Firehouse Red and White Ball with Gaslamp Quarter Jazz Orchestra

This is a late warning, but live music is worth announcing. I cant remember dancing to the tunes of this orchestra, but large bands are usually good.

Firehouse Swing is the major swing event in San Diego, the one right after the First Saturday Swing by attendance, and the only major weekly one (Thursdays). The event website is firehouseswingdance.com/, Facebook page is at facebook.com/TheFirehouseSwingDance/.

The event is quite beginner-friendly.

Logistics: due to live music, $22 to dance, $25 for class+dance, punch cards discounts possible. The first class (beginner only) starts at 7PM, other two classes (beginner and intermediate) are at 8PM, dance starts at 9PM. The dancing goes on until 11PM.

Over a hundred dancers are frequently present with the skills ranging from absolute beginners to advanced. Since this dance party is very beginner-friendly, the percentage of the beginner follows is higher than the typical one for San Diego (would expect the same to hold true for the leads, but simply do not know).

The location:

This is not your regular neighborhood dance studio, but one of the best dance floors in the city, with the quality of the dance surface the best I have seen so far in San Diego. Large area, no obstacles, and just the right condition of being smooth but not slippery. This floor deserves your best dance shoes. The ceiling is high, ventilation superb, air conditioning works well, mirrors and lighting (including disco lights) create the necessary mood. The seating is arranged at the tables along the two side walls and is sufficient for about 80 dancers. Large parking right in front of the building lot provides free parking in the evening. If it is full, the parking situation is trickier, and I did not yet figure it out (but other people did, and told no horror stories).

Overall, a great event to attend. The only reason I do not announce it more often is my schedule that usually keeps me away from SD on Thursdays.