It’s so popular, that by the time you read this, tickets for the after-party will most likely be sold out.
Not even the Oscars can boast such demand and it’s exactly why, for the fifth year running, the Steveston Merchant’s Association’s (SMA) Girls’ Night Out is sure to be another hit in the village later this month.
Judging by the amount of swag bags that are snapped up at participating stores and businesses, the SMA estimates that more than 600 women partake of the annual socializing, eating and shopping spree on Thursday, Nov. 26.
And the 120 tickets for the after-party at the Blue Canoe are gold dust; so much so that the ladies line up at O’Hare’s Gastropub on a weekday morning to snatch them up.
“It’s hard to accurately count the amount of people that take part, but I do know that one of the participating businesses, Sinfully The Best, put together around 600 swag bags and they were all gone,” said the SMA’s administrator Mindy Phipps.
“It’s a great evening of socializing and, primarily, shopping and it seems to get better every year.”
Rain or shine, the evening kicks off at 4:30 p.m. with pre-shopping cocktails and appies at Tapenade Bistro and the Little Mexican Cantina.
Then, from 6 p.m., it’s shopping all the way with participating SMA members offering deals, gifts with purchase and swag bags during the event, in addition to festive beverages and snacks in some shops.
And while you’re there, pick up the Girls’ Night Out (GNO) stamp card.
If you visit at least three SMA merchants and get your card stamped three times, you can enter to win a “Steveston Shopping Spree,” with each participating merchant donating a gift certificate.
The participating businesses will be open until 9 p.m. and then the festive fun swings over to the Blue Canoe for the exclusive after-party, where door prizes are won, fine food is served and champagne and wine often flows late into the evening.
With that in mind, this year, you can also park for free (overnight if need be) at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery.
For more information, go online to exploresteveston.com.
