Swing dancing. Live music. Craft beer. Interactive art. Food trucks. Contests. Cocktails. Classic cars. These are a few of the things that make Palm Desert’s only swing dance/craft beer themed event so diverse, unique, and fun. Every year from November through May, the City of Palm Desert offers a variety of fun – and FREE – events. One event each month is highlighted as their featured event. For the month of February, that event is Swing ‘N Hops, making a return for its fourth year. In this unseasonably cold February, this popular event was rescheduled due to heavy rain and instead of happening on the first weekend of the month, is now THIS Saturday, February 23 from 1-5 pm. This outdoor street party celebrating swing dance, craft beer, and art happens on El Paseo, which will be closed between San Pablo Avenue and Larkspur Lane, for the free four-hour dance party that transports guests to a time when swing was king.
Joining the Swing ‘N Hops stage for the first time are The San Andreas Sisters, a 7-piece band with a trio of talented female singers. These ladies will be singing the classic tunes of the swing era, as you jump and jive out on the dance floor. For swing newbies, free dance instruction will be available during the event, courtesy of The Limónadas Dance Company. Attendees are encouraged to revive the glamour of the swing era by wearing fun fashion representative of the 1920s through 1940s. Hair styling by Sherry Mesa the Salon will be on hand to help the ladies with their pin-up victory rolls. There will be a costume contest and a swing dance contest with great prizes including restaurant gift certificates, hotel getaways, golf outings, and more.
Local brews from Coachella Valley Brewing Company and La Quinta Brewing Company will be available for purchase along with a large selection of other adult beverages provided by Trio Catering. Hungry party-goers can grab some delicious food from one of the food trucks with a variety of street fare – hot dogs, ice cream, and even vegan tamales! In addition to a multitude of food and retail vendors, attendees will be able to get creative at interactive art exhibits and children’s craft booths throughout the event. People can challenge their friends to a little competition with lawn games – there will be Jenga, cornhole, Connect 4, lawn dice, and more! Back by popular demand are the classic autos from the swing era courtesy of Jerry Martin and El Paseo Cruise Night.
Event attendees will also have the opportunity to win a pair of tickets to the 2019 Stagecoach Country Music Festival. Marker Broadcasting will be onsite, with a live remote from the event where attendees can register to win. Winner must be present at the time of the drawing.
For more information on Swing ‘N Hops visit www.swingnhopspd.com and for all other First Weekend events, visit www.discoverpalmdesert.com/first-weekend/
See you this Saturday on El Paseo from 1-5 pm!
