Tickets are selling quickly and are expected to sell out for the Harvest Dinner Dance presented by the Osoyoos Child Care Centre.

The third annual event takes place at the Sonora Community Centre on Saturday, Nov. 8 and features The Young’uns, a versatile band from Kelowna.

“We’ve opted for a more local band with current music geared for people aged from 25 to 75,” said Karen Greig, manager of the Osoyoos Child Care Centre.

The event also includes beer tasting from Penticton-based Cannery Brewing.

New this year, pizza will be served at the end of the evening.

“We’ve heard in the past that people are always hungry after dinner and dancing and a few drinks,” said Greig.

The Young’uns is a three-man band featuring Tim Reardon, Shane Sperling and Don Mutter.

Greig said the dinner-dance is limited to 300 tickets and it sold out in its first two years. Tickets are $30 apiece.

“We encourage people to purchase tickets as soon as possible,” she said. “We hate to disappoint anybody if there’s none left.”

Doors for the event open at 6 p.m. and dinner is served at 7 p.m. The band starts playing around 8:30 p.m. and closing time is 2 a.m.

“We’ve got some beautiful silent auction donations this year,” said Greig, noting they include both items donated by businesses as well as by local craft people such as some woodworkers.

Proceeds help with the operation of the child care centre.

“We’re trying to keep it reasonable and affordable for families,” said Greig.

“We know families don’t get enough support through their provincial and federal governments, so when you’re making the minimum wage, it’s hard to pay for child care costs on top of that. So we’re trying to keep our costs low and keep as many people employed as we possibly can.”

The centre has 55 child care spaces throughout the year, but because some parents work part time, some children share the same space meaning there may actually be more than 60 children registered.

The centre has been operating since 1997.

“The community identified a need for child care and the community just continually supports it,” said Greig. “It’s a foundation for families to stay (in Osoyoos).”

Tickets are available at the Osoyoos Child Care Centre, Pharmasave in Osoyoos and Imperial Office Pro.

RICHARD McGUIRE

Osoyoos Times