Ladies, mark your calendars for a fun evening of wine tasting, shopping, pampering and guaranteed girltime! The Sixth Annual Wine, Women, WOW! is scheduled for Sat., Sept. 10 at the Kent Activity Center. This year’s WOW! begins with a one-hour VIP event from 5 to 6 pm, with the main event beginning at 6 pm and running until 9 pm. It will feature Washington wines, shopping from local merchants and pampering from some of your favorite area salons. And this year we’re giving the men what they asked for – a Man Cave.

The event is hosted by and benefits Kent Downtown Partnership, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to promoting and growing a vibrant downtown Kent.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit Wine, Women, WOW! online or contact KDP at 253-813-6976.

Wine, Women, WOW!
Sat., Sept. 10, 2011
Kent Activity Center, 600 E. Smith St., Kent, WA

VIP Event:  5 – 6 pm
Main Event:  6 – 9 pm

Join downtown merchants and performers to celebrate autumn with Kent’s first ever Autumnfest 2010. Set for Friday, September 24 (4 to 8 pm), visitors to downtown Kent will enjoy live music, performances by South Side Dance Force, wine and beer tastes, tasty snacks, a scarecrow decorating contest, kids’ activities and much more!

Stop by the KDP information booth at Kherson Park (corner of 2nd and Gowe) to get your event invitation, passport and map and to have your ID checked (wine and beer “tasters” must be 21 or older to participate). Place your vote for your favorite scarecrow and get your passport stamped to be eligible to win a $100 shopping spree in Kent’s Historic District.

Participants to date include:

Airways Brewery
Cheryl’s Unique Boutique
Creamery Art Gallery & Frame Shop
Earthworks Gem Design Studio
Edward Jones
Fig & Feather
Kent Downtown Partnership
Intimate Pilates
Lemon Drop Skincare & Massage
Management Accounting Specialists, Inc.
NW Electrology
Pat’s Bar & Grill
Perk-Up Place
Petrik Photography
Pottery-fic
Rainy Day Treasures
South Side Dance Force
Titusville Trading Company
Treasures
Vitality Chiropractic

Call KDP at 253-813-6976 or visit Cheryl Wright at Cheryl’s Unique Boutique, 406 W. Meeker St., for more information or to learn how YOU can participate!

[Volunteers needed to work the KDP booth and to pour "tastes" at participating merchants.]

Sponsors include Kent Downtown Partnership, Umpqua Bank, Cheryl’s Unique Boutique, Virtually Yourz and Lemon Drop Skincare & Massage.

Contributed by Melanie Mosshart

Sunshine!  Lots and lots of sunshine.  That alone will bring Kent residents out from hiding in their homes for fear of getting wet in the rain-drenched Kent Valley.  On Saturday, June 26^th however, not only were people fleeing from their homes to get outside, they actually enjoyed getting wet ~~ in the fountain downtown!

What curious event brought mommies, daddies, children and even dogs in droves to the Kent downtown area?  The captivating and exuberant Kent International Festival, that’s what.  It wasn’t the sunshine alone this time urging people to get out and go.  What a glorious day to partake in the second annual International Festival in conjunction with the Kent Farmers Market in downtown Kent.

Children splashed, vendors vended, cooks cooked, and dancers danced!  The Kent International Festival offered a variety of entertainment, food and an assortment of unique items with an international flair.

Kent’s Farmers Market started on a little plot of land near the Library with perhaps 8 booths, each housing the fruits of local growers and craftsmen. The Kent Farmers Market has grown substantially since its inception, and is a grand mixture of photography, crafts, colorful flowers, fresh garden vegetables and plants in addition to a diverse array of distinctive gifts for every taste.

Taste?  Did I mention taste?  The International Festival touted delicious food, whether your taste buds were craving hot dogs, Mexican, Indian, Thai or Teriyaki, food booths filled the air with the tempting aromas of your favorite cuisine, enticing wanderers to wander over for a plateful of delectable delights.

Delight?  Yes indeed, the dancing was decidedly delightful and the crowds enthusiastic with each and every entertaining event.  There were dancers representing Ireland, India and Chili to name a few, bringing broad smiles to the throng of onlookers.  In addition, the martial artists, drummers and various variety acts truly gave the event its international flavor.  And of course, our littlest dancer brought many a chuckle and applause as she twisted, dipped and tapped her toes with the music like the women on stage that she so enthusiastically emulated.

