A father and daughter pose for a commemorative photo at the event.

GODFREY – For most little girls, their fathers are their heroes. They serve them as shoulder to cry when they’re sad, a source of all sorts of advice they need in their life and serve as a standard for all men that may come in their life down the road.

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Just in time for Valentine's Day, the Alton and Village of Godfrey Parks and Recreation Departments have joined together to host the inaugural Daddy-Daughter Dance Saturday night at the Godfrey Knights of Columbus Hall.

Dads danced the night away with their little girls at the even. Father figures such as dads, grandfathers, uncles, guardians and even brothers came out with their best girls to enjoy dancing to music on the dance floor, snapping some photos at the selfie station and creating their own picture frame for their commemorative photos.

The little girls dressed to the nines in their best attire, glimmering in sparkly dresses and cute shoes.

Some dads even went the extra mile for their little princesses, purchasing them flowers and corsages to make them feel extra special. Way to set the standard, dads!

Jessica Wiedman and Michael Haynes from the two departments took the lead in the planning and execution of the night’s event and was extremely excited with the end result.

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“Since our communities were so close, we decided that we could work together and throw it together, so here we are!” Wiedman said. “We honestly didn’t expect that we could reach this many people. We both even had waitlists for people still wanted to come but couldn’t fit in.”

“We’ve got so much fun stuff going on tonight,” Haynes said. “It’s a unique event for dads to get to spend time with their daughters, even if it is just for a couple of hours. A lot of times, some families don’t have just dad and daughters hanging out just by themselves, so it’s a great bonding opportunity.”

This dad purchased his three daughters roses. Guests snacked on cookies and appetizers while coloring special “daddy is my buddy” pages and other Valentine’s Day-themed treats.

Taking note from the Jerseyville and Edwardsville Parks and Recreation Departments, who have held successful dances over the years, the two departments realized the need for this type of event in their own back yards. Knowing now that the event had an excellent turn out, the two organizations will evaluate the best course of action in hosting the event next year, like offering more than one night to accommodate more people. 

Not only was the event extremely fun for the girls ages 3-12, but the dads seemed to cut loose as well. Dozens of fathers took the opportunity to showcase their best, and sometimes embarrassing, dance moves out on the floor. Of course, their daughters joined in on the action and showed their dads a thing or two on the floor, trying to keep them “up with the times,” exchanging their “robot moves” for the “whip and nay nay.”

Of course, when the slow songs began pouring over the speakers, the dads embraced their little girls and swayed from side to side, savoring the moments that they as well as their little princesses will remember forever. 

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