By DAVE DOMESCIK | Staff Writer

PELHAM –  Pelham mothers and sons got the chance to don their best cowboy attire and hit the dancefloor on Friday, Feb. 7 at the Pelham Senior Center’s inaugural Mother/Son Blue Jean Ball.

The Western-themed event featured food from Texas Roadhouse, country music and dancing in a night that was an ode to America’s frontier.

The event was open to mothers and sons aged 5 to 12 and ran from 6-8 p.m. Along with Western-inspired attire, corsages and boutonnieres were provided.

Alicia Walters, the assistant director at Pelham Parks and Rec, believed the event was a great opportunity for mothers and sons to celebrate their bond, and shared a special moment from the evening that encapsulated the event.

“Our first annual Mother/Son Blue Jean Ball was a huge success, and we had a blast,” Walters said. “It was fun to see everyone dressed up in their best cowboy boots and hats. Watching the boys dance with their moms was special, at one point in the evening I was by one of our youngest attendees and I asked him if he wanted to ask his mom to dance. He just smiled, reached out his little hand and asked her to dance.”

Walters added that the feedback from attendees was generally positive.

“We have received very positive feedback about the event,” Walters said. “A few moms commented how much they appreciated this event since there are not a lot of opportunities for mothers and sons to participate together. Another mom told me her boys had so much fun and loved the activities we had planned so there was more than just dancing.”

The Pelham Senior Center, according to Walters, provided a great ambiance for the event.

“We had so much fun decorating for this event,” Walters said. “The Senior Center was a perfect venue in that we had space for a wonderful meal, picture opportunities and plenty of room to show off dance moves. When planning the event, I knew we needed a few activities to run alongside the dancing. In the different rooms we had tattoos, a boot craft, “guess how many” games and a lasso your horse (game).”

Walters also believes events like these are integral for strengthening the sense of community in Pelham.

“Our department believes offering events is key to building and bringing a community together,” Walters said. “We offer a variety of events throughout the year. These events provide folks the opportunity to come together, meet new friends, hear a new band, explore a new park or facility or just relax and enjoy the outdoors.”

With the success of this year’s Mother/Son Blue Jean Ball, Walters is already looking ahead to the future.

“I can see a second Annual Mother/Son Blue Jean Ball in our future,” Walters said. “The one thing about keeping the event on the smaller side is we are able to focus on each participant and make the evening really special. We had 30 sons and 28 moms in attendance at the event. We are already excited about next year and looking at different themes.”