Tori La Rue | [email protected]

South Valley - On Feb. 5, five D’s came to the Sandra N. Lloyd Community Center: dads, daughters, dinner, dessert and dancing. 

Riverton continued its tradition of offering an annual daddy daughter date night around the time of Valentine’s Day with its event titled “Just You & I.” The annual date event is one of the best attended events the city puts on, and it fills up fast, according to city Public Information Officer Angela Trammell. All of the slots were full by Feb. 1, she said. 

“Dads and daughters wait for this event all year long, because it’s a good experience for bonding,” Trammell said. 

Because of interest, the city creates more slots for more community members to attend, according to Brittany Parker, who has planned the date night for the last four years. A record-breaking 150 participants came out to 2016’s event. 

The fathers and daughters showed up in their best dress, and each couple had their picture taken, much like what happens at a high-school dance, Trammell said. The pictures were printed and inserted into frames, and dads and daughters decorated the frames with red, pink and white hearts for one of the night’s activities. 

The group of dads and daughters enjoyed an Italian dinner with menu options before hitting the dance floor. Current hits reverberated across the community center, and girls and their fathers grooved. In addition to freestyle dancing, Lindsey Gill, Miss Riverton, instructed partner and line dancing. 

“It was fun to have Miss Riverton because it’s so cute to see how much the little girls love her,” Parker said. “It’s like they think she’s a princess, and they all want to get their picture taken with her.” 

Ryan and Kali Skinner said their favorite part was learning the dances together. 

“She’s a clogger, so she’s a really good dancer,” Skinner said, motioning to his daughter. “I had to try to keep up with her.” 

Skinner invited Kali to join him for the date after he got a flyer in the mail with the water bill. He said he’s lived in Riverton for a while, but had never heard about the event. Kali said she was grateful her dad found the date idea. She said she enjoyed the waltz, but she said her favorite part of the night was doing the chicken dance.

“It just kept getting faster and faster,” she said. 

Aspen Fisher, 3, said the chicken dance was her least favorite part. 

“I didn’t dance the chicken song,” she said. “I was too tired.”  

Aspen’s favorite part of the night was dancing to the “Beauty and the Beast” song from the Disney movie with the same title, she said. As girls and their fathers left, many of them collected a gift bag and committed to themselves that they’d come back again next year. 

Aspen’s father, Danny Fisher, said he’s grateful that his friend was involved in planning the event, because he said he never would have heard about the event otherwise. Fisher, who lives in Taylorsville, said he and Aspen plan to attend the Riverton’s daddy daughter activity for many years to come. 

“I would absolutely recommend it,” Skinner said. “It’s a lot of fun and a good way to interact with your daughter and have a great experience as a family.”

Dave Sommer and his daughter Averi said they’ve been to every daddy daughter night that Riverton City has offered. 

“I get to be with my daughter,” Sommer said when asked why he keeps coming back. “And what could be better than that?”

The daddy daughter date night will happen around the same time next year. Check rivertoncity.com for information regarding future activities through the city. 

Mothers and sons can look forward to Riverton’s upcoming mothers’ and sons’ night, titled “My Buddy and Me,” which will take place on Aug. 19.