WAILUKU — Hana resident Myrna Costello said if people wait until the senior fair finishes, they may score some free avocados.

“Don’t leave because we will be giving away at the end,” said Costello, who was selling good-size Hanalani Senior Club avocados for $1 or $2 each.

Participants at the popular Maui County Senior Fair on Saturday said freebies, resources, food and entertainment draw them to the annual Wailuku event.

“They have good food here,” said Priscilla Bratland of Kula. “There’s all kinds of great resources. And it’s like a reunion.”

This year’s 46th fair Saturday from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. at War Memorial Gym held about 1,200 people and nearly 100 booths of vendors, health care providers and politicians. Entertainment by Malanai, Enhance Fitness, Dance International, Country Line Dancing and featured artists Pa’ani was also offered.

Maui Humane Society education and outreach coordinator Terry Olive, a former veterinarian, said the event was packed with people. His booth offered free prizes for spinning a wheel and sold $10 calendars as a fundraiser.

“Oh my Lord, I had a line of 15 people who wanted to spin the wheel earlier today,” Olive said. “It was busy.”

Sponsored by the Office on Aging, a division of the county’s Department of Housing & Human Concerns, and produced by Maui Economic Opportunity, the festival provides a one-stop shop for senior resources.

“They like the food; they like that they can get the quick health screens, we have several of those . . . they can find almost every resource you can think of for seniors . . . under one roof,” said organizer Deborah Stone-Walls, executive with the county’s Office of Aging. “And of course people come for the goodies. Always the free goodies, everyone’s eager to see.”

As Stone-Walls spoke, a senior found a county fan freebie nearby and said that with the Lahaina heat, “This fan is an answer to prayer!”

Mercy Cabatingan and Regina Aganos both said they appreciated the resources for seniors, especially booths on medical and housing.

“Now that I’m going to take care of my brother, I need information,” Cabatingan said.

Aganos agreed.

“I’m looking at information, yeah, because as we age, we are going to private medical, so we have to start studying all the information that’s out there,” she said.

Stone-Walls said the fair has seen growth over its 46 years. Initially, the festival was much smaller and it was held at different venues. More recently, War Memorial Gym, which was chosen for its shelter from weather, has become the fair’s recognizable site.

The organizer added that the senior fair relies on budgeting support from the administration and the council. Also, partnering with MEO over the years has been “a really nice collaboration,” she said.

“In the end, we really work closely together to make sure seniors and family caregivers have a great day and an opportunity to enjoy, come in and learn, and get all the freebies,” Stone-Walls said.

The Office on Aging will hold the 18th annual Maui Family Caregivers Conference from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Nov. 22 at Grand Wailea Ballroom. Registration should be submitted by Nov. 15. For information, call the office at 270-7755.

* Kehaulani Cerizo can be reached at kcerizo@mauinews.com.