In a heartwarming celebration of love and family, the Chicago Ridge Park District welcomed parents, children, and extended relatives to its second annual Family Sweetheart Social on Friday, Feb. 14. Held at the Frontier Park Field House, the event transformed Valentine’s Day into an evening of dancing, dining, and magical entertainment for all.
Celebrating her sixth birthday with her entire family, dressed like a princess, was little Ginger Deuter.
“This is so nice that the park district holds this event and invites everyone,” her mother, Chrissi Petropulos, of Chicago Ridge, said. “We’re able to have our whole family here for Ginger tonight, including aunts and uncles.”
What was once a traditional Daddy Daughter Dance has evolved into a more inclusive gathering, allowing entire families of all shapes and sizes to participate. Jennifer Grabowski, recreation supervisor at the Chicago Ridge Park District, said the change was made to ensure no one felt left out.
“The Family Sweetheart Social began as an idea to move away from traditional dances to be more inclusive to all families,” Grabowski said. “Families could now include extended family members in the same household as well as nontraditional families, and we wanted everyone to have fun.”
This shift has allowed more people to take part in the celebration. Instead of limiting the event to fathers and daughters or mothers and sons, the park district created a night where everyone, from grandparents, to aunts and uncles, cousins and siblings, like those from the Deuter family, could come together and make memories.
“The Family Sweetheart Social was inspired by the fact that we wanted to showcase entire families instead of just a Daddy Daughter Night or a Mother Son Night,” Grabowski said. “So many times, these evenings unintentionally leave someone out. With our event, everyone is welcome—bring grandparents, aunts, uncles—it doesn’t matter because family is family.”
The evening was filled with entertainment, from table-side magic and face painting to music provided by a DJ. Families enjoyed capturing the moment with a professional photographer, receiving souvenir photos in decorative frames. A photo booth added to the fun, while guests dined on a spread of pizza, salad, cookies, soda, and water.
This was the second year the park district has hosted the event, welcoming in 40 families, meeting a goal that reflected the growing popularity of the event.
“We attended last year as a family and we had so much fun,” Jessica Saldivar, of Oak Lawn, said. “We knew right away that we wanted to come again this year.”
The night ended on a high note with a giant balloon drop, sending colorful spheres cascading onto the dance floor, creating a perfect picture ending to an unforgettable event.
“I like having a family dance because so many families are just looking for something fun to do but might not fit into a Father/Daughter or Mother/Son dynamic for a traditional dance,” Grabowski said. “By having a dance that includes all families, we can eliminate that aspect and just include everyone.”
The response reaffirmed the park district’s belief that this type of event fills a need within the community.
“This is the vision we had — a true outing for a family that is a true night out on the town for the kids,” Grabowski said. “Many other park districts offer a Daddy Daughter Night, and a few have Mother Son nights, but our Family Sweetheart Social offers a great night of fun for all family members.”
With an evening full of laughter, dancing, and shared moments, the Family Sweetheart Social has quickly become a cherished tradition in Chicago Ridge, celebrating the simple joy of spending time together with all of your loved ones.
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