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Contact: Jennifer Cox, 732-872-5914 WHO: Gateway National Recreation Area and the Army Ground Forces Association (AGFA) WHAT: World War II-era Swing Dance to celebrate the music and entertainment of 1943. Suggested donation: $15. WHEN: May 19, 2012 (Saturday evening) 7:00 P.M. - 10:30 P.M., with an introductory swing dance lesson 7:00 P.M. - 7:30 P.M. WHERE: The Chapel at Fort Hancock Historic District, Sandy Hook Unit, Gateway National Recreation Area, located at 35 Hartshorne Drive, Fort Hancock, N.J. Do you ever feel nostalgic for the patriotism, camaraderie, dance, music and fashions of earlier eras when you watch black-and-white movies? If you do, then come and step back into May 1943 for a few hours and experience some of the "homefront" life of Monmouth County. Members of the park's volunteer historical interpretation group, the Army Ground Forces Association, are hosting their first-ever World War II-era swing dance to celebrate the music and entertainment of a bygone era. Dance to the classic swing of the early 1940's big band sound with live music provided by Swingadelic, the New York City-area's greatest "little big band" delivering traditional big band sounds. Period attire is encouraged but not required. This event is a fundraiser for a park volunteer historical association, the Army Ground Forces Association (AGFA), which is preserving, restoring and interpreting Fort Hancock's history during World War II. Donations cover the band, light refreshments and AGFA's on-going restoration projects. AGFA is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization. You can see their work on-line at www.armygroundforces.org. The swing dance is part of the annual Coastal Defenses Weekend at Fort Hancock, Sandy Hook, which includes an evening lantern tour on Friday May 18 and Coastal Defenses Day Sunday May 20. About Gateway National Recreation Area Established in 1972, Gateway National Recreation Area offers more than 26,000 acres of marshes, wildlife sanctuaries and recreational athletic facilities, miles of sandy beaches; indoor and outdoor classrooms; picnicking and camping areas, as well as historic structures and military installations, airfields, a lighthouse, and adjacent waters around New York harbor. The park offers urban residents in two states a wide range of recreational opportunities year round. With more than nine million visitors a year, it is the third most visited national park in the country. For information about Gateway's upcoming public programs, see the park's Web site at https://www.nps.gov/gate/index.htm or follow us on Twitter@GatewayNPS -NPS- |
Last updated: February 26, 2015