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

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.

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.

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

• 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.