This past weekend saw the annual Fairfield County Women’s Expo at the newly renovated Crowne Plaza hotel. Having been to quite a few of these events, I was excited to share this event with a friend and have a ‘girl’s day out’. The Women’s Expo is a fun time out with tons of exhibitors that are both local (as from here in Stamford) to outside our area. While mostly from the CT area, I have to say, today was the first time I saw a few from as far away as Lake George, NY.
As you walk through the maze of booths, you never what each one will be showcasing. From jewelry to gutters to skin care and yummy samples, there is something for everyone…including any guys who tagged along! They offer lots of fun happenings to participate in at the Expo itself. This year’s offerings included: free yoga, pilates, Zumba and ‘stroller pump’ classes, makeovers, talks and book signings with some special guests, raffles, giveaways and more.
Welcome to the Expo!
As I’ve said earlier, I have been to a number of these and have seen them both packed and somewhat busy, but with room to explore. This time around, the Expo is competing with some spectacular weather that Stamford has been lacking on weekends. So when we arrived, shortly after the doors opened, it was still waiting to get into the groove of the day. Have to admit, I liked it like this. We really got to meet some wonderful vendors and they had the opportunity to take their time with us as we asked a ton of questions and tried samples of everything from gluten-free vegan chocolate to some wonderful skin care items that I’ve already searched online for!
With Mother’s Day coming up soon, the folks that put this event together each year have the timing set up perfectly. You can do some serious shopping at this place! Get mom a bottle of her favorite perfume, cozy slipper socks to veg out in, buy a lovely handcrafted scarf or hell, get an estimate on new windows for her house! (I am not joking about that last one.)
One of the many jewelry vendor’s displays.
If you’re into a healthy lifestyle or even looking for inspiration to get you jump-started to a better way of eating or exercising…you’ll definitely get it here. Free health screenings, juice and healthy treat samples and even lifestyle coaches are waiting for you! I’ll admit, I tried a few of the snacks and while the aforementioned special chocolate didn’t do it for me (but that’s because I’m not a dark chocolate person, sorry), the special juices I tried were fantastic! Honestly, you just never know what you are going to find at this thing.
Himalayan Salt Lamps
Whether you go on Sunday or are already looking forward to the 2017 Fairfield County Women’s Expo, here are my (personal) suggestions:
- Take a friend or two. It’s great to have someone to tag along with so you can cover more ground, fill out more raffle entries (hey, you never know right?) and bounce help you decide if that scarf you just picked out looks better on you or should be given as a gift.
- If you are like me and have trouble with large crowds, go early. Not only will it not be as crowded but you’ll also have the full attention of the vendors. You’ll be able to take your time at each table you hit instead of feeling rushed by others waiting their turn.
- If you bring small children, definitely bring a friend with you. This is what we did. We spent a good amount of time at some of the tables and if you are the only adult with a little one, they are going to get bored quickly. They don’t want to hear about investments or what botanicals are good for helping your sleep pattern! So if you have another adult with you, they can keep the tiny person occupied and happy. Then at the next table, switch roles! Everyone wins!! (and if you’re lucky, you’ll stop at one of the tables with the free lollipops)
- If you’re looking to take one of the free classes, remember to bring your gear. Don’t get caught wanting to take an exercise class and not having proper attire and footwear. BE SAFE!
- It’s held right on Summer St. so why not plan about 2hrs at the Expo (to start) and then head to a great restaurant for lunch or an early dinner?! OR, go have a nice brunch with the girls and then hit the Expo after? Either way, you’ll have a fun day!!
- While the opportunity to shop is certainly there, you can get away without spending a dime other than the entry fee. Oh and the parking is free for the weekend as well!
All in all, this is a fun time. We walked out with our free gift bags filled with free goodies, catalogs and lots of business cards so we can look up some places to shop online. I do that a lot. This way I can take my time browsing the websites and still support some great small businesses as well!!
One more thing…there are wonderful non-profit organizations represented here as well. From animal care to Stamford-based soup kitchen New Covenant House, there are groups who could use your help and you can learn more about them and ways you can help at the Expo!
The Fairfield County Women’s Expo runs one more day, Sunday April 17th from 11-5 and for all the info on exhibitors, guest speakers, ticket discounts and classes for the day: http://fcwomenshow.com/
Keep it Local Stamford!!
Time to shop and explore!!
#wotm #keepitlocal #wotmnation #womensexpo #fairfieldcounty #girlsdayout #supportlocalbusinesses #supportsmallbusinesses #stamfordct #crowneplazahotel #summerstreet
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