Who we are.We are a group of individuals who enjoy getting out of the house and turning off the TV and enjoying the socializing, fun and friendship of square dancing together.
It's FUN, HEALTHY and relieves the STRESS in our lives. And we get to meet some of our wonderful neighbors and make some new friends in the community.

How can I join in the fun? It's really very simple. The club holds square dance classes each year (Mondays from 7 to 9:30 pm). Those that wish to join us please call (352) 377-1828 and we'll give you all the information that you would like. The classes are easy and loads of fun. Regular dances are Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. Workshops from 7:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the Carpenters Union Hall, 1910 NW 53rd Avenue in Gainesville, Florida! We hope that you will join us soon.

Upcoming Event Calendar  To change the month click the arrow next to the month and year.

Put your mouse over any underlined day to see a special dance or event displayed. See "Events" below for details.

     "We  Do  Not  Grow  Too  Old  To  Dance.  We  Grow  Old  Because  We  Do  Not  Dance."

NEWS & UPCOMING DANCES / EVENTS

News...

Tuesdays

Click here for a map to the Carpenters Union Hall Like Chinese food? Silver Dragon

Sunshine Committee

The Sunshine Committee is the arm of our club family who will be in touch with our members who might be ill, may be in the hospital or have a family member in the hospital or may have other needs or woes. They won't know unless you tell them. Click here to go to leave them a message.

Dances / Events...

March, 7th SUNDAES ON SUNDAY -- THE SEQUEL!! non-stop mainstream and plus level dancing with Gateway & Rural Callers, Bill Chesnut MC, at the Moose Lodge, 5051 Collins Rd, Orange Park, FL 32073 from 2:00-4:30 PM. There will be plenty of ice cream syrups, cherries, nuts and fixings! We plan to have a Gift Certificate ONLY Silent Auction, and are asking each club (and anyone else who wants to do so) to donate one gift certificate to a restaurant, grocery store, department store, or for anything else (i.e. Visa, etc.) in whatever amount they can. All proceeds will go to benefit the 2010 FL State Square & Round Dance Convention. Contact Val Newsome 904-683-3512 for more information.
REMEMBER: EVERYDAY'S A HOLIDAY WHEN YOU'RE DANCING!

Tuesday, March 9th St. Patrick's Dance. The Grand Squares will have our annual St. Pat's Dance so wear something green and bring finger foods. Be prepared for an Irish fun night of Square Dancing.

Sunday, March 14th - Daylight Savings Time - remember to 'spring' ahead one hour!

Tuesday, March 16th - NO DANCE. It's an election day and the hall is a polling place.

Benefit Dance for Shriners Hospital for Children Saturday, March 20th 7 to 10 p.m. presented by the River Ramblers Square Dance Club at the Putnam County Shrine Club, 112 Yelving Road, Palatka, Florida. There will be lots of food, auctions: live - silent - Chinese; raffles, and at least 8 square dance callers! For more information call 386-467-8026.

Central Florida Square & Round Dance Association Presents the 10th Annual Shamrock Swing March 19 & 20, 2010 at the La Hacienda Center, 1200 Avenida Central. The Villages, Florida. Callers Tim Marriner & Bob Stern. Cuers Jimmy & Carol Griffin. Two Halls - Mainstream, Plus, DBD, & Advance. Ribbons $18 per person in Advance: $20 PP at the door. For more Info contact Bob & Jennie Courter at 352-751-1009 or e-mail courjl4720@thevillages.net .

Saturday, March 27th Benefit Square Dance Come join the fun! Chicken dinner at 5:30 p.m. for a donation of $5.50. Then square dancing at 7:00 p.m. for a donation of $4.00 per person (spectators and guests FREE at the dance). There will be a cake walk, a silent auction, a Chinese auction, a drawing for $100 bill, and a recycle shop. Caller: Ken Perez; at the Anthony United Methodist Church, 2396 NE 97th St., Anthony, FL click here for map and directions. All donations go to the church! Fantastic food! Rounds between tips (records)! Great square dancing! Come on down! For more information call Walter Cyr at 352-629-0437.

New Dancers Ball, presented by the Friendly Squares Saturday, April 10, 2010, 7 to 9 p.m. All new dancers, angels and any club dancers are welcome. Please come and support the areas new dancers. $4.50 per person. Caller: R. J. Hogan; Cuer: Bev Landwehn at Dancing Shadows on Hwy 484 between Bellview and I-75. For information call 352-750-2098 or 352-376-2428.

Spring Swing sponsored by the On Top of the World Circle Squares, Ocala, FL. They proudly present national caller Ken Bower from California on Saturday, April 24th. 7 to 10 p.m. Early rounds 7 to 7:30 with Loretta Hanhurst, Florida cuer. Plus level dancing 7:30 to 10:00 p.m. At On Top of the World. H&R Ballroom (off SR 200), Ocala, FL. Tickets: $7.00 advance, $8.00 at the door. For information call Bob at 352-873-6811.

56th Florida State Square and Round Dance Convention, at the Lakeland Center, Lakeland, FL, May 28, 29, & 30, 2010. Click here to go for more up to date information.

24rd Annual Watermelon Festival Square Dance Weekend at the Chiefland, FL Middle School Cafeteria Friday and Saturday, June 4th and 5th, 2010     The weekend will offer squares, rounds, line dancing and fun dances for dangles.This is a FUN dance weekend in a unique little town in Florida.

Christmas in July in Keystone Heights, FL, July 10th, 2010 sponsored by the Rural Callers Assn. and the Gateway Callers Assn.

5th Saturday Dance July 31st, 2010 sponsored by NEFSARDA.

Christmas in August, August 6 -7, 2010 in Charlotte, NC. "The Queen City Ball" featuring callers Tony Oxendine, Jerry Story, Dee Dee Dougherty, Randy Dougherty; cuers, Jack and Genie Whetsell, Lisa Wall. Click here for the flyer and info.

39th Georgia State Square Dance Convention, at the Macon Centreplx in Macon, Georgia, September 16 - 18, 2010 "Let's Dance Again in 2010". Click here for the flyer.

Daytona Beach Ball, October 8 - 9, 2010 in Daytona Beach, Florida featuring Tony Oxedine and Jimmy & Griffin. Click here for the flyer.

Our Circle of Concerns

O. J. Ferrington; Toni and Ron Ferguson; Bill Christman; Minnie Modette; Burton Riggs; Herb Jesk; John Saunders: Bud & Sarah Small; Dick & Flo Gartee

Our History: The Grand Squares were formed by Lon & Peggy Ligon on June 22, 1975 at the Carpenters Union Hall [ 1910 NW 53rd Avenue in Gainesville, Florida ]  and we have been dancing there every Tuesday evening since 1975 (7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.). The club caller is Lon Ligon, who has been actively calling since 1971. Peggy Ligon , his wife, maintains and oversees the club activities and keeps all the booking, calling and club information. They are the past presidents of the Florida Callers Association and past officers of the Rural Callers Association and The Gateway Callers Association. They are current members of Callerlab.

Our Wonderful Dancers: Every club needs helpers, angels, and dancers. Our club certainly has some very dedicated people who are always there to participate and help whenever you need them. They are an asset to our club and to the WONDERFUL WORLD OF SQUARE DANCING.
Thank you ........