After they hit the dance floor, maybe they'll tackle the midway!

Two big events clash at the Civic Centre this weekend!

The annual arrival of the West Coast Amusements carnival draws near. as the smell of fast and greasy food, squealing young ones and loud music prepares to open at parking lot at the Civic Centre. The Carnival is making its traditional three day visit to the city, a sure fire guarantee of at least one day of rain somewhere over the three day visit.

On the opposite end of the entertainment spectre, Prince Rupert's Seniors will hold a Seniors Social Evening this Friday night in the Dick St. Louis Auditorium. The Seniors will be dancing to the sounds of the Ditto sisters as well as Dave Walker, starting at 7 pm and continuing on towards the midnight hour.

Maybe afterwards a walk down the midway, where the twain of teens and seniors may meet.

The Daily News had a preview of the Seniors Event in the Wednesday paper.

Seniors gearing up for a right old knees-up
By Patrick Witwicki
The Daily News
Wednesday, May 02, 2007

The people of Prince Rupert love to have a good time, and that includes the city’s seniors.
This means then that the planned Seniors Social Evening for this Friday night, called ‘Music through the ages’, should be a success.

Pat Holkestad, one of the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre’s program coordinators and co-organizer of the event, said she came up with the idea a few weeks ago, during a routine day inside the Russell Gamble gymnasium.

The walking club was doing their usual thing, when something happened that caught everyone’s eye.

“One day, we had this old music on, and one senior put down her cane and started to dance,” said Holkestad. “And then people got up and danced with her.

“So I thought wouldn’t it be fun to put on something like that.”

Holkestad got in contact with Donna Christenson at the seniors centre, and they began planning an event that would basically be a social evening with snacks, music, and dancing.

Entertainment will include music from Dave Walker, the Ditto Sisters, and there will also be a ballroom dancing demonstration, along with other scheduled dances by various groups.

And, as it is a true social evening, Holkestad is adamant that the public knows it’s not just for couples — singles are welcome to attend as well.

“People don’t have to come as a couple,” she said. “You don’t have to come as a dance partner.”
One aspect that could make the event somewhat complicated is the fact that the carnival is in town this weekend, meaning parking will be limited.

“If people can carpool, that would be great,” said Holkestad.

But the Civic Centre has already arranged for a valet parking system for those seniors unable to handle the hill down from the PAC, where the overflow parking will be for the event.

“Parking is going to be a concern,” she said.

The social event isn’t restricted just to seniors, but Holkestad pointed out that the music of choice is geared toward people who are over 50.

The social event gets underway at 7 p.m. Fri. May 4 inside the Dick St. Louis Auditorium.

Tickets are available both at the Civic Centre and at the Seniors Centre.

For more information, contact Pat at 624-6707 or Donna at 627-1900.