Come Join the Covered Bridge Dance!
Long, balmy summer evenings in the White Mountains—is there anything better? How about such an evening packed to the gills with music, dancing, and good cheer?
That’s the magic of Jackson’s Covered Bridge Dance, aka the “Old Fashioned Block Party,” a beloved summertime tradition that’s set to enjoy its 13th run on August 6, 2016. You can soak up all the fun by joining us here at the Wentworth Inn, a charming stroll from the “Honeymoon Bridge” that anchors the whole affair.
From 5 to 11 PM, that lovely span—one of the best-known of New Hampshire’s iconic covered bridges—will be closed to traffic, a unique opportunity to appreciate it up-close and personal. Beginning at 7:30 PM, New England favorites Jon Sarty and the White Mountain Boys will crank up some rootsy and toe-tapping tunes—and, actually, things tend to quickly progress beyond toe-tapping to all-out, all-ages dancing! Apple Buns will be providing delicious eats, and the Jackson Fire Department will be running a 50/50 fundraising raffle. Show up early to nab one of the provided tables or chairs, or bring along your own seating or blanket.
Thanks to local sponsors, the Covered Bridge Dance is completely free to attend. All that’s required of you is to have an awesome time—and maybe show off your dance moves!
And don’t worry: You can still drive into the Jackson Village loop via Route 16 by heading north past the Covered Bridge and taking the next right turn. (Road signs and friendly Jackson police will help direct traffic.) Businesses with normal evening hours will be open as usual during the Covered Bridge Dance, too.
Let’s take this opportunity to learn a little of the backstory of the Honeymoon Bridge, that cherished, long-standing landmark of Jackson Village. Civil War veteran Charles Austin Broughton, aided by his son Frank, built the 121-foot-long bridge over the Ellis River in 1876, designing it in the “Paddleford truss” style so prevalent in New Hampshire at the time. (You can read more about the Paddleford truss—named after its inventor, New Hampshire native Peter Paddleford—right here.) It apparently didn’t take long for the structure to gain its “Honeymoon” nickname, and it’s still got plenty of romantic appeal.
According to the New Hampshire Department of Transportation’s “New Hampshire Covered Bridges” compilation, incidentally, Broughton was an “avid fiddler” (in addition to an experienced carpenter—obviously—and “a skillful bear hunter”), so it’s likely he’d appreciate the Americana music that’ll be pouring from his durable creation during the Old-Fashioned Block Party.
Don’t miss out on the Covered Bridge Dance: It’s a truly delightful expression of Jackson Village’s community spirit and its full-hearted embrace of past and present. Stay with us here at the Wentworth and spend an unforgettable White Mountain summer night at the block party!