The Glebe Community Centre will open its doors for the Girls Want to Know Show on March 18.
Hosted by the Lesbian Information Xchange (LIX), this is the third annual free event, and once again, organizers have welcomed numerous exhibitors, ranging from beauty experts to children’s societies.
“Both vendors and visitors can expect a comfortable atmosphere with a variety of businesses and community organizations participating,” says LIX’s Marie Robertson. “We have everything from massage therapists, realtors and bicycle repair to the Ottawa Children’s Aid Society’s LGBT adoption and fostering program and the Ottawa Women’s Credit Union. We also have a wide variety of artists and craftswomen this year.
“They can also expect a fun social afternoon. Visitors will be able to wander from aisle to aisle at a relaxed pace while listening to great music. The Pantry Café will be open for lunch, desserts and beverages.”
Robertson says those looking to learn something new should check out the show’s free workshops in two different seminar rooms.
Mia Overduin, from the Stephen Lewis Foundation, will offer a session on its Grandmothers to Grandmothers campaign, and singer/songwriter/teacher Jamie Anderson will facilitate a workshop called Learn the Guitar Without Wanting to Throw It Across the Room.
Another workshop, called Bust, Boobs and Bazooms, looks at the history of breasts.
“We want the women of our community to have an opportunity to see the talent and skill of other women in our community, in one space, with friends,” Robertson says. “Often lesbians are in need of a service or a product and would like to support each other, but have no idea where to look for contacts.”
Robertson says that although the show is organized by lesbians, it is a women’s show that also welcomes straight women vendors. “We encourage everyone to come to the show, not just women,” she says.
LIX began in 2005 as a business networking group with a social component.
Robertson says the group began with a monthly coffee meeting of about 12 women but quickly grew to many more.
“These coffee meetings served as business-networking opportunities for our members as well as social events,” she says. “When we stopped holding the meetings in 2009, the only place our members could promote their businesses was on the LIX website.
“The Girls Want to Know Show provides a venue for LIX chicks to showcase their businesses again and attract new clients, like the coffee meetings did.”
The Deets:
Girls Want to Know Show
Sun, March 18 from noon-4pm
Glebe Community Centre
175 Third Ave
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