Children and a few adults shake it up at one of the street dances. (Richard McGuire file photo)
For their 30th year, the Osoyoos Street Dances return on Saturday, this time at the bandshell in Gyro Park.
A second dance is scheduled for Aug. 13. Both dances run from 7 to 10 p.m.
Clint Hawes, who has been MC for the past three years, has taken over organizing the event this year after the Osoyoos Senior Centre decided it no longer wished to do it.
“I thought this is like a tradition and we can’t stop this,” said Hawes. “So since I did them anyway, I said my company (Eh Handyman) will just take on all the costs and will do it.”
The move to the bandshell makes sense, Hawes said. In past years, Hawes has brought children onto a stage made from a trailer parked in front of the Osoyoos Museum.
“I wanted to do it at the Gyro Park because there’s a big bandstand and it’s up high enough so everybody can see what’s going on,” said Hawes.
“There’s lots of room for the kids to jump around when I ask them if they want to come up on the stage,” he added. “The rule is if you’re on my stage, you dance.”
There’s also less likelihood of equipment getting wet in the event of rain, he said. The location is also central and well known, he added.
For the first 26 years, the street dances were organized by Frances and Larry Sologuk, owners of Osoyoos Home Hardware, and they were held on the street next to their store.
When the Sologuks decided they didn’t want to continue running them, Osoyoos Senior Centre stepped up and ran them from 2013 to 2015 in the parking lot next to the Osoyoos Museum and the Senior Centre.
This year, for the first time, the event will be held on grass.
“We can say a street dance on grass or whatever,” said Hawes. “The whole idea is to have fun and to keep this thing going.”
Participation has ranged between 200 and 250 people each time, he said, adding that many participants come from elsewhere, including some international visitors.
This year Hawes is looking forward to participation of the Osoyoos RCMP, who will have a dance off with “girls” from the Senior Centre.
Hawes said there will be a hat passed around to collect donations and the money will go to the charity chosen by the winners of the dance off.
He also plans to change the music a bit to feature more older rock ’n roll, along with newer music.
“We’re trying to accommodate everybody,” said Hawes. “We’ve had complaints in the past that it was too much techno stuff. Of course the kids love that, but the adults bring the kids.”
As in past years, there will be a number of prizes donated by local businesses that will be given away to dancers.
Hawes said that as of Friday, 34 local merchants had donated to the event.
If other businesses would like to donate prizes, they can reach Clint Hawes at 250-495-5351 (home) or 250-689-0646 (cell).
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
