SXM's Girls Night Out founder and coordinator Ogechi Anyanwu is urging women on the island to “get your groove back” at this year’s sixth annual event, which will be held this Saturday, November 24, at Tropicana Ballroom (above the Tropicana Casino) at Welfare Road 34 in Cole Bay.
Doors open at 6:00pm and the curtains will close on the event at midnight.
Anyanwu told Out ‘N About that SXM’s Girls Night Out is the premier women's shopping event in the region, offering a fun filled six-hour spree, where women can relax and unwind over complimentary cocktails, massages, mini-makeovers, contests, workshops and fashion shows, while hunting for one-night-only deals as local and international businesses showcase their latest products.
This year, the event will feature a swimwear line to the fashion show. There is also a Bronze sponsor – NTTV – Noel Tours, which will be having an interactive booth/party bus. “We have a great mix of new and returning vendors. We have an amazing panel of “queen bosses” sharing their journey to their individual successes. And many more surprises,” Anyanwu said.
Anyanwu is expecting some 1,500 people to attend this year’s shopping extravaganza. The event has been attended by more than 5,000 over the past six years with some 35 per cent being between the ages of 18 and 34; 50 per cent between the ages of 35 and 49 and 15 per cent between the ages of 50 and 68.
Many fun memories are created during the event. “Our Sexiest Red Heel Contest always delivers memorable moments. However, I must say one of the most memorable moments was at the fourth SXM’s Girls Night Out at Port De Plaisance when a gorgeous mature woman beat out all of the other women by dancing in her high, sexy, red heels. It was such a fun and beautiful moment all at the same time, as all of the women were cheering each other on.”
Asked why the event is for women only, Anyanwu said, “As women, we thought it was necessary to create an event that allowed women to shed the various hoods: “womanhood, parenthood, etc.” Can we recreate the experience of being a girl again, for just one night? Moreover, women represent 85% of the purchasing power in households. So if you are in business and you are targeting the “she-conomy” you are missing out big time.”
Asked to give an insight into what sort of work goes into coordinating an event of this magnitude, Anyanwu said, “This event looks easy and that is what we want, of course. But it is so far from the reality. We are coordinating year-round. Once one event ends, we start working on the other. It takes a team and plenty of volunteers that believe in the project.”
Anyanwu is a St. Martiner and Nigerian certified meeting and events planner. She is a lover of the arts and said she was raised by a “village of strong women.” She says seeing women work together supporting each other is the reason why she is a girl’s girl. “It is important to me to change the way we as women interact with each other. I believe in fixing each other’s crown as opposed to knocking it off.”
Anyanwu urges women to attend in numbers. “You owe it to yourself to ‘get your groove back.’ Irma knocked us down, but she didn’t break us. Women wait for this event every year and we make sure we do not disappoint. SXM's Girls Night Out is the greatest one-stop shopping and networking event of its kind in St. Maarten (for St. Maarten, St. Martin and Anguilla).”
SXM’s Girls Night Out tickets are available at both Van Dorp locations as well as at Plush Boutik on Back Street. A ticket costs US $30 and admits two persons.
