International Women's Day: EmpowerMarket

EVENT SYNOPSIS

This year’s event is called the “EmpowerMarket” and will be a networking / vendor fair with local female vendors, live and static food stations, complimentary cocktails, door prizes, live music, fashion show and our annual Inspirational Woman Award presentation. 

This campaign is meant to empower and celebrate local women in our community. We will also be raising money with a silent auction for three local non-profits focused on helping women: Dress for Success, Dawn House and MRKH Canada. 

THE AWARD

The Inspirational Woman Award was introduced as part of our annual International Women's Day campaign back in 2021 following the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to recognize the inspiring local women who were making an impact or overcoming adversity in a time of great hardship. Since then, it has become an annual part of our event, and is a way to bring recognition to the many inspiring women in our community. Nominations are narrowed down to a Top 3 and then voted on by the public to determine the winner. The winner will be announced at the EmpowerMarket and will receive a $500 cash prize and trophy sponsored by Cornerstone Wealth Planning. 

Check out this year's Top 3 Nominees and place your vote here: https://www.icckingston.com/inspirational-woman-award-voting

THE FOOD

In addition to a generous charcuterie station featuring premium cheeses sponsored by Flight Cheese Shop, everyone who attends will receive a ticket to use towards Chef Chris's live ricotta gnocchi station, which will be open from 5:30-8:30pm during the event.

THE MUSIC

We have two musical performances lined up for this event:

ATIARI: The stage name and solo creative project of Ari Bautista, a Filipino-Canadian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and composer. Her self-titled debut album – a sonic culmination of years inspired by R&B, soul, jazz, pop, contemporary folk, and electronic music – explores many topics: unrequited love, trauma, addiction, family, and other “matters of the heart”. You may read more about their creative pursuits on their website, ATIARI.com. You can follow Ari @ATIARI.wav on Facebook and Instagram.

Greater Kingston Chorus: GKC is a dynamic group of women who sing four-part harmony in the a cappella style. This engaging choir competes every year as part of Sweet Adelines International and brings a variety of music to the stage. 

THE VENDORS

The B-Team

Castaways Bath & Body Kingston 

Cloth / City + Oak

Dolci Fiori Handmade Accessories

Evergreen Health Collective

Great Lakes Sourdough by Bread By Elise 

Kasia McRae, Independent Cabi Fashion Stylist

Maple Leaf Tours

Natural Route Health

Shop Dressr

Step Forward Foot Care and Wellness Kingston

Tupperware by Kim Jesse

VITRUM

The Art of Courage

The Italo-Canadian Club's Nonnas (Bake Table)

THE TICKETS

Tickets will be sold for $50 per person. They can be purchased in advance, or at the door. 

Tickets include:

• Access to the vendor market, silent auction, live music performances and Inspirational Woman Award ceremony
• Complimentary Cocktail
• Chance to win door prizes
• Complimentary food ticket for live gnocchi food station
• Access to Charcuterie Food Station
• Swag Bags for the first 50 ticket holders!

THE CAUSES

One of the ways we will use this campaign to enact lasting, sustainable change in our community is by raising money for local non-profits whose primary mission is in the service of women. We will be donating a portion of the proceeds from our silent auction at the event to the organizations below. Any additional donations  received during the campaign will also be split between all of the non-profits involved (we are a not-for-profit organization as well).

Dress For Success: The mission of Dress for Success is to empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.

We are dedicated to providing support, guidance, and mentorship to women in need in the Kingston and area community. We are part of a global movement for change and empowerment of women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.

Dawn House: Dawn House Women’s Shelter was founded in 1986 in response to a housing crisis in the City of Kingston. They are a local charity supporting and empowering homeless, vulnerably housed, and marginalized women living in poverty. Their vision is for all women to live in safe, affordable, and accessible housing. Dawn House currently provides affordable supportive housing, transitional housing, and wellness supports.

MRKH Canada: MRKH Canada's mission is to educate, empower and support those diagnosed with *Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser Syndrome (MRKH) within Canada and beyond through advocacy, events and other organized initiatives.We are the only not-for-profit organization dedicated to MRKH in Canada. We serve as an advocacy group, support network and resource for both the medical community and those diagnosed with, or supporting those with MRKH. We aim to increase the knowledge and decrease the shame and stigma attached to the condition, as well as to improve the quality of life and care for those living with the syndrome. *MRKH Syndrome is a congenital condition defined by the underdevelopment or absence of the uterus, cervix & vaginal canal and may also impact kidney, skeletal, hearing, heart & mental health.

OUR SPONSORS/SILENT AUCTION DONORS 

Kingston Party Rentals

Flight Cheese Shop

Cornerstone Wealth Planning

Arterra Wines Canada

Long & McQuade

Grand OnStage

Bellevue Beauty Bar

Olivea

Just Poke It Studio

Ashley Taylor Media

Carson House

Wine Kitz

Home Hardware

Refinery Spa

Gotta Minute

Professional Makeup Artist, Debbie Goulding 

Dirty Devil Vodka