Hush Puppies kicks off shoe design contest
Hush Puppies, the originator of the first suede casual shoe, is sponsoring a shoe design contest on their website at www.hushpuppies.com in partnership with www.runwayonmonroe.com.
Official rules of the contest and information about entries are outlined on the Hush Puppies website. Contest entries can be by drawn by hand or digitally illustrated and will be accepted through April 18, 2010. All entries will then be narrowed to five finalists, which will be posted online at www.runwayonmonroe.com for public voting through May 13, 2010.
The top five finalists will be showcased at the fashion event “Runway on Monroe,” to be held in downtown Grand Rapids on May 15. Attendees of the “Runway on Monroe” fashion finale will be able to vote that evening, and these votes will be added to the tally of the online votes. Following the event’s runway show, the contest winner will be announced live on stage.
“It’s exciting to be a global brand, based in Michigan, that is able to host an event with mass appeal, while bringing a focus to the state of Michigan. It is an opportunity to highlight all the great talent and amazing businesses that are located here,” said Dani Zizak, VP Global Marketing. “If you live in the United States, have an imagination and can put it on paper, you can enter this contest. If you attend the finale in May, you will have a fantastic time while enjoying our beautiful state.”
Hush Puppies is the title sponsor of “Runway on Monroe ” and the sole footwear supplier of the event. The winning shoe design will be produced and will then be sold online at HushPuppies.com in spring 2011. The winning designer will also receive a $1,000 cash prize, free Hush Puppies shoes for a year, and a one-on-one design summit with Hush Puppies footwear designers.
In addition to Hush Puppies, all other event sponsors are Michigan-based companies, highlighting the breadth of what Grand Rapids and the state of Michigan has to offer.
Since creating America ’s first casual shoe in 1958, Hush Puppies has always defined cool, casual style and unprecedented comfort. Today, Hush Puppies is one of the largest casual footwear brands globally, with over 19 million pairs sold last year in 140 countries.
Fun with Easter bunny benefits Equest Center
The Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding will be hosting its ninth annual Breakfast with the Bunny on Saturday, April 3, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Come enjoy breakfast in the barn provided by Applause Catering. The event also includes horse-drawn wagon rides, a petting zoo, crafts, face painting, visiting with the Easter Bunny, and an egg hunt at 11:30, rain or shine! Breakfast and activities are included in 
ticket purchase, which may be reserved in advance pricing of $8.50 for adults and $5.50 for kids aged 10 and under. Tickets at the door are $11 for adults and $8 for kids aged 10 and under.
The Equest Center is a nonprofit therapeutic riding center entering its 20th year of serving those with physical and mental challenges. Over 150 individuals are served weekly on a year-round basis. All proceeds from Breakfast with the Bunny go toward scholarships for riders.
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