9 things to do at the Women’s Fair this weekend

Working the Women’s Fair during the past two decades has become old hat for Wichitans Sari Schrepferman and Kathleen Yeoman, but for this weekend’s three-day Women’s Fair, the two are wearing new hats: that of owners.

Schrepferman and Yeoman have been involved with the annual event almost from the very beginning when the Women’s Fair was founded 22 years ago by Chris Veazey Brown and Deanna Wheeler. They helped with fair staging and setup, office duties and more. When Brown and Wheeler decided to sell, Schrepferman and Yeoman wanted to ensure the popular event continued.

“We didn’t want it going to anyone else so we just jumped on this train together to see where it would take us,” Yeoman said.

Since the pair inherited what Yeoman called a good blueprint for attracting more than 13,000 attendees, Women’s Fair 2020 features many fair favorites and traditions. But the co-owners have brought in some new things, too. Here is a rundown of nine things to do at this year’s fair.

Indulge in happy hour. The new owners have revamped the traditional Friday evening Ladies Night Out activity into the Ladies Happy Hour because they made a change to fair hours. Rather than closing at 8 p.m. Friday, the fair will close at 7 p.m. (Don’t worry about less fair time, however, since the fair will close an hour later than usual, at 7 p.m., on Saturday.) Calling it a night out with an earlier closing time didn’t work but 4-7 p.m. is the ideal time frame for a happy hour with samples from wineries, breweries and restaurants and a cooking demo, Yeoman said. Janice Perkins of Capacity Communications will open the happy hour with “Making Every Hour Happy Hour,” a presentation on avoiding negativity.

Celebrate the right to vote. The League of Women’s Voters of Kansas is showcasing a national traveling interactive history exhibit about the 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote 100 years ago. The league will also register voters who have a valid Kansas driver’s license or a non-driver’s ID card.

Adopt a dog. You can bring home a four-legged friend if you find one you like walking the runway during the always-popular Yappy Hour Fashion Show at 1 p.m. Saturday. “We don’t know if it’s the dogs or the firemen but all I know is it (the fashion show) draws a standing-room-only crowd,” said Yeoman. Members from the Kansas Firefighters Calendar Team and models from M&I Models walk the rescue dogs in the fashion show.

Find out your pet’s inner thoughts. Building on people’s love of pets, the fair is featuring a pet psychic this year who will do 20-minute readings for $25. McDonald, from Tulsa, has been an animal communicator since 2002. She said what she does is best described by Albert Einstein’s take on telepathy: “spooky action at a distance.” If you want a reading, don’t bring your pet; bring a photo. If you don’t have a photo, just give her your pet’s name and a brief description like I did during our phone interview. McDonald accurately relayed that my female dog has a companion dog and she’s grown very fond of him and that we’re confusing her about some rules, which likely relates to reactions Bella gets when she jumps up to greet me — my husband yells at her and I often literally embrace her. McDonald has helped owners locate lost pets and given closure for grieving pet owners, she said. She’ll be signing copies of her book, “Away to Me, My Love: A Sheepdog’s Tale of Two Lives,” which includes her narration of her dog Lucas’ final day in his words, in the Pet Supplies Plus booth.

Learn to make your diet healthier. Always a fair staple, food talks kick off with a presentation about organic foods at 1 p.m. Friday and continue with two more healthy diet talks on Saturday. Registered dietician Erin Palinski-Wade — the author of “Belly Fat Diet for Dummies” and “2-Day Diabetes Diet” who has made appearances on “Dr. Oz” and “The Doctors” — will talk about ways to boost metabolism, increase energy and fight diabetes in an 11 a.m. Saturday presentation. She particularly likes to give audiences what she calls “tweaks” or simple actions — like drinking an extra cup of water daily or increasing fiber intake by a few grams — that can be easier to fit into busy lives, she said in a phone interview. At 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Wichitan Krista Sanderson, who co-owns Eat Real America and wrote the Eat Real Cookbook, pairs up with a local health specialist to talk about ways to cook with what Sanderson calls “real” food — food that’s grown and not manufactured.

Play the BFF Family Feud. Bring your BFF — your best friend — and challenge other pairs of friends in a Family Feud-style game for prizes from 3-3:30 p.m. Saturday. Last year, a similar BFF challenge, a take on the Newlywed Game, proved popular, Yeoman said. Signups can be done at the iHeartRadio booth.

Find out what’s hot. The fair is a great place to see the latest trends in fashion, including hair and makeup. A prom night fashion show happens all three days of the fair, and a fashion show featuring items from fair vendors happens Saturday and Sunday. Crave Beauty Academy will also present a hair and fashion show late Saturday. (And don’t forget there’s that doggie fashion show.)

Take a fitness challenge. Besides trying to get your 10,000 steps in by walking up and down the aisles of exhibitor booths and making your way to various stage and demonstration areas, you and your friends can sign up for a free six-week fitness challenge with Genesis Health Clubs during the fair. The winning team wins a trip to Las Vegas.

Shop, shop, shop. The fair features more than 300 vendors, selling clothing, jewelry, accessories, cosmetics, kitchen gadgets, gourmet food and home décor.

Women’s Fair 2020

When: noon-7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21; 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22; and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23

Where: Century II Expo Hall, 225 W. Douglas.

Admission: $10 adults, $9 seniors (ages 65 and older) and $6 for youth (ages 7-12). Children 6 and under will be admitted free. Tickets may be purchased online on the Women’s Fair website or at the door. A $1 discount coupon on admission is available to apply to an online purchase or to download, print and present for purchasing tickets at the door; screenshots won’t be accepted.

Parking: Shuttles available for those parking at former Gander Mountain parking lot, 605 S. Wichita. 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 20, 2020 at 6:00 PM.