St. Ambrose Cellars Barn Dance to Raise Funds for GTRLC’s Elberta Waterfront Project
Harvest some fun in Beulah [updated 9/20/24] on Saturday, September 21 — now with an extra incentive to kick up your heels.
Megan Gray, an Elberta resident and Village planning commission member, is also on staff at everyone’s favorite pollinator-based emporium, Beedazzled, and she has created some synergy (one might say buzz) concerning St. Ambrose Cellars and the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy’s bid to acquire 35 acres in Elberta. (More about this project here and here.)
I emailed Cory Woessner, the marketing director at St. Ambrose, to get some intel on the upcoming Barn Dance event. (This guy seems like he likes his job.)
How long has the Barn Dance been going on, and does it always give some proceeds to a cause? What causes have received proceeds in the past?
Cory Woessner: The “Barn Dance,” previously known as “The Crush,” has been going on since the opening of the tap room in 2014. Due to Covid, there were a few years where we weren’t able to have the party, but we came back in 2022 and that’s when we started calling it the Barn Dance. Since then, we also decided to make it a fundraising event, starting with Zonta in 2022, and Benzie Animal Control (specifically the shelter, since we all love our pets here at St. Ambrose) in 2023.
How did you guys decide to give some proceeds to the GTRLC’s Elberta Waterfront Community Conservation Project this year?
This year we looked at many different organizations, and the one that really caught our attention, thanks to Megan Gray, was the Elberta Waterfront Community Conservation Project. Most of us grew up in this area and know how important access to the waterfront is. Growing up in Empire, I was lucky that so much of the surrounding area was part of the National Park and couldn’t be developed. I enjoyed countless days and nights playing on the dunes, swimming in the lakes, and hiking the trails the way it should be. By supporting this project, we help secure a future where the natural beauty of the area is preserved for generations to come.
It starts at 2; how late will it go?
The Barn Dance typically goes until 9 pm. This year, we’re bringing even more entertainment, with three bands instead of our normal two. Doors open at 2 pm with the first band, Jelly Roll Blues Band, at 3 pm. Then we have K. Jones & the Benzie Playboys at 5pm, followed by Jazz North (aka the Tundra Tones, a rock, R&B, and funk band with a little jazz) at 7 pm. These times are tentative and not exact start times.
Any special tips or tricks for attendees to make the event extra fun?
Make sure to bring lawn chairs. We will have our picnic tables out, but they fill up fast. This is also a "No Dog" event. We love our four-legged friends, but to keep them safe from being stepped on, we ask that people leave them home for the night. Also, bring a sweatshirt or jacket if you’re planning on staying the whole day.
Hope to see you at the Barn Dance!
Cover is $8 (free for people under 21), but you can donate more and help GTRLC meet its ambitious $19.5 million land purchase price goal — and beyond! The conservancy has built in a plan for an endowment that will cover property taxes and maintenance costs for the new 16-acre public waterfront park (which currently little ol’ Elberta can’t really afford). The first big deadline, for the purchase price, is December 15, and when I last checked, they had about $4 million to go.
If you’re curious to learn more about the project, the GTRLC will have a volunteer tabling at the Barn Dance, and there will be some remarks between music sets, according to Erin Anderson Whiting, the conservancy’s senior charitable giving specialist.
Speaking for myself, I’m grateful to Megan and Cory and the whole team at St. Ambrose for really putting the fun in fundraise for this cause, and offering a way for our whole Benzie hive to help mead the goal.
No? OK, but don’t pun-ish me by showing up on the eve of the autumn equinox without your dancing shoes.
Great work, Megan!!