Overview

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The ASSDF has a yearly fall festival dance in a different Arkansas city, usually around the second weekend of October, which is usually on Columbus Day Weekend. There is a Trail-In Dance on Thursday night (separate admission at the door)...then the Friday night and Saturday night dances with Arkansas' Callers And Cuers. National Callers who may be passing through the region are welcome to attend, but they are volunteering their calling time, as are all the Arkansas callers and cuers. On Saturday morning, there is the ASSDF Delegates Meeting at 9am Saturday morning, plus the afternoon and evening dancing to Arkansas' Callers And Cuers. There's also line dancing, door prizes, a Teacup Auction, plus possibly Split The Pot, at the weekend.

All clubs are requested to provide Gift Baskets for the dance, which will be auctioned off, with a minimum bid that they place on it. There will also be used square dance items for sale at the festival. Further details on the sale items are located here.

NOTE THAT ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES OF ANY KIND ARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED AT THE DANCE WEEKEND...in the Gift Baskets or otherwise. This is because having alcoholic beverages at a square or round dance or festival, is in VIOLATION of the ASSDF By-Laws. Square and Round Dancing are designed as HOLSUM, FAMILY ACTIVITIES, and it is the DUTY of all dancers to see that it REMAINS THAT WAY. There was an apparent miscommunication with the clubs and the gift baskets at the 2019 Fall Festival (some had wine, etc.)...and steps will be taken to see that doesn't occur in future years.

Note that Proper Square Dance Attire is REQUIRED at the evening dances (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings)...although casual attire is OK for the Friday and Saturday daytime dances, and daytime dance level workshops. Note that depending on participation, there may or may not be vendors at the weekend. There will be an All Female Fashion Show on Saturday afternoon at 4:30pm.

It's worth noting that ''While visitors can watch the dance at no charge, the moment they step on the dance floor to dance, they become dancers...and will be expected to pay the at door registration fee (for Friday and Saturday), and, if they attend the Thursday Night Trail-In Dance, a separate fee payable at the door. If not, they will be asked to leave the dance floor, and the premises''...because of liability and insurance issues. Lastly, there is a CHANGE in the fee structure for the 2019 Festival, and that is noted here.

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2019 Fall Festival Wrapup

The Heber Springers and the Blue Belles And Beaus co-hosted the 70th ASSDF Fall Festival in Clinton, Arkansas, at the Van Buren County Fairgrounds, at 1827 Highway 16 East. Thursday night had a Trail-In Dance with a BBQ dinner...then 6 squares of dancers enjoyed the calling of Chuck Hastings and Phil Moorehouse. National Caller Jet Roberts (one of the top 5 callers in the country) called a fantastic Friday night dance to a floor of 9 squares. Originally scheduled National Caller Hunter Keller had to cancel due to a work conflict. Then, 13 squares danced to Arkansas' Callers And Cuers Friday afternoon, Saturday, and Saturday night.

There were door prizes, a teacup auction, split the pot, and a horse race...which gave a whole new meaning to WIN, PLACE, and SHOW -- the races were on Thursday and Friday night. As a side note, this would be a great idea for Graduation Dance.

Several items were discussed at the Delegates Meeting on Saturday...including the future of The Modern Square, future festivals (noted below), and the new slate of ASSDF Officers.

Special thanks to the Heber Springers and the Blue Belles And Beaus for co-hosting the weekend...Danny and Theresa Holley for all the work that they did...to all the callers, cuers, and line dancers who attended...and of course, to all the dancers who attended.

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Future Fall Festivals

It was voted on that the 2020 ASSDF Fall Festival would be in Texarkana, hosted by the Guys N' Dolls...and that the 2021 Fall Festival would return to Clinton, hosted by the Pioneers and the Heber Springers. Further details on both of these will be posted as soon as possible.

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