Updated February 20, 2010
URL is
www.tentativetimes.net/sweethrt/index.html
Mainstreet Fairmount's
2010 Sweetheart Dance
Page 1 of 3 pages
Mainstreet Fairmount, Indiana is one of idea guru/nationally recognized business coach John Schallert's ways to revitalize downtowns or small towns. Fairmount has about 3000 residents and all the charm of the 1950s. Many merchants and other Fairmounters held their first big event this February, 2010, in a severe snowstorm.
Photo by Nancy Allen
I write www.deaners.net and went to the wonderful dinner-dance with other Deaners, as we Dean fans call ourselves. We were welcomed like family and we all pitched in to warm up the freezing night with love and lasagna.
The band was Jazz Rolle Sextet, a six piece jazz ensemble from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana. The trumpeter is Mr. Rolle, from Haiti I think. They set to work to learn big band music for us. When they took the floor, they played non-stop for probably two hours. Well done, fellows, and we hope you can return. Hire this band if you can get them. It will be a smart move!
Many champion cooks brought their best desserts. The dessert table was like a state fair contest! Nancy Allen made a sugar-free cherry pie. The treats were labeled but not with the cook's names. They should add that next time. "Next time" will be a 4th of July event or possibly a chili cookoff.
Various generous Fairmounters cooked the lasagna and Nancy Allen made pumpkin lasagna for the vegetarians. They made two different salads and I think I remember bread. We had juice, iced tea, and coffee, People pitched in with china, so we had elegant tables with real silverware instead of plastic. It was not a buffet. We were served at the tables, with more attention than any restaurant ever gave its customers. Tickets cost only $15.00!
(Deaner) Roger Tappan, actor and DJ, appropriated my carnation for
this photo. Each lady received a red carnation. I ate mine,
of course. (I always pose for the camera with a flower held in my
teeth.)
Author
Ted Bernal Guevara
came from Indianapolis to sign his new novel,
Days of Slint, about James Dean. His publisher
suddenly delayed the book so Ted stayed to meet more Fairmounters
at the dance. We are impressed with Ted's dedication to his
art, just as we are impressed with James Dean's dedication to
acting. Ted is a Ball State University alumnus and I believe
he graduated from Marion (Indiana) High School. I can't wait for
the book to arrive! I don't know the name of the young lady
beside him.
MANY MORE PICTURES OF Y'ALL ON PAGES 2 AND 3. SEE LINKS BELOW.
Lenny Prussack and noted James Dean archivist David Loehr did the huge cardboard heart decorations. I don't know who supplied the enormous balloon arch, but they are probably still in bed trying to catch their breath. We Deaners hope you'll join in the next Mainstreet Fairmount event. If you know and love Fairmount, you can also contribute to the tree planting at the park, and donate to the snazzy new library. The old library that James Dean used is still there on Main Street, used by the library board for meetings and classes and office space.
David Loehr made this
poster for the dance. It should become a collector's item,
ahem. Here's the Dean link. The last time Jimmy
visited Fairmount, where he grew up, he stopped in at the
Fairmount High School Valentine Dance. His picture at that
dance is on the poster here.
February 8 is also James Dean's
birthday. So instead of our regular birthday party for James
Dean that weekend, we joined with Mainstreet Fairmount who kindly
moved their dance up a week to "our" weekend. It worked out
splendidly!
PAGE TWO of the Sweetheart Dance
PAGE THREE of the Sweetheart Dance
Links Out (but read all three Sweetheart pages first)
Mainstreet Fairmount is on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Main-Street-Fairmount-Indiana/190037074598
You need to join FaceBook to read it but I expect this page will
give you some contacts too.
Jon and Tony Tucker's Antiques Mall in Fairmount
Helping Hands in Fairmount, Indiana
Fairmount Historical Museum NEWLY REDESIGNED WEBSITE!
The town of Fairmount, Indiana
This event is entered into history here by
Sandra Weinhardt of
www.tentativetimes.net
who is responsible for all errors, omissions and photos of
questionable quality. No, my husband
Bill Weinhardt took some of the pictures too.