VERO BEACH — Those in the know “Follow the Bow” to the Saint Edward’s School Trunk Show hosted by the Parents Association. This year marks the 20th Anniversary of the weekend-long shopping extravaganza which annually draws savvy shoppers seeking one-of-a-kind items not always found locally.
Friday night saw the fifth year for the premier VIP Shopping Party, which has increasingly grown in popularity as attendees realize they can have a first crack at all the goodies. Also new, at the VIP party only, was a men’s cigar lounge featuring cigars by MiLugar, which had quite a few takers as husbands relaxed away from the hubbub of shoppers.
The show continues Saturday, March 3 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, March 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. General admission tickets are $5 and allow unlimited entry on both Saturday and Sunday.
They did such a great job last year, Catalina Pines, who has two younger children at the school, and Dr. Suzanne Conway teamed up once more as co-chairs for the event.
“I’ve had kids here for 21 years; my youngest is graduating in the spring,” said Conway. Two of her older daughters are also first-time vendors in the show.
“This is the first time that we’ve had so many alums at the show,” said Sara Smith, director of marketing and communication, of the show’s four young entrepreneurs.
The show included exquisite jewelry designed by Trish Becker ‘83, gourmet foods sold under the Wildtree label by sisters Sarah Conway ‘04 and Caroline Conway ’09, and a gorgeous collection of Pierre and Harry’s pearls sold by Sarah Layton ’06.
The hard-working committee lured 53 vendors from all over the country; some regular participants and others brand new. Spread out around the campus, there is ample room for the droves of shoppers who will flock to the weekend show.
“We definitely had over 2,200 people come through last year,” said Pines. “Many returned more than once, and we were happy to have it that way. It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it.”
Pirate Territory turns into a shopper’s paradise, with something for everyone, including boutique clothing items, hand-crafted jewelry, unusual home décor, stunning flowers, men’s wear, children’s items, garden accessories and more.
The show is the Parents Association’s largest annual fundraising event, with proceeds benefiting the school’s various student enrichment programs.
