Sock hop at Cannery will take guests back to the past

Iron your poodle skirts and dust off those saddle shoes, because the Cannery and radio station KJUL-FM, 104.3 plan to take guests back in time at their first Spring Fling Sock Hop.

The dance will be in The Club at the Cannery, 2121 E. Craig Road, North Las Vegas, from 8 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. It will feature music baby boomers will remember, dance contests and a costume contest for the best sock hop attire.

Ron Dante, known for his lead vocals on the Archies' hit "Sugar, Sugar," will perform with his new band, the Mellowtones.

The Wonderelles revue, along with Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods also are scheduled to perform. Among the hits for Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods are "Billy Don't Be A Hero," "The Heartbreak Kid" and "Who Do You Think You Are."

Kathie Spehar, entertainment director for Cannery Casino Resorts, says the event will remind those who grew up during the 1950s and 1960s of those Friday night dances high schoolers attended.

"That's what they did back then, because there was nothing else to do," Spehar says.

The dances were held in school gymnasiums so kids would take their shoes off to avoid scuffing the floor, says KJUL disc jockey and sock hop host, Scott Gentry.

The radio station has had a Spring Fling in partnership with the Cannery since 2002 but those events featured big band performances.

The sock hop, Gentry says, is "for the benefit of the baby boomers. The big band theme was pretty popular but it was waning some, and we haven't done much for the baby boomers. Sock hops are fun because people remember that from high school."

As host, Gentry will dress up as a school principal and interact with guests. The theme will prevail throughout the casino, with many employees dressing in retro garb. The bar also will serve chocolate, strawberry and vanilla milkshakes.

Prizes will include dinner in Waverly's at the Cannery and buffet coupons, among others, Spehar says.

Admission is $10 at the door.

Contact reporter Sonya Padgett at spadgett@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4564.