by Ardeana Hamlin
of The Weekly Staff
It’s Saturday night — the second Saturday of the month, to be precise. Members of the Saturday Nighters club are at home putting on ties and sports jackets, or little black dresses, high heels and sparkly jewelry. They are dressing up to go dining, to listen to a live band play music of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, and to enjoy an evening out socializing with other club members.
Although the Saturday Nighters club goes back to 1939, the history of its origins has faded with the passage of time. “It started as a group of local people who wanted to get together to have dinner and dance to live music — which was more prevalent back in the days before disc jockeys. And that has stayed the same over the years,” said Neil Ashton of Brewer, who with his wife, Jan, has been a club member for more than 16 years. For many years music for club outings was provided by the Woody Woodman Band.
In past years, club members dined and danced at the Penobscot Valley Country Club in Orono, Pilots Grill in Bangor, Alamoosook Lodge in Orland and Crazy Gil’s in Ellsworth. These days, and for the past several years, they gather at Jeff’s Catering in Brewer.
“[The club] has kept evolving all these years and it’s still alive,” said Susan Xirinachs of Brewer, who with her husband, Mike, has been a club member for 17 years. “I think a lot of people like ballroom dancing. We also do a 50-50 raffle every month, or give away gift certificates on special occasions. It’s a nice evening out, strictly social. Pleasant atmosphere, good food, easy parking. Dressing up is part of the fun of it. It’s a comfortable place to be and there’s always good conversation. It’s a unique club that has survived a lot of years.”
Dances are held October through May. A snowbird membership is available at half-dues for those who are away for the winter.
Mark and Jen Perry of Brewer currently serve as co-presidents of the club. “We discovered [the club] by accident,” Mark Perry said. “We were at another function — we heard this great, live music coming from an event next door, so we went there and asked what was going on and were told it was the Saturday Nighters.” They became club members two years ago.
Music for Saturday Nighters dances is provided by Brian Nadeau’s New Trad Septet or Brian Catell’s Jump City Jazz Quartet.
“The Saturday Nighters are a great organization,” Catell said. “It’s a lot of fun [to play for club members] because they are so appreciative of the music and they are there to dance. They are interested in socializing. They are dressed up and look great. It’s an opportunity to go out and have a nice time. There are no venues in the area that [offers that type of dining and dancing] so they created it themselves.”
“The music is danceable and not too loud,” Perry said. “Happy Hour begins at 5:30 p.m., dinner is at 6:30 p.m. and the dancing goes to 10:30 p.m. For people who work, that fits into their day.”
The Saturday Nighters, Perry said, are trying to hold onto the tradition of live music and ballroom dance. Some of the club’s members have taken swing dance lessons, but he and his wife haven’t. “We just fake it,” he said. “You don’t have to be Fred Astaire.” The dinner dances, Perry said, are a great place to make new friends and meet interesting people.
Faye and Al Ivers of Brewer agree.
“We have been members for 30 years, since 1985. It’s good to be with friends, to get out. We have met some great people. Everyone is dressed up, making it a special night,” said Faye Ivers.
Sixty couples currently are members of the club, ranging in age from late 40s to early 90s, Ivers said.
“We were the young ones when we started,” she said. “We look forward to it. We have a great meal and get to see friends we don’t see during the week. We’re planning to keep on dancing until they have to carry us out.”
People become club members by invitation of current members, said Ashton. “You don’t have to be an expert dancer, though some [members] are excellent dancers. Some are learning to dance and practice their steps there [at the dinner dances].”
On average, Ashton said, 50-100 people attend each dinner dance.
The Saturday Nighters have scheduled dinner dances for March 14, April 4 and May 9 at Jeff’s Catering.
Members pay a yearly dues to cover the cost of the band and other club expenses. Members also pay the cost of their dinners.
“It’s a good value,” Ashton said. “We have a lot of fun with it.”
“We would like to get more people to join us,” Perry said.
For information about joining the Saturday Nighters or to provide music for its dinner dances, call Mark and Jen Perry at 989-6282.