Wine Women Wow! coming to Kent

The pieces are coming together for Kent’s celebration of all that is about women.

Now in its fifth year, the “Wine Women Wow!” bash will take place 6-10 p.m. May 7 at the Kent ShoWare Center.

Sponsored by the Kent Downtown Partnership, this year’s event features more than 70 vendors and lots of opportunities to enjoy gourmet food, wine, merchandise and just good old socializing.

“The focus is of course women and it’s about empowering women,” said Barb Smith, executive director of the KDP, of the event that serves as one of KDP’s two major fundraisers for the year.

“It’s more than jewelry, clothes and purses,” she said, while noting those items are highly popular at the event. “It’s about things that women can do for themselves. Some of that is pampering, and some of it is learning about opportunities.”

To that end, participants will get to see everything from high-end accessories to learning about finances and medical topics and even about spa services.

Libby Seidel, chair of the event, said this year it nearly sold itself to area vendors.

“We have businesses all the way from Enumclaw and Black Diamond that want to come in, and business from Bellevue,” she said. “For the first time I had to say, ‘Sorry, we’re sold out.'”

Seidel said there are all kinds of interesting products and artwork people can see this year.

“I’m excited about the different types of vendors,” she said, noting they’ve got wine glass-painters, Miche purse salespeople, and of course, good wine coming from a vineyard owned by women.

Kathy Charlton, owner of Olympic Cellars Winery, is in charge of the vino, coming up for the evening from Port Angeles to share her vintages with participants. Seidel gave Olympic Cellars high marks also because of its track record for supporting charities.

“They give away a lot of their profits to charities,” Seidel said.

Tickets are $26 in advance, or $35 at the door. They are good for admission as well as a wine glass, two wine or cider tickets and, for the first 500 women through the doors, a goodie bag.

Tickets are available at the following Kent merchants: Cheryl’s Unique Boutique, 406 W. Meeker St.; Earthworks Gem Design Studio 235 First Ave. S.; and two Kent Station businesses: Marie Haggin Designs, Suite 103, and Renaissance Yarns, Suite 115.

Tickets also are available online at ShoWareCenter.com. At that site buyers can use their credit card and print the tickets at home. The online cost per ticket will be $25.00 each, plus services fees of $3.00 per ticket and $3.75 per order. There is an additional charge per order for choosing to have the tickets mailed, or to be picked up at will call.

For more information, contact the Kent Downtown Partnership at 253-813-6976. For vendor and sponsor applications, event chair Libby Seidel at dnlseidel@msn.com.