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BY NIC MILLER
STAR STAFF
nic.miller@elizabethton.com

After a long year and a half full of quarantine and staying home, events are finally coming back into full swing and the Elizabethton Parks and Recreation Department plan to host two indoor events during the month of February.

The first of these events, the Super Bowl-themed Family Valentine’s Dance, is similar to an event that the Parks and Recreation Department has hosted before COVID-19 shut down the nation.

“We are kind of playing off the idea of a daddy-daughter Valentine’s Day Dance, but we are trying to incorporate the whole family. Every year we choose a different theme, and this year’s theme will be the Super Bowl, since that game falls so close to that weekend,” said Parks and Recreation Program and Special Events Coordinator Kelly Kitchens.

“The last year we were able to host this event was in 2020, and we were able to host the dance just before everything got shut down,” Kitchens said. “This year, we encourage attendees to dress up and show up in their cheerleading uniforms and football jerseys. We also expect that we will have some parents that come dressed as referees to complete the atmosphere.”

Dressing up is not required for those attending the event, but it is encouraged.

There will be a live DJ in attendance as well as “heavy refreshments” for all to enjoy as well as finger foods.

The Super Bowl-themed Family Valentine’s Dance will take place on two separate days, with Thursday, Feb. 10, being an event that is sensory friendly and will include accommodations for those who need it.

“This is something we have also done in the past, and what we do is keep the lights on as well as keep the music at a lower level. We do all of this for our guests that may need a quieter and calmer environment, but still want to have a good time,” Kitchens said.

The night after, Friday, Feb. 11, will feature an installment of the dance that Kitchens said in years past has usually consisted of 100 to 200 attendees.

Both nights, the dance will take place from 6. until 8 p.m. at the Parks and Recreation Department Recreation Center at 300 West Mills Street in Elizabethton.

Admission is free and everyone is invited to attend.