In just eight days, Magic Beans will be presenting the second annual Drool Baby Expo in Boston. Drool is a one-night extravaganza for parents, featuring many of the best brands in the baby biz. It’s a rare opportunity to interact one-on-one with the people behind the products, get in-depth demonstrations, and have great conversations. If you’re pregnant, a newly-minted parent, or shopping for a loved one with a new baby, here are five reasons why you shouldn’t miss this event:
1. The brands
Drool isn’t just an anonymous expo produced by a big corporation. It’s a Magic Beans project, through and through. We handpick the vendors with as much care as we give to the product selection in our stores. We aim to fill the room with the best, most trusted names in the industry, like Britax, Ergo Baby, BOB, Orbit Baby, Viacord, Bugaboo, Baby Jogger, Skip*Hop, phil&teds, Maclaren, and many others. We bring in the most interesting new products out there, like Sage Spoonfuls, Babyhome, Wean Green, Nested Bean and Blooming Bath. We go out and we find the most useful local services for parents, like Boston Baby Beginnings, Boston Baby Nurse, and Healthy Habits Kitchen. We invite mom-owned small business to come and showcase their wares, like Betty Barettes, Kaya’s Kloset, and Tiny Hanger. We ask our favorite non-profits to join us and share their wisdom, like Children’s Hospital, Room to Grow and JF&CS. We get our favorite cupcake bakery (Party Favors!) and frozen yogurt purveyor (Pinkberry!) to come and treat you.
2. The deals
Many of the manufacturers exhibiting at Drool have also come up with a very special, one-night-only deal for guests at Drool. There will be products on sale that night that are NEVER on sale. We can’t say any more. You’ll just have to come and see for yourself.
3. The gift bags
Last year, these were legendary. The VIP gift package was so immense that it took three whole bags to contain all the goodies. We’re planning a little better this year (hello, bigger bags), but the bags are no less amazing. Both the standard and the VIP bags will be filled with useful products, gift certificates, and valuable coupons.
4. The raffle
Drool is all about interacting with brands and learning about products. To that end, we have a unique system for rewarding you for your time and attention. When you register, you’ll receive a special-edition Itzy Ritzy Snack Bag. Hang on to this – you’ll need it! As you circulate through the different tables, you’ll collect beans from each of the vendors as a reward for various activities. At the end of the evening, you’ll get to weigh your beans and exchange them for raffle tickets (lots of them). Then, take your tickets and shop our raffle table. Each item has its own container, and you are free to distribute the tickets however you’d like – put all your tickets in for one special item, or spread them around among many things that appeal to you. After the event, we’ll draw winners – you do not need to be present to win.
5. The fun
In addition to meeting the 75 great brands represented at Drool, you can grab a chair massage or a mini-manicure, courtesy of our friends at Bella Sante. You can do some real, live social networking with other Boston-area parents. You can hang out with our friend Jamie Grayson (AKA The Baby Guy) and get his advice on baby gear. I’ll be there too (hopefully not running around like a headless chicken), and I’d love to meet you. In fact, our entire staff of gear gurus will be on-site that night to help guide you and answer any questions you might have.
Tickets for Drool are on sale now. They’re just $35 for a single ticket and $20 for a companion ticket (admits a second person, but does not include a gift bag). The standard gift bag alone is valued at over $125 right now, so this is a great deal.
We’re giving away a great prize, too. One winner will get a VIP ticket AND a Britax B-Agile stroller. Enter now via the Rafflecopter below.
