The weather is warming, nature is in full bloom, it’s a perfect time to dance… outside. The St. Louis area is a rarity in the United States. We have large, active ballroom, latin, and swing groups that infiltrate and accentuate the various other cultural events St. Louis has to offer. Of those offerings, the wineries in the Augusta / Defiance and Ste Genevieve areas serve up a plethora of opportunities for a relaxing weekend.
What You’ll Find
Great wines, relaxing atmospheres, live music, and lots of smiles
What You Won’t Find
Large, wooden floors, or strict tempo ballroom music
About the Music
The majority of the music at the various wineries in the area is going to be by local folk bands who play a mixture of rock, country, bluegrass, and pop hits from the 60′s, 70′s, 80′s, and sometimes 90′s. Occasionally you will find someone as popular as Hudson and the Hoo Doo Cats making an appearance. It’s doubtful that you will be exercising your waltz or fox trot skills, but you can often find people swing dancing, will sometimes see a rumba, cha cha, or mambo, and the occasional meringue will even surface.
Popular Hot Spots with Live Music Regularly
- Sugar Creek (http://www.sugarcreekwines.com/)
- Blumenhof (http://www.blumenhof.com/)
- Mount Pleasant (http://www.mountpleasant.com/)
- Montelle (http://www.montelle.com/)
Personally, I’ve had the most dancing luck at Blumenhof, though Sugar Creek has live music (and my favorite wine) nearly every weekend during the season.
Be sure to call ahead or check out web sites before embarking if dancing is your goal.
Tags: 2010