5 events not to miss at this year’s Holiday Galleria at Century II

The calendar may still say October, but it’s not too early to get in the holiday mood, especially this weekend when the Junior League of Wichita holds its 12th annual Holiday Galleria.

The four-day shopping event, which began Thursday, attracts more than 9,000 attendees, 120 vendors and has raised more than $1 million for charity since it began in 2004.

“Without Holiday Galleria we would not have been able to make the $300,000 donation to the Childhood Advocacy Center, and those large scale donations would not be possible…,” said Julia Thead, Holiday Galleria sponsorship and solicitations chair.

This year’s event at Century II Expo Hall will be filled with a fashion show, pictures with Santa and merchants selling food, jewelry, clothes and home decor and more.

Here are five events not to miss this weekend:

1. Girls’ Night Out, 5-9 p.m. Friday: The festivities include food, shopping, pizza, a designer hand-bag silent auction, beer, margaritas and live music by local band Annie Up. A goodie bag will be given to the first 250 shoppers. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 day of the event. No children under 15.

2. Kinley’s Cupcakes, Saturday-Sunday: , Girl Entrepreneurs Matter (GEM) is a new program created by the Junior League of Wichita. Applicants were required to turn in a business plan and samples of their work for a chance to have a booth at the galleria where they can sell their product. Kinley Swenson, a junior from Kapaun Mount Carmel, was chosen for her volunteerism and academic excellence. Kinley has sold cakes and cupcakes for weddings and birthday parties. She will be taking cupcake and wedding cake orders at the event Saturday and Sunday.

“(GEM) is developing young women’s skills in the entrepreneurship business world, which is mainly dominated by men currently,” said Alexa Donner, Holiday Galleria event promotions chair. “The most important thing is that it gives girls confidence.”

3. Donuts With Santa, 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday : It’s Christmas in October. Kids with will get a chance to get their photos taken with Santa and tell him what’s on their wish list. Doughnuts, coffee and chocolate milk are included with general admission.

“We want Saturday to be the family day,” Thead said. “We want to push getting your Christmas photos done early.”

4. Fashion show, 2-4 p.m., Saturday: Apricot Lane Boutique will MC a fashion show Saturday. Models from Models and Images will strut current trends from merchants at the galleria.

5. Dancers and cheer squads, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday: Dancers from Kapaun Mount Carmel cheer squad, Acrobatic Academy, Cindy Johnson’s School of Dance, Kansas Dance Academy, Studio Singers and Young World Dance Studios will entertain shoppers as they make their final purchases Sunday.