21st annual Women’s Fair to focus on health, fitness and shopping
At the annual Women’s Fair, it’s not unusual to see a booth giving free or discounted massage opportunities and to see a food demonstration. But a program that will combine both massage and food? That’s got to be a first.
Giving raw kale a good massage with some olive oil and other ingredients is the secret to “making a kale salad that tastes fantastic,” said Krista Sanderson, co-owner of Eat Real America who is a keynote speaker at this year’s Women’s Fair.
Sanderson and her business co-owner, Zonya Foco, a registered dietitian, met at the Women’s Fair a few years ago. Sanderson was there to do a food demo and talk about her web-based subscription healthy eating business called Get Real Wichita, and Foco was there to give a talk about her healthy lifestyle program.
Shortly after that meeting, they created Eat Real America, a health and wellness venture that offers nutrition programs for corporate wellness programs and a subscription-based online program to help others eat healthy and eat what’s in season.
At this weekend’s 21st Women’s Fair, they will talk about cooking, eating and living healthy and selling and signing copies of their “Eat Real Cookbook: A 28-Day Kickstart” ($25 at the fair) that was released last year. The cookbook includes shopping lists, menu and meal planning and 100 gluten-friendly recipes that focus on making meals and treats with real, not processed, foods.
They will also make and share samples of a sloppy joe main dish loaded with vegetables and served over spaghetti squash, a fresh kale salad and a sweet treat. Their 1 p.m. talk Saturday follows another healthy food-related program when Dr. Jennifer Jackson from Ascension Via Christi gives a noontime talk on “Food Fight: The battle is real.”
This year’s Women’s Fair has a big focus on health and fitness, with nearly 50 health-related booths showcasing health consultants, aging issues, screenings, aromatherapy and essential oils, research trials, weight loss and more, according to the organizers. You can even perform surgery with a robotic surgery simulator at Wesley Medical Center’s booth.
There are still plenty of pop-up shops and booths to offer shopping opportunities, a mainstay feature of the fair. Many of the vendors of the 300 or so pop-up shops are just back from market and have some of the latest items, said organizer Chris Veazey Brown, who along with Deanna Wheeler founded and manages the fair.
In total, there are nearly 400 exhibitors, and the fair annually draws about 15,000 participants or more.
The Women’s Fair also features two stages – a main stage and a creative stage – with lots of programming, including fashion runway shows for both humans and canines, cooking demonstrations, performances, a women’s self-defense class and a BFF (best friends forever) match game.
And since diamonds are reportedly a girl’s best friend, there will be a drawing for a $1,200 diamond.
The Girls Night Out party 4-8 p.m. Friday will feature the fair’s first craft beer tasting with Aero Plains Brewing in Delano, a wine tasting with Guy Bower of the KNSS “Good Life Guy” radio show, and a special performance by Derby High School freshman Evan McIntosh, whose recording of “Better Now” recently surpassed 300,000 streams on Spotify. For the full program and details, visit womensfair.com.
21st annual Women’s Fair
When: noon-8 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday; special Girls Night Out party 4-8 p.m. Friday with fashion, hair and makeup shows, beer- and wine-tasting and more
Where: Century II Expo Hall, 225 W. Douglas Admission: $9 adults, $8 seniors, $6 youth ages 6-12, children under 5 admitted free. $1 discount coupon available at womensfair.com, but coupon must be downloaded, printed and presented at time of entry.
Parking: Shuttle parking available with two options: Park for free at former Gander Mountain parking lot, 605 S. Wichita, or park and pay ($6 per day or $1 per ½ hour) at 215 S. Market. Regular Century II parking, some paid and some free, is available near the facility, as well.
More information: womensfair.com
This story was originally published February 14, 2019 at 5:04 PM.