The Plant City Recreation and Parks Department’s dance fills up fast.
By Arden White | Staff Intern
The seventh annual Daddy Daughter Dance isn’t until February, but only 150 couples can attend — and the guest list fills up fast.
Registration begins Monday, Jan. 4, at the Plant City Recreation and Parks, 1904 S. Park Road, and goes until Friday, Feb. 12. The dance will be Saturday, Feb. 20, at the John R. Trinkle Center
The doors will open at 3:15 p.m. to give families the chance to take pictures together and allow the girls to receive flowers before the father figures and girls enter the event at 4 p.m. The guests then sit down at the dining tables to enjoy a catered meal while they watch the opening entertainment. It’s after this that the couples get the chance to dance together on the floor.
Although it is called the Daddy Daughter Dance, all dads and daughters, grandfathers and granddaughters, uncles and nieces, and father figures are invited to attend.
“We’ve sold out the past few years, and it’s what we hope and expect to do again this year,” Deborah Haldane, program manager, said. “It’s really such a great event because the girls and father figures get great quality time together.”
Throughout the night the recreation and parks staff will be taking pictures of each couple.
“My favorite part of the whole event is getting to see the precious moments the dads and daughters share together,” Haldane said.
The Daddy Daughter Dance has changed since it started.
Originally, the event was held at the Planteen Recreation Center and donated food from members of the community served as the guests’ meal. Since then, it has been moved to the John R. Trinkle Center and has catered food, along with a wide variety of entertainment.
“We love to have opening entertainment for the guests and have had various acts,” Haldane said. “We’ve had everything from magicians to Disney characters.”
The Plant City Recreation Department accepts cash, credit card or a check payable to the City of Plant City. Visit PlantCityGov.com or call (813) 659-4255.
Arden White is a student at Plant City High School and an intern for the Plant City Times & Observer.
