The Fair Trade Festival stands for a relationship of equality and mutual respect between producers and consumers. This respect extends into the Festival's relationship with performing artists. The festival seeks to honor all performers with recognition of the work and time spent practicing, creating and developing their art. While artists may not receive the highest rate for their performance at the Festival, they will receive some compensation which is mutually agreed upon, and is paid promptly and respectfully immediately after the performance.

The Fair Trade Festival is transforming the Hampton Roads area by increasing consumer demand for Fair Trade and responsibly produced products. Since the Festival's inception 17 years ago, availability of fair trade products has grown from one retailer to more than 40 around the Hampton Roads area. Consumers who would have had to order fairly produced coffee, tea, or chocolate, can now buy it in a store or restaurant in their neighborhood, thus supporting the local economy as well. Other products such as fruit and clothing are following suit. The increased availability of fairly produced products, like the presence of farm markets, increases the attractiveness of the area to thoughtful and responsible consumers.

The Fair Trade Festival seeks to connect consumers with responsible businesses in order to support a rapidly evolving economic system that is creating justice not through government regulation, but through consumer education.