By Victoria Hurley-Schubert, Staff Writer
More than 720 women turned out for Girls Night Out at Palmer Square on Thursday evening.
Hillsborough resident Judith Barber saw the event advertised and came out with a friend for the festivities.
”It looked interesting and we like walking around Princeton,” she said. “I love evens and all the different activities here.”
Activities for the evening included food and wine tastings, art exhibits and shopping one-night only specials that the Palmer Square merchants were offering.
”It’s a great was to drum up business for the stores,” added her friend, MaryAnn Kenny of Princeton Borough.
The main goal was to create a fun night out and despite ominous skies, the mission was accomplished.
”It’s a fun time to get together with the girls,” said Marilyn Hemmel of Pennington, who was meeting with some friends from the Princeton area. “I used to live near here and it’s a great night out.”
Every year the event gets bigger and bigger, attracting more people.
”This is our fifth annual and it is a night for people who maybe don’t normally come to the square to come and experience it,” said Anita Fresolone, marketing director for Palmer Square, who organized the event. Several stores reported new visitors to the management office as a result of the evening. “It was designed for them and for exposure for them.”
”We round it out by giving the restaurants exposure in the food tent and the discounts (the merchants offer),” she said. A band, B.D. Lenz, played on the green while attendees sampled from the Taste of the Square tent before heading to shop or to the VIP lounge for additional food, wine, beauty tips, mini-makeovers and raffles. A percentage of the proceeds from the lounge, which cost $10 to enter, is earmarked for Dress for Success Mercer County, an organization that helps women find clothes for job interviews.
At Girls Night Out, the “Women Changing Lives” exhibit debuted at Cranbury Station Art Gallery. Princeton photographer Pryde Brown photographed the each of the seven portraits and Cranbury Station framed and hosted the unveiling.
”It was a lot of fun and what a great night on both levels-Girls Night Out and unveiling the exhibit,” Diane Hasili, chief marketing officer at YWCA. “It fit into the evening of women about town and features women who have volunteered or participated with the YWCA over many years helping young women and the community.”
The exhibit will be on display through this week at Cranbury Station Gallery in Palmer Square, after which it will begin a one year tour throughout businesses in Princeton and the immediate area. The next stop is the PNC Bank on Schalk’s Crossing Road in Plainsboro the first week of June.
”The sidewalks were packed, I thought ‘How awesome is this for a middle of the year?’ It’s fabulous!” said Ms. Hasili. “People were happy-go-lucky throughout the event and had bags in their hands (from the local merchants.)”
Ms. Fresolone is already planning for next year. “You’re cleaning up the garbage from the night before and you’re coming up with ideas. ‘Wouldn’t this be great for next year?’”

