Let’s Talk Babies

This is sponsored content from BlogHer and by the makers of ob tampons, CAREFREE Pantiliners and STAYFREE pads.

When I was first presented with the opportunity* to attend Lilith Fair I knew I couldn’t turn it down, I knew I had to make it work.  Not only am I an incredibly huge Sarah McLachlan fan but I was also in desperate need of a little momma’s night out.  So, I graciously accepted the offer to attend, invited my dear friend Heather and looked forward to what I hoped would be a wonderful evening.

The idea of Lilith Fair, a whole festival put on by women, for women, is very inspiring.  Women have come a long way in the ranks over the years and I think this festival highlights those achievements.  It gives women, from all walks of life, an opportunity to see some amazing female musicians together on one stage.  It gives women a chance to celebrate being women, celebrate where we’ve come from, and where we’re going, all to a soundtrack of really good music.

Friday night, dressed in something other than my typical mom attire, I picked up my friend Heather and headed to the concert. We weren’t able to make it to the show to see the earlier acts because of other responsibilities and childcare issues, but got there in time to see some incredible performances from the likes of Court Yard Hounds, Emmylou Harris, Mary J Blige and, of course, the amazing Sarah McLachlan. Not a single performance disappointed.

After listening to the incredible musical talent of Court Yard Hounds (who I am now a new huge fan of) and the awe-inspiring Emmylou Harris we decided to check out what the sponsor that had brought us to the event, the makers of STAYFREE® pads, CAREFREE® liners and o.b.® tampons, had to offer.

Our first stop was the Lilipad Bathroom. We all know how hard it can be to find a nice, clean women’s bathroom at concert venues. The Lilipad Bathroom was touted as a relaxing, cool women’s bathroom that was complete with an attendant and lots of free samples. The Lilipad Bathroom was huge, nice and clean and had really pretty decor, including pink lighting!  Unfortunately, I don’t think the venue was equipped for a particularly cool bathroom.  The area where the stalls were was almost as hot as it was outside, but there was a giant fan in the area where the sinks were so that was nice and refreshing.  And, true to their word there were a ton of free samples.  I don’t think I saw a single woman leaving the bathroom without something in her hands.  Everyone seemed really impressed with the free samples.  When we were standing in line for drinks later in the evening two girls behind us started raving about the free tampon carry case they got at the Lilipad Bathroom.  Our next stop was the Lilipad Lounge equipped to be a bit of a cooling station, lots of free samples and swag, and a opportunity to get your picture taken to look like you’re on stage. I’m pretty sure the best swag they had at the Lilipad Lounge was the cooling cloths, little wet and chilled wash cloths. Everywhere I turned I saw women and men with the cloths wrapped around their necks, tucked in the backs of their t-shirts, or just rubbing down their faces with it.  The  cooling cloth was definitely a huge hit. By the time we hit the tent, at about 8pm they were out of swag and closing up shop so I wasn’t able to get a cooling cloth of my own. The Lilipad Lounge and Bathroom seemed like great additions to Lilith Fair and seemed to be huge hits with the crowd.

We wrapped the night up by being completely wowed by the music of Mary J Blige and Sarah McLachlan.  When Mary J Blige took to the stage everyone was on their feet.  We danced and danced (who knew I was going to get a bit of a workout in on my night out!).  By the time Sarah took to the stage the crowd was in high spirits and ready to end the night on a high note.  It was an amazing show.  I never get tired of seeing Sarah perform.

One of the things I loved was listening to all the inspirational things each performer had to say about women. These ladies have all come a long way in their field and have seen things that female musicians a few decades ago could only dream about.  Each of them was aware of that and happy to be part of something as special and inspiring as Lilith Fair.  They each spoke to the beauty and strength of women and that every woman, no matter what she does or where she comes from has something to offer.

My favorite thing about music festivals, like Lilith Fair, is the opportunity they bring to see musicians from so many different genres.  The ladies of Court Yard Hounds said it best when they commented on the fact that only at Lilith Fair could you find Mary J Blige following Emmylou Harris.  Not only does the festival bring women together and break down the barriers that sometimes separate us but they bring together genres of music, and fans of those many different genres for an evening of us all rock out together, an evening where you are introduced to artists you may not have even heard of before but end up loving.

I had a fabulous time on my Momma’s night out at Lilith Fair and would like to thank the makers of STAYFREE®, CAREFREE® and o.b.® for this wonderful opportunity and for sponsoring an event that celebrates and empowers women.

And now for the best part, I’m happy to be able to offer each of you a chance to win a $100 Visa Gift Card thanks to the lovely people at BlogHer and Lilipad.  There are three easy ways to enter (official rules) for your chance to win.  The first is to leave a comment here telling me what your ideal Momma’s night out would be.  Or, you can simply tweet about this post or blog about this post.  If you do tweet or blog about this post please come back and leave me a comment with a link to the tweet or post so I can be sure you get credit for your entry.  Each person can have up to two entries.  The contest is open until 5pm EST on August 4th.  The winner will be drawn using random.org.  Good luck everyone!.

*I was commissioned to write this post by the makers of o.b.® tampons, CAREFREE® pantiliners and STAYFREE® pads and I received monetary compensation, as well as concert tickets and transportation to and from the concert.