For the third year, dads and daughters – along with some grandfathers, great grandfathers, uncles and brothers thrown in – gathered to celebrate with a special evening of music, dance, food and fun on Friday, Feb. 7.
The Gene Bianchi Community Center played host to the ‘Boots and Bows’ dance party, complete with a DJ, chocolate fountain, face painting, plenty of food, raffle drawings and more.
“I think the word is getting out,” said Patrick Mondragon, who serves as one of the coordinators.
Over 300 tickets were sold, officials said, and a few lucky attendees got to get in at the last minute, showing up the day of the event.
“Oakdale Joint Unified (school district) is really good about getting the word out to all the schools,” Mondragon added of the father-daughter themed dance night drawing a variety of ages.
“We’ve kept the price affordable,” he added, with the cost of $30 per couple and $10 for each additional child coming in. “It’s not meant to be a fundraiser, just a community event and we really just want it to be a family friendly community event.”
Several volunteers were needed to put on the event, everything from coordinating and serving the food to taking the tickets, handling the face painting and making sure everything went smoothly.
For those that were on hand to enjoy all the festivities on Friday night, it seemed to be a great way to spend the evening, with everyone walking away happy.
“Getting treats,” eight-year-old Kennedy Seefeldt said when asked what she liked best about the night.
“Not hanging out with your dad?” questioned dad Mike.
“That, too,” Kennedy admitted.
Martinez DJ Service played the tunes, with dancers filling the floor at the Community Center, working their way in and around the tables, where other attendees were enjoying a variety of food and beverages. One of the most popular food items was the chocolate tower, where strawberries, pineapple and more were dipped into the sweet coating.
Six-year-old Kassidy Adams enjoyed the chocolate tower and spending some time with her grandfather, Christopher Bonora.
“She wanted to come and dad was not available,” he explained. “I am indeed enjoying it.”
Among those in the crowd, kicking up her heels, was Shyanne Clopton, 2019 Miss Rodeo Oakdale.
“I got invited and I love seeing all the girls, I like to talk to them about my horse, Turtle, and it’s really fun, I love this event,” said the 19-year-old Rodeo Queen.
Twirling around the dance floor, dad Kyle Ensminger and daughter Quinn, 5, were sharing plenty of smiles.
“We came two years ago, last year we didn’t but this year we are having fun, dad and daughter out on the town,” Ensminger said.
Kevin Gonzales was also enjoying the night with daughters Brixley, 3, and Brynnlin, 7, along with his dad Brandon and grandfather Gabe, accounting for four generations of the Gonzales family.
“We need a lot of this stuff,” Gabe Gonzales said. “It’s a great thing for the kids and good for the dads.”