Representative Dave Upthegrove could be seen coaching the dancers and encouraging the crowd to support the efforts of Harpreet Gill, the chair woman of this successful event.  As a Kent resident, I took great pride in showing off Kent’s International Festival this weekend to a visitor from San Jose, who was duly impressed as well.  I was so pleased to have heard about the festivities through local vendors, because I hadn’t been aware of it before.  I have marked my calendar to watch for next year’s festival, and my suggestion is that you do the same; because if you are able to attend next year with me, I have no doubt that you too will be captivated by Kent’s tribute to a diverse culture and community.

Kent Downtown Partnership (KDP) hosts its next Downtown Breakfast Hour on Friday, June 4 at the ShoWare Center’s Club Lounge (625 W. James St., Kent).

Networking begins at 7:15 a.m., followed by Mayor Suzette Cooke’s thought for the day, an update from the City of Kent, a rundown on KDP’s upcoming events, safety & security committee information and community starz awards. In addition, Kirk Davis from GRCC’s Small Development Center and Mark Albertson (Albertson Law) will present “Out Compete, Get More Customers.”

For more info. or to RSVP, contact KDP at 253-813-6976 or via email.

This KDP event is being sponsored by:

Suzanne Cameron, Around the Clock, Inc.
Roland & Company, CPA PS
Judy Woods, Friend of Kent Downtown Partnership

Press release from Kent Downtown Partnership

Kent, Washington, April 24, 2010 – On the heels of last year’s success, Wine, Women, Wow returns to ShoWare Center on Friday, May 7. Now in its fifth year, the Kent Downtown Partnership (KDP) brings back this all-girl social event with vendors from all over the Puget Sound. Anticipating a larger crowd than last year, this popular community event gives women the chance to sip, sample and shop while benefiting the KDP and Washington Women’s Employment & Education (WWEE). This year’s theme is “From Kent With Love.”

With pampering and “girl time” as the primary focus, women can enjoy wine from Olympic Cellars Winery and food samples from local favorites including Salty’s and Golden Steer. Armed with complimentary goodie bags for the first 500 guests, wives, mothers and girlfriends will treat themselves as they shop and indulge in the wares of local vendors and businesses including Scentsy, Cutco Cutlery, The Icing Boutique, Cookie Lee Jewelry, Cheryl’s Unique Boutique, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Titusville Trading Company, Crazy Girl Limited, Lemon Drop Skincare & Massage and Earthworks Gem Design Studio.

“Wine, Women, Wow has been such a successful event; we are proud to return for our fifth year,” Libby Seidel, KDP volunteer and event chair said. “Bringing people from all over the Puget Sound not only helps raise money for KDP and WWEE, but it also brings in local business to Kent.”

Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit KDP and WWEE. Advance tickets are available now for $25 plus service fees at the ShoWare Center box office or for $26 total (cash only) at participating Kent merchants. Tickets are also available online at http://ShoWareCenter.com for $25 plus service fees. Tickets sold the night of the event are $35. Attendees must be 21 or older (ID required).

This year’s event is sponsored by Kent Downtown Partnership, ShoWare Center,  Kent Reporter, All Pro Building Maintenance, Heartbeat Yoga & Healing Arts, Olympic Cellars Winery, Dave & Libby Seidel, Virtually Yourz, Allied Waste, Judy Woods, Bath Fitters, BECU, Marti Reeder of John L. Scott, Curran Law Firm, Holland America/Catalyst Travel, MonaVie, Allcitybucks.com, Valley Bank, Valley Medical Center and Hanis, Irvine, and Prothero.

In addition to these sponsors, the award-winning Best Western in Kent (Plaza by the Green) is offering a free shuttle service from the hotel to ShoWare Center for guests who book rooms, as well as a $10 discount for overnight stays on Friday, May 7.To take advantage of this offer, call Best Western at 253-854-8767.

For more information about Wine, Women, Wow, contact Libby Seidel at 253-653-9695, 253-813-6976 or dnlseidel@msn.com, or visit the event’s website at http://www.winewomenwow.com.

*****

About Kent Downtown Partnership (KDP):  KDP is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that focuses on the support and promotion of downtown Kent, Washington. Wine, Women, Wow is one of several annual fundraisers. Learn more about KDP at http://kentdowntown.org.

About Washington Women’s Employment & Education (WWEE): For the past 27 years, WWEE has helped nearly 14,000 families in the Puget Sound benefit from self-sufficiency courses, computer classes, job-readiness skills, and more. Learn more about WWEE online at http://wwee.org.

Friday, May 7, 2010
6 to 10 pm
Wine, Women, Wow @ ShoWare Center

Don’t miss this fun event filled with wine, women and fun, all to benefit the Kent Downtown Partnership and WWEE. For details including ticket prices and locations, visit the WOW website or call KDP at 253-813-6976.

