AMESBURY — Grab the poodle skirt, saddle shoes and slick back the hair or tie it up in a pony tail — oh, and don't forget the kids — for the 1950s outdoor Sock Hop and Ice Cream Party tonight as part of Amesbury Days. Shake, rattle and roll, or twist on over to the Millyard Amphitheatre in downtown Amesbury from 6 to 8 p.m. for a watermelon-eating and bubble-blowing contest for the children and a hot-eating contest for adults.
"We expect this to be a big, successful, colorful event," said Amesbury Days Chairwoman Kate Broughton. "There will be something for everyone."
All those in 1950s dress will be considered for the first-ever reign as King and Queen of Amesbury Days. The costumed D.J. provided by Sound Wave's David Frongillo will be spinning the discs to favorite '50s dance hits.
Local ice cream vendors Maggie Sundae and Cherry Bomb will be set up to sell some tasty frozen concoctions.
Advance registration is required for the watermelon and hot dog contests. To sign up, get an application and complete rules, visit the contact page at Amesbury Day's website: www.amesburydays.org/contact-2/ or call 1-978-378-3111. For late-breaking announcements (rain delays, cancellations, etc.), go to Twitter@amesburydays and click the link at the far right.
Broughton expects Amesbury Days' largest turnout of about 3,000 on Saturday night for The Brew band, playing the grand finale at Amesbury Town Park. Their purely original sound combines the majesty of Queen with the nuance of Steely Dan, according to the website. A YouTube video of their music is available online at the Amesbury Days website: www.amesburydays.org/category/events.
The Amesbury Days Recycling Regatta event has been canceled. The Wines in the Pines event, scheduled for last Sunday evening, was canceled due to rain. The committee is planning to reschedule this relaxing evening for September.
Amesbury Days is a long-standing tradition dating back to the first town festival in 1899, according to their website. Little is known about that first celebration except that it began as a one-day outing at Lake Gardner for the employees of the town's various mills. The Second Annual Outing of the Merchants and Manufacturers of Amesbury was held on Aug. 8, 1900, and was promoted as "Amesbury Days at Hampton Beach."
The festival was later brought back to the center of town. This year marks 42 years of Amesbury Days in its present form, having expanded from a one-day picnic to a series of events taking place at various locations and venues annually from June 30 through July 9.
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