COUNTRY music, western boots and line dancing are all set to take over the Stockman’s Ridge Wines marquee, with a new event hoping to bring the increasingly popular dance style to the region.
Stockman Stomp will be held at Stockman’s Ridge Winery in Lidster, with professional line dancers travelling from northern New South Wales to teach attendees throughout the evening.
Stockman’s Ridge owner and general manager Lisa Hambrook said the event was born from a love of country music and a growing interest in line dancing.
“We really love country music. It fits our vibe and suits our venue really well,” Ms Hambrook said.
“We love doing music events and we just think that line dancing is such a fun thing.”
Ms Hambrook, who is originally from Canada, said she had watched the popularity of line dancing grow among her nieces overseas and began noticing there were relatively few public events of its kind in the Central West.
“I’ve got nieces in Canada who are obsessed with line dancing and I’m constantly seeing them posting all these videos,” she said.
“We just thought that there seems to be a bit of a gap.”
While line dancing events are being held in other parts of the state, Ms Hambrook said she wanted to create an event that was accessible to people across the Central West.
The Stockman Stomp will make use of Stockman’s Ridge’s marquee, which features a large hardwood dance floor and views across the vineyard.
The evening will begin at 5pm, with line dancing with Cowgirls Australia kicking off at 6pm.
The instructors are competitive line dancers who compete at an elite level, including at competitions around Australia and internationally.
They will teach attendees throughout the evening, rather than holding a block of lessons before leaving dancers to practise on their own.
The aim, Ms Hambrook said, is to make the night as much about having fun as learning the steps.
Ms Hambrook said the aim was to make the event accessible to everyone, from experienced dancers to those who have never tried line dancing before.
“It’s going to be kind of interactive throughout the evening,” she said.
“You’ve got a couple to learn, have some fun, throw in another new one, have some fun, go back to one that you previously learned, and everyone just gets to do it for fun.”
Tickets cost $35, including the line dancing instruction.
Food will also be available on the night, with Beau, formerly of the Agrestic Grocer, providing catering.
And, naturally, there will be plenty of refreshments available from the winery, including wine, beer, cider, soft drinks and cocktails.
Despite owning a venue where country boots are very much at home, Ms Hambrook admits she is yet to try line dancing herself.
“I’ve never actually line danced myself,” she said.
“But as you could see when you turned up, I live in my country boots, so I’m looking forward to learning myself.”
For Ms Hambrook, the event is ultimately about creating a fun night out for people across the region.
“I just think it’s going to be so, so much fun,” she said. “I’m really excited about it.”
Stockman Stomp will be held at Stockman’s Ridge Wines, with tickets priced at $35, and Ms Hambrook said they have been selling quickly since going on sale so don’t delay.
Tickets for Stockman Stomp are available through the Stockman’s Ridge Wines website at stockmansridge.com.au.