New name, new location and new format.
Otherwise, the 2012 edition of Red Deer’s annual trade show for women is pretty much the same as it’s been the previous 18 years.
Boutiques For Women is the new title for what previously operated as World of Women. And the show’s longtime home at Westerner Park has given way to the ballroom in the Holiday Inn and Suites on Gasoline Alley, said Patrick Kennedy, who organizes the event with his wife Sherall.
Kennedy explained that some exhibitors had felt there was too much duplication in the show. So in January, he took eight longtime participants to the Holiday Inn and showed them the ballroom there.
“They loved the facility,” he said, describing how the room has a low ceiling, attractive lighting and plush carpeting. “It’s got the ambience that we’re looking for.”
To address concerns about duplication of products and services, only one exhibitor of each type is being accepted into Boutiques For Women. Kennedy believes this will also improve the look of the show.
“We felt if people are coming out to an event, they don’t want to see 12 different kinds of people selling jewelry.”
The approach seems to be working, with most of the 10,000 square feet in the ballroom spoken for.
The new name, said Kennedy, was adopted to reflect the fact the show has changed.
“It was to give it a different brand, but also to respond to the fact that we’re trying to create a more intimate and relaxing atmosphere.”
Boutiques For Women will take place Oct. 20 and 21, with hours 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Attractions will include fashion shows, a wine bar and members of Red Deer Fire Fighters Association promoting their 2013 charity calendar.
Cost to attend is $10 per person or $14 for a couple. There will be no parking charge.
hrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.com