Think back to some of your fondest girl’s night out get togethers. What were some of the most important elements to ensuring that the night would be one worth remembering? A great outfit? A playlist of all of your favorite songs? A creative cocktail or two? And let’s not forget, a few oh so instagram-able pics because now days, if it didn’t make it to social media, did it really even happen? Well, this past weekend, I attended an event that included all of this, plus more, better known as Soirée in the Cities Girls Night Out, and of course I have the pics to prove it.
Soirée in the Cities brings together women of all walks of life, over one common interest; shopping! And with the holiday season upon us, the timing couldn’t have been better. Upon entering the venue, soirée-goers were gifted a swag bag with goodies from event sponsors and sent on their merry way to shop to their hearts content. Vendors eagerly awaited their arrival, happy to explain their product or service, passing out business cards and free samples too. I was happy to see so many black-owned businesses represented under one roof.
Early on, I got the opportunity to interview Ebony Edwards, creator of Soirée in the Cities. She’s recently worked with high-profile clients such as Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon during her time at the William Morris Agency, published her first book called, Write to the Point and celebrated her 25th girl’s night out event. Here’s what she had to say:
ZG: What inspired you to create this event? And you’ve been doing this for five years?
EE: Yes, five years, 25th Girl’s Night Out. So I owned Fairy God Mother’s Princess Party Place for little girls and when I closed the place, I had a database of 5,000 moms! So it was like, what else to do? So I created Soirée in the Cities. Peolple loved it! The first year we had about 300 guests and now there’s about 1200 women that come out on any given night.
ZG: As women, we are often seen as catty and unable to collaborate, how do you think your event is changing that narrative?
EE: When you walk into Soirée, it’s all things pretty so I think a lot of women are like ‘Oh, everyone was so nice and everything was moving right along’ and they really like the energy. So it’s all about energy, inspiring them to be the best that they can be and networking in the cities they live in.
ZG: So this is your first book?
EE: Yes. This is my first book! I wrote it two years ago. It’s a manusript. Selling it for $20. It’s all about how to write to get what you want!
ZG: What advice would you give to a young person wanting to start their own event?
EE: I would tell you to network, meet event producers and publicists in your area and partner with them. Don’t think of it as compeition. Think of it as an opportunity to build your brand. But if you want to start something, do it small, go into your network and ask your friends and family first. Get your responses back and always collect data, which is emails.
ZG: Out of all of the places you have Soirée, what is your favorite place to have it?
EE: Philadelphia!
ZG: Why is that?
EE: I’m originally from Brooklyn but I’ve lived here ever since high school. Philly is great. The energy is great. People don’t have this in Philly. It’s something to do. What better way to have a girls night out? ·
In addition to having some amazing vendors in attendance, a DJ and more than one way to wet your whistle, what made the event particularly unique was the Soirée Awards Ceremony. The evening’s recipient was Danielle P. Jeter, entrepreneur and CEO of Women in Media (blogged about here), an organization that seeks to enrich the lives and careers of current and aspiring women in Media.
If you’re looking for a girl’s night out, I would highly recommend attending Soirée in the Cities! But don’t just take my word for it, see for yourself! Soirée is currently celebrated in Philly, NYC, Washington, D.C. and soon coming to Miami Beach. Keep up with Soirée on Instagram: @soireeinthecitiesgno.
A Black Girl About Town 