Portland Women’s Show

Name: Portland Women’s Show
Date: Friday-Sunday, October 28-30
Location: Portland Convention Center
Contact information: www.portlandwomenshow.com
Cost: $9 for adults, children 12 and under free
What is it: Show for women showcasing a variety of talent, things to spend money on and educational material

Info: Portland’s Women’s Show is the city’s biggest show for women, drawing in more than 15,000 people in 2005. It features everything from makeup to food to health evaluations and more. Although men are allowed, this is a woman’s domain.

The show started as a way for busy women to combine a little bit of everything under one roof. Where else could you learn about job opportunities, the best options for redecorating your home and spa vacations in one place?

The Portland Women’s Show is a maze of free offerings, promotional material and things to buy. The 2005 show featured more than 250 booths and would take more than 3 hours to explore at a leisurely pace. Although angled walkways make the layout slightly confusing, it’s best to wander up and down the aisles to see everything.

The Women’s Show is a great place to learn about upcoming events in the Portland area and get a jump start on your holiday shopping – just make sure to take your checkbook, as many places can’t take credit cards.

Best of all, the show helps benefit BecomeX – a Portland-based organization that focuses on “personal empowerment” for teen and young adult women.