the highway and bike path.

According to Inaba, vendors will be responsible for cleaning their trash each day, and if there are safety or environmental concerns, the Department of Planning can revoke permits at any time. There also will be daily operating hours, which have not been set yet.

To engage in roadside commercial activities at this location, vendors must receive the special activity permit and follow its requirements. Applicants must provide:

• Details of the proposed commercial activity;
• Proof of a valid business license or permit required for conducting commercial activities in the state of Hawaiʻi;
• A plan for managing waste generated by the commercial activity;
• A certificate of insurance;
• Agreement to hold the county harmless from any claims resulting from the permitted activity.

The Special Activity Permit Application is available on the Department of Public Works Engineering Division’s website. Bill 184 can be found on the County Council website.