Summer Solstice becomes Stardust
Summer Solstice Swing Dance Festival was created by Sugar Swing in 2013. We felt it was time to make some changes to the event, taking the weekend in strong, new directions.
Let’s talk dates. Functionally, “Summer Solstice” should happen on, obviously, the dates of the summer solstice around June 21. Unfortunately, we’d only hit those dates 3 out of 7 years. Not to mention, many times it is “Father’s Day” on the Sunday. Some years too, it would compete with the “Big Sky” lindy hop weekend in Montana. The solstice dates are effectively a blessing and a curse. Easy to remember, but comes with problems. I decided that having flexibility year-over-year to select dates not necessarily on the Solstice would be a good thing. As a result, we can’t call it Summer Solstice if it may not be on the solstice.
Stardust has a nice ring to it, and the word makes us think of the outdoors and the night. Not only that, it has meaning to us. Stardust is the name of a beautiful song from 1927, composed and written by Hoagy Carmichael. It was Norma Miller’s favourite song, one of the greatest Lindy Hoppers of all time. She passed away on May 5, 2019 listening to this tune, 2-1/2 years after visiting Edmonton for Lindy Harvest in 2016. Her brief visit strengthened and changed our scene, and many of us are grateful to her for her kindness, generosity, and impression of jazz she left with us. Renaming to this melancholy tune is also a way to pay a small homage to Norma.
Other reasons for a re-brand were apparent too. Solstice was always intended to be a “dance exchange” and no classes; it had a history of being pleasantly ridiculous, not overly serious, and we daresay less mature. There was always a hot tub; silly activities like a cafe crawl and bathing suit contest; all-nighter dances; cabarets… many good things that a good-ol’ exchange gets you, and more. We’d like to keep some of those good things but also reconsider other activities. In reflection, Sugar Swing has evolved and it was time for Summer Solstice to change. We felt that a new name, new brand, and new approach would give us the “fresh start” we were yearning for.
2022 will be the kick-off year for Stardust Festival as we buck Covid and look to start dancing again. This first year, we’re simply making it a solid “live music weekend” with some amazing musicians playing. We’re keeping the activities light and fun, and we’ll be utilizing the outdoors in Edmonton’s beautiful July. Come join us!