Over 200 women decked out in their finest denim and diamonds descended on the Exhibition Hall at the Shawville Fairgrounds on Friday evening for the Pontiac Agricultural Society’s Ladies Night.

The event hosted over 30 vendors for those interested in doing a little shopping, as well as live music from local talent McKenna Dubeau and Jake Pare, and from the band Ambush, which plays shows all over eastern Ontario and western Quebec.

The evening was organized by PAS directors Lisa Coles and Tanya Greer.

“I just think ladies are looking forward to going out and doing something together, just as a group,”

Greer said one day before the event, at which point over 200 tickets had already been sold.

For her part McKenna Dubeau was at the same time nervous and excited to be returning to the stage as a performer at the event.

As a child, Dubeau performed country classics from the likes of Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton on stages around the Pontiac, including at the Pontiac Idol talent competition which used to be held in Campbell’s Bay, but she has not performed publicly for some years.

“I’m a little bit nervous because it’s been so long since I’ve had a big crowd to perform in front of,” Dubeau told THE EQUITY on Thursday. “But it’s that feeling that once you get on stage, you feel like you belong when you love to do it, so I know once we get up there we’ll be rockin’ and rollin’.”

Following the performance, Dubeau confirmed she did indeed have “a blast.”

The Ladies Night also featured a silent auction, all proceeds from which were donated to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

On Monday Greer said the event raised about $1,000 for each cause.