International Women's Day event in Bradford promises red carpet gala
Red carpet gala, table-side magic, fashion shows, international singers, and more can be found at International Women's Day celebrations in Bradford West Gwillimbury
Bradfordtoday.ca
Feb. 12, 2019
Miriam King
March 8 is International Women’s Day -- a day to recognize the achievements of women, and work towards gender equality.
To celebrate, Portit World Music is hosting a first in Bradford West Gwillimbury: An International Women’s Gala on March 9 at the Bradford and District Memorial Community Centre.
The ladies-only event will be a red carpet affair, said organizer Helder Botas - “a celebration of women, and what they do for us, day by day.”
The evening will include a five-course meal catered by Cabral Catering, and live entertainment by international singing sensation joée, Toronto’s Nelz, and, from Portugal, Nuno Casais.
Stiltwalkers and table-side magic shows will add to the festivities, and a highlight will be a red carpet fashion show by international designer Rafael Freitas, with bags by Cavalhino Canada, and hair and makeup by Studio Five.
“It’s a totally different event, celebrating women,” said Botas, noting that a “good portion” of the cost of a ticket will be going to the Hospital for Sick Children.
Tickets are $75 per person for the gala, available from Portit World Music at 416-305-9410, or email info@portitworldmusic.com. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
“This is an option for women,” said Botas, acknowledging there are other Women’s Day events in the area. “It’s a little different” – a gala celebration, that is also a fundraiser for a cause that is important to many families in the area.
International Women’s Day has its roots in the American labour movement. In 1909 and 1910, garment workers in the New York City’s Lower East Side went on strike to protest “sweatshop” working conditions. An estimated 15,000 International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) workers, most of them immigrants, successfully took to the streets to call for higher wages, a shorter work day, and an end to child labour.
The first National Woman’s Day was observed in 1909 by the Socialist Party of America, in recognition of the workers' union job action. It became a worldwide initiative in 1910, advocating for women’s rights and universal suffrage. The day, held variously in February and March, saw women protest for the right to education, access to work, voting rights, and world peace.
It was in 1975, during the United Nations’ International Year of Women, the date became fixed as March 8, and International Women’s Day became primarily a day dedicated to gender equality. This year’s theme is #BalanceforBetter – that creating a gender-balanced world will create a better world.
Other events for International Women's Day:
The Portuguese Cultural Centre, located at 767 Simcoe Rd, is also hosting an International Women’s Day event.
The centre's 14th annual International Women’s Day Gala on March 9 includes dinner, entertainment by DJ John Paul Perdiz and singers Ines Sousa and Samantha Paixao, door prizes, and a fashion show by The Pink Closet and Brittany Buck Beauty Boutique. Tickets are $35 for women, $15 for girls ages seven to 12. For tickets, contact Ceu Perdiz at 905-775-3254, Aldina Lapa at 905-775-4938, or Elizabeth Lambert at 905-715-4772.
