Mid-Michigan Women's Expo Slated for February 1-3 in Lansing

LANSING, MI, January 04, 2013 (Press-News.org) The 13th annual expo, which is the largest single consumer show in the region focused exclusively on women, will feature more than 275 women-owned and women-focused businesses during its three-day run downtown at the Lansing Center. Women will have the chance to hear national speakers, attend seminars and DIY presentations, connect face-to-face with physicians and other healthcare professionals, sample new food items, get a massage or new hairstyle and shop to their hearts' content during the Expo.

Highlights of this year's lineup of exhibits, speakers and events include:

McLaren Greater Lansing, returning as the Expo's main sponsor again this year, hosting 20 booths that will allow attendees to talk with physicians and nurses and get answers to their healthcare questions. McLaren will again offer numerous healthcare screenings, including cholesterol, blood pressure, sleep disorders, diabetes and stroke risk assessments, body mass index, joint pain assessment and others.   Pregnant women can receive a 3D/4D ultrasound photo of their baby on-site, as well as a coupon for a discounted full scan at one of the center's locations throughout the Lansing area. 

The first-ever Red Dress Dash at noon on Friday, Feb. 1 and sponsored by Go Red for Women and the American Heart Association. Women are invited to put on red dresses and stilettos, grab a team of friends and colleagues and walk, strut or stride to the finish line to bring awareness to heart disease, which kills more women annually than all cancers combined. The American Heart Association will host a mini-casting call, asking women to share the story of how heart disease has affected their lives to use in local marketing initiatives.

Pinterest guru Michelle Grzybowski, who owns {re}imagined just for you (www.reimaginedjustforyou.wordpress.com). The artist will take the main stage throughout Expo for "Something Pinteresting is Going On." Her presentations will feature {re}imagining old, dated furniture with paint, creating hand-painted signs for home decor and gifts and creative {re}purposing to bring Pinterest boards to life.

Helen Phillips, 2009 winner of "The Biggest Loser," who will also be featured on the main stage with her motivational presentation, "Get Up - Dress Up - Show Up." At 48 she was the oldest winner of "The Biggest Loser," dropping 140 pounds - more than half her total body weight - and changing her entire approach to life. Phillips, who went from a size 22 to a size two, will share her secrets of weight loss to help women develop an action plan for living a healthier lifestyle. She's putting the finishing touches on a new book that she hopes to have finalized in time to debut at Expo.

Merri Davis, owner of Hoop Happy Hoop Healthy LLC, will conduct a Hoop Fit clinic on Saturday, Feb. 2 during Expo. Attendees will learn the basics of hooping as a way to strengthen one's core, add definition to arms and tighten legs - while having a fun cardio workout. Davis turned her hobby into a company, offering Make 'n Tape parties that allow women to design their own custom hoops and training instructors to work as independent hoop contractors.

Miss Michigan Angela Venditti, who will be on hand throughout the Expo to meet attendees and share her story.
Meijer, Inc., which will once again host the Healthy Living Cooking Stage, which will feature a fitness area with a personal trainer and a pharmacy area. Dietitian Shari Steinbach will be among the presenters sharing recipes and healthy cooking tips for families.

"We invite all women throughout the Mid-Michigan area to join us for a weekend of education, entertainment and enjoyment," said Denise Kolesar, president of Kohler Expos, which promotes the event each year. "This year, we'll be bringing in many new speakers and new exhibitors who will showcase hundreds of products and services all under a single roof. Longtime Expo favorites, such as Elegante Studio of Lansing and A Wooden Nickel Refinishing, will also return for the three-day run of the show.

"Our focus remains on things that are important to women: health, home, style and shopping. Kohler Expos is again delighted to be able to offer our annual 'spring break for women' to help chase the winter blues away."

The main sponsors for this year's Expo are McLaren Greater Lansing and Meijer. WLNS NewsCenter 6 and The Lansing State Journal are media sponsors for the event.

The Expo is slated to run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2, and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 3. Advance tickets and group sales are $7 each and are available at all area Meijer stores. Admission at the door is $9 for adults and $7 for children ages 6-14.

As in previous years, the Expo's Main Stage will feature live presentations on a variety of topics throughout the weekend while the Cooking Stage will focus on families and healthy eating. In addition to the two national speakers, local and regional experts will present engaging and entertaining presentations and demonstrations on a variety of subjects.

Other highlights of this year's Expo include:

-- On-site day spa services, allowing women to try a new hair style, relax with a massage, get a wax and sample other beauty treatments for a fun day of pampering
-- Gourmet foods and new food items to sample, including custom cookies, cakes and pastries, salsa and jams, chocolates and toffees, bottled waters and coffee, Watkins spices, flavored oils and other items
-- Clothing and accessories, from scarves, purses and sunglasses to shapewear, sundresses and fashion-forward clothes
Jewelry, including handcrafted vintage items, Pandora-style beads, crystals, dangles and custom map pendants from Chella's Collection
-- New Chevrolet vehicles from Shaheen Chevrolet in Lansing
-- Vacation planning services that feature destinations throughout Michigan, weekend get-aways, a women's retreat and out-of-state travel ideas, including Disney holidays
-- Style pick-me-ups with hair restoration, hair extensions, wigs, glimmer body art and hair jewelry
-- Home remodelers featuring a wide variety of services, including painting, window replacement, siding, roofing, cabinet refacing, restoration, natural stone flooring and others
-- Health and fitness information, products and services, including post-mastectomy clothing and products, posture screening, spine checks, physical therapy, wellness consultations and personal training
-- Professional service providers, from financial management and investment planning to legal and educational services
-- Breast health and breast cancer resources, including pink ribbon merchandise, from Susan G. Komen Mid-Michigan
-- Lace doilies, table runners, handbags and other unique gift items from European Gifts
-- Non-profits focused on a wide variety of issues, from education and pregnancy to homeless shelters and experiential retreats

"Looking for ideas to freshen up your living room? Items to spruce up a wardrobe? New recipes to put a kick into mealtime? Vacation destinations? We have all that - and more - at this year's expo," Kolesar explained. "Spend a day at the Mid-Michigan Women's Expo and you'll walk out with ideas and recharged batteries. We truly have something for everyone."

Attendees can also sign up for a number of give-aways at the door and throughout the Expo. There is convenient covered parking underground and within walking distance. For more information, including a schedule of events and additional information about exhibitors and parking, go to http://www.kohlerexpo.com or visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/WestMichiganWomensExpo?ref=hl.

About Mid-Michigan Women's Expo
Celebrating its 13th year, Mid-Michigan Women's Expo offers a balance of education, entertainment and enjoyment in an event tailored for the lives of busy women. More than 275 women-owned and women-focused businesses will display a wide range of products and services targeted specifically toward women. The Expo also features demonstrations and presentations on topics including healthcare and wellness, finances, business opportunities, beauty, fashion, education, travel, fitness and home remodeling. The main sponsors for this year's Expo are McLaren Greater Lansing and Meijer. WLNS NewsCenter 6 and The Lansing State Journal are media sponsors for the event. Additional information is available at http://www.kohlerexpo.com.

Contact: Denise Kolesar, Women's Expo
616.532.8833
or
Mary Ann Sabo, Sabo Public Relations
616.485.1432