Shipwreck Dance

Yes, apparently there was a “shipwreck dance” over Labor Day weekend at the 55th-annual Pioneer Days in Englewood, Florida. According to the Herald-Tribune, residents “dress like survivors and head to the Shipwreck Dance.” The photograph above was taken at the first Shipwreck Dance in 1956. According to longtime Pioneer Days participant Bernie Reading: “You had to come dressed as if you were a shipwreck victim. Everyone was dressed in a ridiculous manner and really let their hair down.” Looks like a great time! In any case, the announcement for this year’s dance, posted on the Pioneer Days website, is worth quoting at length:

Shipwrecked in Englewood!

Come one, come all to the Pioneer Day’s Shipwreck Dance!

For the first time in 20 years, this historical event will take place- and at a location to be announced two weeks before the event.

“No one knows where the Ship will land”.On Saturday, September 3 from 7 pm to 11 pm, Englewood residents are invited to dress like a survivor and spend a few hours dancing & socializing.

Tickets are $20 each or $35 for a couple (2). The ticket price includes appetizers, buffet, souvenir mug, dancing, contests including “Best Dressed from Gilligan‘s Island”, games like Hula Hoop, Limbo and more! The theme is “shipwrecked in Englewood,” so start planning your costume and invite your friends and family!

No word yet on how it went. But shipwrecks seems to have been an underlying theme of the whole weekend–contestants in the cardboard boat race, according to Jean Airey, one of the organizers, “deliberately build a boat to sink so they can win the Titanic Award.” Sounds like it was quite the weekend!