Frostproof Celebrates 3rd Annual Fall Street Dance
by James Coulter
Neither rain nor deadly pandemic nor divisive election results could prevent Frostproof residents from dancing in the street on Saturday evening. Nearly a hundred local residents and guests congregated along North Wall Street in front of the Ramon Theater in Downtown Frostproof for the third annual Frostproof Fall Street Dance.
Providing live musical entertainment on the stage was Shell Shocked, a dueling piano duo that often performs in the Orlando area, specifically at Disney Springs and Universal CityWalk. Such a lively musical duo offered high octane metropolitan musical flavor to the rural small town that evening.
When not busy dancing and singing along to live music, attendees could grab a bite to eat from one of three food trucks including Cuppa Joe and Smokin Ox. They could also enjoy a street performance by fire eater and juggler Flaming Joe.
The evening forecast was cloudy with a chance of showers. While the rain may have kept some people away earlier that evening, nothing could stop the dedicated locals from enjoying an annual fall tradition. Not even the COVID-19 crisis and tumultuous election could sour people’s moods.
“We love bringing the community together, especially for a night like this during an election,” said Austin Gravely, City Council Member and the event’s main organizer. “Coming together, it don’t matter if you are a Republican or a Democrat. It is nothing like that. It is strictly a community.”
For the past three years, the street dance has been bringing the local townsfolk together. The tradition started shortly after the town’s 100th anniversary three years ago when hanging lights were hung over North Wall Street. Ever since, they have been making good use of the lighted streetscape with these events.
This year’s fall street dance was hosted with funding from the City of Frostproof, as well as sponsors like Iceberg Cooling and Elite Lawn & Landscaping. Another street dance will be planned around mid-February for Valentine’s Day. As with the Fall Street Dance, this will likewise be the third annual event for the spring.
“It is something we started years ago, and we want to keep it going as long as people keep coming out,” Gravely said. “The rain has kept some people away, but obviously, as you see now, it was a good turnout.”
Leslie Brewer, another City Commissioner, loves the overall nostalgia the event evokes. She remembers when similar street dance parties were hosted back in the day, and being able to attend dances today bring back fond childhood memories.
“[I love] seeing everybody come out of all ages, small kids, the older adults that have come here with all the variety of entertainment that we have here tonight,” Brewer said. “We put a lot of effort into giving something for the community to come to, something that doesn’t necessarily cost them money, but just get everybody together to get that small town spirit going and keep it alive.”
