A time to unwind: Sixth annual Women’s Expo held in Carlisle
As fall sneaks into winter, who couldn’t use a little me time? The sixth annual Cumberland County Women’s Expo, sponsored by On-line Publishers, offered just that for women of all ages at the Carlisle Expo Center on November 11, featuring shopping, free spa treatments, demonstrations, a full fashion show, and more.
“[The Women’s Expo] is good way to get to know different companies and new places,” said Ashtyn Daughtery, a Carlisle School District student who has attended the event.
Online guest registration allowed participants attending the Women’s Expo to go in for free, but at-door entry there was a five dollar fee. The event has took place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Over 90 exhibitors participated in either the sales or the demonstrations that was provided at the event.
“The Women’s Expo is a large grouping of vendors and exhibitors, demonstrations, entertainment, healthcare services that are here throughout the day just to try to hit every point of women’s life so women can come out and have a day off,” said Mariah Hammacher, marketing coordinator with On-Line Publishers, the organization who hosts certain events like the Women’s Expo in various counties.
Multiple companies and organizations sponsored this event, including the CBS 21 news network.
“Our mission is to help people in the community and to be active in the community,” said Sara Small, a reporter at CBS 21. “I think that just being able to sponsor at local events gives us more visibility and to let people know that we’re here for you and we are not just on TV.”
While all the attendees can walk around and check out the variety of vendors, entertainment was provided, including a ballroom fitness and dance demonstration, a container gardening presentation, a nutrition seminar, a fashion show, and a wine-making program. Door prizes were provided by some of the vendors for the participants.
Also health screenings were offered by UPMC Pinnacle Healthcare and Cigna directly at the event, testing blood pressure, bone density, body mass index, and cholesterol. UPMC Pinnacle Healthcare was their guide sponsor.
The Women’s Expo is provided once a year in four different locations that include Cumberland County, Dauphin County, Lebanon County, and Lancaster County.
“I think it’s a good idea because it gets women out in the community, being able to meet people who have different businesses, just meet new people the community in general,” said Small. “I think it’s just a good thing for the area, something fun to do on a Saturday.”
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Skylar Bowers is currently a sophomore at CHS, and this is her second year on the staff of Periscope. She is the editor for Student Life this year. Skylar...
Allison Closs • Jan 8, 2018 at 12:00 pm
I see the importance of supporting lesser known businesses and sharing them with potential customers. However, I don’t see how this connects (or should connect) to women. The expo is supposed *expose* people to a variety of new and interesting companies; hence, the original of the word. That’s why it seems a little counterproductive to limit the expo businesses associated with stereotypically “girly” things. I’m all for supporting small businesses, but it’s the “women’s” part of the “women’s expo” that seems a little problematic to me.