The Georgefest Groove
You Can Dance if You Want To: How one very likable festival brand may have been boosted by a city’s attempt to suppress public dancing
Georgefest is a nightlife event held at Historic Downtown St. George, Utah, on the first Friday of every month from 6 p.m. to midnight. Established in 2014, the event is the first of its kind in southern Utah and was created to celebrate the best of local artists, entertainers and live musicians. What event organizers did not see coming was the early success of the event.
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The news article continued: “The spoof apparently stems from the city’s actions over a disputed dance permit for a Monster Mash party on Oct. 24 hosted by Heart of Dixie Events LLC at Fiesta Fun Center in St. George; St. George Police showed up with a strong presence to ensure no dancing took place.”
Perhaps the everyday acts of singing and dancing, paired with the city’s desire to control residents regarding the act, is what fueled so much community support for Georgefest – an event designed to promote live music, dancing, gathering at the center of town for enjoying the company of friends and neighbors. For dancing to be allowed at a public event, city permits require an event application and approval for the request to dance.
Whatever the reason, St. George has taken Georgefest under its wing, and it is apparent the venue will not be disappearing any time soon. According to Hamilton, event permits are approved and in place for many events to come. Additionally, St. George City police officers can often be seen walking and biking the venue engaging in friendly interaction with event attendees and even posing for selfies with attendees of all ages.
And worth final mention, each month at the center of downtown St. George, there is plenty of dancing. Georgefest has even gone so far as to hire its own maestro of boogie, DJ Spinz, who is community famous for keeping the party hopping. At Georgefest, you can dance if you want to.
Discussion:
- In a tourist destination that offers many outdoor recreation opportunities like hiking, biking, golfing and water boarding, why do you think Georgefest has quickly worked its way to the top of “things to do” lists in southern Utah?
- What pop culture artifacts contribute to the popularity of Georgefest?
- Do you think the parallel to Kevin Bacon’s “Footloose” is a fair attachment to make to St. George City?