2nd Annual Women’s Expo Held At Sanford Center

The Sanford Center in Bemidji was filled with women walking around checking out the variety of different vendors, lectures, and classes available to them at the area’s largest Women’s Expo.

“I’m just getting started but it’s fun so far. I just wanna look, it’s fun, it’s a day out, you know,” said Karen Lucken, an attendee at this year’s Women’s Expo.

“I’m with my mom and my grandma, we’re having a girl’s days for Mother’s Day this weekend. And it’s really cool to see all of the different setups that they have,” Julia Petricha, another attendee, said.

Some of the businesses available at the expo were run by women. Hannah Anderson, the owner of Compass Rose in Bemidji, said she packed up most of her store to do a pop-up shop at the Women’s Expo.

“A lot of our customer base is women, so we just thought it would be fun to interact,” Anderson said. “We also have a succulent bar going on, and because it’s Mother’s Day we thought it would be fun to bring Mother’s Day gifts and just a fun DIY experience.”

The Women’s Expo had so much to offer like prize giveaways to a succulent bar to palm readings to making a necklace. A lot of these vendors are not only located right in Bemidji, but some of them have come from other parts of the state.

“We have gotten a number of vendors from all over Northern Minnesota,” Sanford Center Marketing Manager Evelyn Halvorson said. “We’ve reached closer to Duluth, as well as up north to the Roseau area and then over a little farther to the west and looking at the Hallock area as well.”

This year, the Women’s Expo’s aim is to inspire and empower women. Organizers say they hope that women coming through the doors to their event get a chance to relax and enjoy everything that is being offered.

“Our lives are so busy, and so being able to just relax and enjoy the company of other women, your group of people that you call your loved ones and your friends and family, just to be able to set down and relax and enjoy them for a while and become inspired and empowered by all of the amazing things we have out there just for us,” Halvorson said.