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As the late, great Patrick Swayze said in the film, ‘Nobody puts Baby in a corner!’
From Staff Reports
LAKE LURE — The 9th Annual Lake Lure Dirty Dancing Festival, celebrating the 1987 cult classic movie that was partially filmed at the lake, will feature a potpourri of activities — especially showcasing dancing and live beach and soul music — in Morse Park Meadows on Aug. 24-25.
For dancing, including the many and varied group lessons that will be offered, a tented basketball court in the park will provide a sizable dance floor.
Last year, the Dirty Dancing Festival celebrated the 30th anniversary of the film and commemorated the 65th birthday of its star, Patrick Swayze, who played the part of Johnny. Jennifer Grey was his co-star as Baby. (Swayze died in 2009 of pancreatic cancer.)
Only 3,000 tickets will be available.
“Named the “Number 1 Most-Watched Film by Women” by the BBC News, ‘Dirty Dancing’s’ impact on pop culture remains timeless,” a press release stated. “Named one of the top 10 most beautiful man-made lakes in the world by National Geographic, Lake Lure is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Located about 27 miles from Asheville, Lake Lure sits in the Hickory Nut Gorge, surrounded by lush mountain tops and sheer granite cliffs.”
The festival will begin on the evening of Aug. 24, highlighted by a free lakeside screening of the original movie on a giant inflatable screen, beginning at 9 p.m. Attendees are urged to bring lawnchairs, blankets, sunscreen ... and insect repellent.
Other Aug. 24 events will include two 5:30 p.m. events — a shag social and a performance by the Lake Lure Cloggers. And at 6:30 p.m., The Extraordinaires, a Hickory-based band, will perform “variety, funk, dance and beach” music.
Then, throughout the day on Aug. 25, festival-goers will “have the time of your life,” according to an event press release, with live music, dancing, watermelon-carrying, art, food, beer, wine and the lake lift competition finale,
The Aug. 25 events — in chronological order — include the following:
• Between 9 and 5 p.m., (periodically), the Asheville Ballet will perform dance segments from the film.
• 9:15 a.m., the band The Prophets, featuring Gene Pharr, will perform soul and beach music.
• Noon, the Flashback Party Band will perform beach music and oldies.
• 1:30 p.m., the Amateur Shag Competition will begin.
• 2 p.m., the Silk Groove Band will perform beach and soul music.
• 3 p.m., rehearsals begin for Kellerman’s Talent Show.
• 3:45 p.m., Kellerman’s Talent Show begins.
• 5 p.m., the Lake-Lift Competition will conclude the festival.
• 6-11 p.m., a Dirty Dancing After Party, to be held lakeside at Rumbling Bald Resort, will feature a 10-piece brass band, dancing and a beach cookout. Admission is free.
Also, throughout the festival, author Sue Tabashnik will be participate in a “meet and greet” with festival-goers.
She is the award-winning writer behind the Dirty Dancing tribute books and the Patrick Swayze legacy tribute book.
She also will sign books — and her books will be available for sale throughout the festival.
“And don’t miss Sue’s special stage appearance on Friday night before the Lakeside screening of the movie!” the event organizers noted.
Tickets for adults (age 11 and older) are $25 in advance through July 31 — and $30 online after Aug 1 and at the gate, if tickets remain.
For children ages 4-10, tickets are $10/advance — and $15 after Aug 1.
Paid parking will be available in two nearby lots — 3105 Memorial Highway and 2556 Memorial Highway — with shuttle included.
Free parking also will be available along the lake, enabling attendees to walk to the festival via the boardwalk.
For those buying tickets online, the festival’s website is www.dirtydancingfestival.com.
The festival benefits the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, to help find a cure, as a tribute to Swayze, the film’s late star.
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