After two Valentine’s Days in lockdown, lucky couples (and hopeful singles) everywhere will be happy to hear that Valentine’s Day events are back in the Valley. This year, dances will be held in both Ormstown and Saint Anicet and they are open to all who are looking for a way to celebrate.
The Saint-Anicet Optimist Club is hosting its dance on February 11 at the Saint-Anicet Community Centre, starting at 5:30 p.m. Club member Sylvain Gascon explains, “For one of our first post-pandemic activities we expect 80 participants. [It’s] a local outing, … here in Saint-Anicet, [with] free parking, a linguini meal, and dancing.” Carole Ethier, the president of the Optimist Club, chose the theme of “Queen of Hearts” for this year’s dance. Tickets are $45 for the dinner and dance; they can be reserved by calling Ethier at 450-822-0839.
In Ormstown, the Valentine’s dance will take place on February 10 at the Ormstown recreation centre from 7-11 p.m. This event is free for all who want to come. The night will be DJ’d by DJ Fritz, who has been providing music to Valley parties for 38 years. About this year’s activities he says, “These past couple of years through the pandemic have been rough on people. I find it important to bring back the social activities and interaction amongst friends and family.” Gascon echoes this by saying it’s important to “socialize with friends and neighbours for a special occasion!”
Dances are tied into the Valley’s community spirit. They are a way to celebrate together. Ormstown organizer Zoe Gillies says, “When I was a young adult, I used to go out dancing a lot. I always loved it. But as the years went by, especially with COVID, we see less and less dancing opportunities.” Dances like this help us reconnect, especially after coming out of such a long isolation period.
DJ Fritz says it best: “I am hoping that the Valentine’s dance will bring many people from the community in to have a fun night of dance, games, and laughter.” Being able to gather and dance together once again seems like a perfect way to celebrate this love-themed holiday.
