Sumner Ave. Street Dance returns for 45th year
The annual Sumner Ave. Street Dance will return to Washington for its 45th installment, offering a family-friendly and energetic evening of music.
The dance runs from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday on Sumner Avenue.
Organizer Monika Williams’ mother, Sandra Walden, began the dance alongside her neighbor Peggy Patterson Calloway in 1981 as a way for local kids to have fun in the summer, which created a beloved Washington institution.
Williams took over the dance after the death of Walden and Calloway, and ran the event until she had to temporarily step back from her leadership position following a surgery in 2019.
She said after considering permanently handing off the event, she received a deluge of calls from friends asking her to remain at the helm.
Now, Williams said she is excited for this year’s event, which will bring “a whole new idea, a whole influx of new businesses.”
Williams said she anticipates between 50 to 150 local residents this year, which is slightly lower than the hundreds that attended the dance in the ’80s and ’90s.
A number of local business sponsors, including Shop ‘n Save, Crown Jeep and Four Star Pizza, among others, have committed to providing a range of free refreshments and food for the event.
Local DJ Derek Edwards will spin a host of family-friendly upbeat music throughout the evening, Williams said.
There will also be a dance contest with prizes during the event.
More information can be found online at facebook.com/share/18DkSkXq26/.