Each year the City of Kent, Kent School District, the Kent Downtown Partnership, and private sponsors work together to celebrate National Youth Art Month with Spring Into Art. Art from several Kent schools is displayed in various businesses in the Downtown area. Kent Downtown Partnership and local businesses support a night of activities coinciding with the City’s Art Walk and Reception.

Visit our website for complete details:

Spring Into Art 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
4 – 9 p.m.
Downtown Kent

The fifth annual Wine, Women, Wow is planned for Friday, May 7 (6-10 p.m.) at the ShoWare Center. Event chair Libby Seidel of the Kent Downtown Partnership is now accepting applications for:

• Vendors
• Restaurants
• Event sponsors

Please contact Libby at KDP for an application (253-813-6976). See you May 7!

This Interactive Scavenger Hunt beginning January 18 and ending March 15, 2010 is fun for your whole family. This 8-week promotion encourages you to shop locally, learn more about our local businesses, and educate you on the benefit of tax dollars to your community.

The Scavenger Hunt will use Facebook.com/FindItInKent and the Kent Reporter. Each Monday a riddle will be released on Facebook, and in the Kent Reporter the following Wednesday. Your job is to solve the riddle, visit the business described in the riddle, and pick up the Golden Ticket. Collect Golden Tickets for all 8 participating businesses and you can enter to win prizes. Drop off all 8 Golden Tickets along with your contact information at Kent Downtown Partnership, Kent Chamber, BECU, or Kent Station. This event is generously sponsored by BECU.

Watch online, http://facebook.com/finditinkent, for weekly clues on Monday and the Kent Reporter for clues on Wednesday!

Today’s clue:  No damsel in distress would ever be turned away from this castle.

Earlier this week the Kent Downtown Partnership and other downtown associations across the state issued press releases about the possible elimination of the Main Street program.

Despite the importance of the program to communities like Mount Vernon, Walla Walla and Kent, Governor Christine Gregoire has proposed eliminating the Main Street program from her 2010 budget. This loss of funding and state support could mean the dwindling of downtown associations statewide, further dampening local economies throughout the state.

For more information, visit the KDP blog for the full text of the press release and contact information for Barbara Smith, executive director for the Kent Downtown Partnership, an affiliate member of the Main Street program.

At yesterday’s KDP Breakfast Hour, hosted by Bittersweet and sponsored by CleanScapes and Hanis Irvine Prothero, the Kent Downtown Partnership named three community stars for their selfless support of the Kent community.

The recipients are:

John Hinds, General Manager of Kent Station

Sally Goodgion, Catalyst Travel

Rick Roland, Roland & Company CPA

Thanks to John, Sally and Rick for their hard work and commitment to making Kent the best it can be!

Last year I attended the Farmer’s Market in Kent once. It was a block long, across from the library. It was nice for a “small town” but it wasn’t anything special. Mind you, I moved here from Bellingham which had the best of all farmer’s markets, so my expectations were high.

I attended the Farmer’s Market this past Saturday while my parents were visiting, and it was much better than last year. There were two full blocks of vendors on both sides of the street, on 2nd between Smith and Meeker at Town Square Plaza, and there was so much to choose from:  fresh flowers, wonderful fruits and vegetables, baked goods, artistry, jewelry, home decor, hot food vendors, informational vendors (e.g., ACPA, KDP) and more. I was quite impressed.

We brought bags and bags home:  fresh flowers for the table, carrots, sweet corn, cheesy bread, cookies, a bird feeder and more!

If you’re in the neighborhood or in the mood for something fresh and different (and much of it organic), stop by the Kent Farmer’s Market – sponsored by Kent Lions Club -  on Saturdays from 9 am to 2 pm at Town Square Plaza through September 26. I know I’ll go back!

At the Kent Downtown Partnership’s annual Dinner and Silent Auction, the KDP announced this year’s winners in various categories for business leadership. Among this year’s winners:

Mayor Suzette Cooke, for her leadership in bringing the ShoWare Center to Kent

Frankie Keyes, for design for the facade renovation of three buildings on First Avenue South

Karl Beavers, owner of Children’s Bookshop (corner of Meeker and Second Ave. South), for design and storefront improvements

Steve and Donna St. Louis, owners of Earthworks Gem Design Studio, as Best Retailer

Mychal Boiser, Kona Kai Coffee Co., as Best Restaurant

John Hinds, Kent Station general manager, and Greg Haffner, partner at Curran Law Firm, President’s Awards

Sue Froyd (AAA Pest Control, Maggie’s on Meeker and Bittersweet Restaurant), Dee Moschel Business Volunteer of the Year

Congratulations to all of this year’s winners!

