PORT TOWNSEND — The first fundraising event in this year’s Rhody Festival takes place Saturday with a benefit dance intended to stir up some nostalgia for the age of disco.
The “Rhody Presents Disco” dance will begin at 7 p.m. and continue till midnight at the American Legion Hall, 209 Monroe St.
Costumes are encouraged but not required, said Melanie Bozak, Rhody co-president.
“This will be a lot of fun,” she said. “And we’ll have two cages on either side of the stage so people can go in there and dance their hearts out if they want.”
Music will be supplied by Louie’s World and will focus on the disco era, Bozak said.
The event is for adults only. Admission will be $10 per person and $15 for couples.
Secret recipe drinks
Bozak said two “secret recipe” drinks were developed by bartender Janet Emery and will be served exclusively at the dance.
The theme for this year’s May festival, which is in its 78th year, is “I Dream of Rhody,” Bozak said.
The disco dance is only the first in a series of fundraisers to subsidize the scholarship-based festival.
In its fourth year, the “Dude Looks Like a Lady” fundraiser will kick off Rhody Week, May 11-19, showcasing men dressed as women dancing for tips to benefit Rhody.
The date and time for “Dude Looks Like a Lady” currently is unscheduled, Bozak said.
The next scheduled event, the coronation of the royalty, will be at 5 p.m. March 16 at Chimacum High School.
One of the five contestants — Corinthia Cardona, 17; Yarro Lanphear Ramirez, 17; Kaila Olin, 17; Megan Walsh, 16; and Emma White Thunder, 18 — will be crowned as queen.
Increased
This year showed an increased interest in serving in the royal court, Bozak said; in recent years, only two or three competed.
“We are pleased that we have more contestants this year,” she added.
“Since this is a scholarship program, it isn’t easy to participate, and a lot of the kids who are suited to this don’t have a lot of spare time because they are keeping up their grades and doing a lot of volunteering.”
Returning this year will be the hair and beard contest, in which prizes will be given for the most outrageous follicular configurations.
For more information about Rhody events or to download a parade float application, visit www.rhodyfestival.org.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.