The Pavilion Dance Series at Almont’s Three Rivers Resort is set for another summer of swing.
In 2024, the outdoor dances at the historic venue exceeded all expectations. The Pavilion hosted more than 75 dancers each night, and revived a lost piece of Gunnison’s heritage. Now, organizers Darcie Perkins and Lizzy Plotkin are gearing up for another nine-week series of two-step, waltz, swing and blues.
This season, the dance series will host another nine-week lineup, introducing artists from across the Western Slope, such as the Bruce Warren Trio out of Salida, and honkeytonk band Cryin’ Shame from Paonia. Similar to last year, the event will start with a dance lesson at 6 p.m. and live music will run from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
The series will run every Wednesday from June 11 - Aug. 6, opening with the swing and waltz music of the Opal Moon Band. Dance lessons and admission will cost $15 per night, while dancers under 21 get in free. Season passes are also available for $90.
For over 50 years, the hand-laid maple floors of the pavilion played host to community dances and live music. Polka bands from across the Western Slope traversed the dusty roads to entertain the miners, ranchers and families of the Gunnison Valley. Crested Butte and Gunnison locals rendezvoused at Almont for weekly dances from 1920 to the early 1970s.
But over time, the boot-stomping and galloping beat of horns and accordion faded into history. Last season, inspired by the writings of Gunnison author Polly Oberosler, Perkins dreamed of bringing back the community dances.
Perkins partnered with Three Rivers Resort, while Plotkin galvanized her network of local bands, ranging from bluegrass to folk and country. A partnership with the Gunnison County Substance Abuse Prevention Project (GCSAPP) granted free access to youth under 21, adding another layer to Perkins’ dream: an outlet for Gunnison Valley youth without the pressure of alcohol.
Straight out of the gate, crowds flooded into Almont for the dancing resurgence. Word started to spread, and for the entire summer, dancers spun along to local artists and songwriters such as Evelyn Roper, Chris Coady and Rachel VanSlyke.
“For the first couple of weeks, we were worried it would just be our families, our friends and the people we knew,” Plotkin said. “We filled half the capacity on the first night, and it never petered out.”
The dances attracted a wide demographic, hosting children, high school and college students, and grandparents. The community engagement led to Perkins and Plotkin planning for the upcoming summer.
“We saw grandparents dancing with their grandchildren or college students,” Perkins said. “We had folks in their 80s, saying the dances were alive like they hadn’t been since they were little. Where else in our community do we see old people moving their feet with young people?”
(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or alex@gunnisontimes.com.)
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