Source:  The Business Report

After 7 years at the helm of the Kent Downtown Partnership, Jacquie Alexander retired at the end of June to move to Yakima. Replacing Alexander is Barbara Smith who comes to the KDP from Grays Harbor County where she was the Director for the Grays Harbor County’s Tourism Department.

At this year’s annual KDP dinner and silent auction, Kona Kai Coffee Co. was named Best Restaurant in Kent! In addition, the fairly-new-but-well-loved coffee shop was nominated as Best Coffee Shop in Kent by readers of the Kent Reporter this spring.

Hats off to Mychal and Maryum who work so hard to make Kona Kai a family-friendly hangout, coffee house, wine bar and more! We love you guys!

CONGRATS!

Kona Kai Coffee Co. – 124 Fourth Ave. South, Kent, WA  98032
konakaicoffee AT yahoo DOT com

Hours:

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday:  6 am to 5:30 pm
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday:  6 am to 10 pm (or when hosting special events during the week)
Closed on Sundays

Blog:  www.konakaicoffee.net

For the last three years, I’ve been involved in the planning and hosting of Wine, Women, WOW, a nonprofit event benefiting the Kent Downtown Partnership and a local charity (YWCA’s Domestic Violence program for the last three years). This year, while I assisted with the marketing, I was not an “on site” volunteer the day of the event, compliments of Seattle traffic. Instead, I was finally able to enjoy the event for what it was – a night of fun, conversation, wine and laughter with some of my favorite local women and men, of course (I can’t forget Mychal, Steve, Greg, Roger or the others).

Event chair Libby Seidel did an amazing job of growing the event, coordinating the details, attracting new vendors and more! She undoubtedly spent hundreds of hours dotting her Is and crossing her Ts. It was well worth it! As always, the event was fun, but this year it was at the ShoWare Center which I really enjoyed. There was more space for new vendors which gave us a great variety of booths to shop at and visit. In fact, there were so many that I didn’t even see them all!

The event wasn’t perfect, but no event ever is. I waited in line for 45 minutes to get in, and had Libby not offered to get my first glass of wine for me, I would have waited for that too. I also didn’t get any of the food, but that’s OK. It looked yummy and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Some evening highlights included:

- Emcee Diana Albertson who is always beautiful, not to mention FUN!
- Mayor Suzette Cooke and her adorable mom
- Dena Brandt’s Cookie Lee jewelry demonstration
- Mary Kay Kissology – very fun! (I am “so you-nique.”)
- Yummy cupcakes and, of course, the wine in red, white and pink!
- Goodie bags featuring Wine, Women, Wow wine glasses – love ‘em, Lib!

It was a fun night out, and I hope KDP will continue to host this annual event. It is a great way to share some of the many things Kent has to offer with the region. Thanks, Libby, KDP and all of the volunteers who made the evening possible. Well done!

~ Dana

If you haven’t attended Wine, Women, Wow in the past, mark your calendar for this year’s event set for Friday, May 8, 2009 from 6 to 10 p.m. Now in its fourth year, this popular event will feature more than 50 vendors with women-friendly products and services. Enjoy some girl time, a little shopping, some pampering and a little vino!

The event is a nonprofit event which benefits the Kent Downtown Partnership (KDP) and the YWCA’s Domestic Violence Program.

Contact KDP at 253-813-6976 or visit Wine, Women, Wow online for details.

Wild Wheat Bakery, Cafe and Restaurant is hosting this month’s  networking event for Kent Downtown Partnership. Here are the details:

Thursday, March 19, 2009
5 to 7 p.m.
Wild Wheat – corner of 1st and Gowe – 202 First Avenue South, Kent, WA  98032

Meet your business neighbors, enjoy beverages and appetizers, compliments of Wild Wheat and owner Mark Handman.

Join us by RSVPing to KDP at 253-813-6976.

The popular, local nonprofit event Wine, Women, Wow is returning for its fourth year – this year at the ShoWare Center on Friday, May 8, 2009. This year’s event planners, Libby Seidel and Dena Whipple, are expanding on previous year’s successes by expanding the event and hosting it in the city’s newest venue. If you’re a woman over 21 who likes wine and who wants to help raise money for a good cause, visit Wine, Women, Wow online today!

Timed for Mother’s Day weekend, a ticket to WOW makes a great treat for your mom or someone else’s. Call KDP at 23-813-6976 for more info.!

Check out this Girlfriends Unlimited Event at St. Stephens in Renton, WA. This fall’s event features a Paradise Cruise theme and is similar to KDP’s nonprofit Wine, Women, Wow event.

The deadline for advance tickets is Monday, November 3 so order your tickets today! For more information or to buy tickets, visit

http://ststephensgirlfriends.blogspot.com