The joy of having a daughter was evident when nearly 200 dads took their daughters on a special date Friday.
It was quite a fun party as little girls bopped and hopped with their dads at the Daddy Daughter Sweetheart Dance at the H-F Sports Complex.
For this special night, the girls, decked out in their fancy dresses, shiny shoes and hair done up with bows and ribbons, had their special guy open doors for them and take their coats. These gents came in suits and ties to make that special impression.
The shyness wore off once the music started and the girls mingled with school friends. Their energy was contagious as the dads on the dance floor forgot their inhibitions and kept up with every move, twisting low to the floor, clapping hands to the beat, swinging their daughters to the tempo and tossing red and white balloons.
In another room, it was craft time, picture time and break time for a quick refreshment.
The annual event, hosted by the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District, drew quite a crowd: 132 girls ages 4 to 8 for the 6:30 to 8 p.m. party, and 67 girls ages 9 to 13 for the 8:30 to 10 p.m. dance.
Many of the couples were repeaters. “She loves it,” said Nathan Lockwood of Homewood, who came for the third time with his six-year-old daughter, Mikaela.
Anthony Mootry said his daughter, Anaya, 6, considers it one of her favorite events of the year. The Flossmoor couple was also at the dance for the third time.
Photos by Marilyn Thomas/The Chronicle
