By CHERYL ROMANO/YachatsNews
YACHATS — Rock ‘n roll fans of all ages are invited to another alcohol-free dance party Saturday night at the Yachats Commons featuring the local band The Grey Wails.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for the event, which will run from 7-10 p.m. Crowds have been growing since the first such booze-free bash launched last winter featuring rockers Lisha & The Outlaws. The gathering began as a “sober dance party” but now it’s billed as the Central Coast Community Dance Party.
Saturday’s event is the third in a series and expected to draw a good crowd.
“About 120 people from all over came to the party in May,” said Cheri Capron, a Yachats-area businesswoman who promotes Lisha & The Outlaws, a party sponsor. The May event drew people from the central coast, the Willamette Valley and from as far away as Beaverton and Roseburg.
Saturday night’s party will offer a new dining twist. Five Yachats restaurants — The Adobe, Drift Inn, Sea-Note, Luna Sea and Big Dog BBQ — have agreed to offer takeout dinners for partygoers. Dinner seating, utensils and condiments will be available at the party.
“We want to promote our local restaurants, not compete with them,” said Capron. At the Commons, partygoers can also choose light snacks, coffee, hot chocolate, water, sodas and juices.
She described The Grey Wails as “a great classic rock dance band,” and urged the public to turn out, noting that there will be table seating for about 60 people, plus lots of chairs lining the walls.
Partiers of all ages are welcome to the free event. “No one has to dance, and anyone can dance — not just couples,” Capron said.
The next party is scheduled for Oct. 12 at the Commons, featuring the band Weird Science.
Future dance parties may expand musically beyond rock. “We’ll be changing bands and genres, maybe offering country and reggae,”said Capron
At the first “sober dance party” last winter, she said, “We learned that our audience was much larger than just the recovery community.” That’s why the event is now billed as simply community dance parties.
Volunteers organize, set up and clean up for the party. Sponsorship and support are provided by Lisha & The Outlaws, Polly Plumb Productions, Yachats Chamber of Commerce, Yachats Third Street Shops, and the city of Yachats.
While admission is free, donations are welcome to help support the event.
That is a great idea! Wonderful to read about all the support!